Breaded Pork Chops with Herbs and Parmesan
Posted: 04/20/2011
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Crisp on the outside and juicy on the inside, these easy breaded pork chops are baked in the oven. The buttermilk marinade makes them so tender!
Looking for a delicious way to prepare pork chops? Tired of dry, tasteless pork? You’re going to love this recipe!
Have you ever tried marinating pork in buttermilk? You may have heard about marinating chicken in buttermilk but I was inspired by Jessica at How Sweet Eats to try this method with pork chops. If it tenderizes and adds juiciness to chicken, why not pork?
Hmmm, I wonder if a buttermilk marinade works for dry skin. My skin gets so dry in the winter. Sorry, got a little diverted there.
Anyways, back to that pork. Buttermilk marinated pork, coated with a tasty mixture of panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, and chopped parsley, baked in the oven for an easy entree.
About Breaded Pork Chops
Why buttermilk for a marinade? Buttermilk is slightly acidic and has enzymes which help tenderize the pork. It’s a gentle marinade and it won’t make the pork mushy if you want marinate the pork overnight. Plus, a buttermilk marinade is very easy, just pour it on, nothing to mix up.
After the pork has marinated, remove it from the marinade and let the excess drip off. You don’t have to wipe it off or anything — the buttermilk that remains on the pork chops will help the breading stick.
Mix the breading ingredients together: panko, Parmesan cheese, chopped parsley, mustard powder, salt and pepper. Use a shallow bowl so you have room to dredge the pork chops in it. Press one chop at a time, both sides, in the breading mixture. Arrange them in a single layer on a baking rack set inside a baking pan (don’t forget to spray it with nonstick cooking spray first!).
If you don’t have a baking rack, that’s okay. Baking the pork chops on a baking rack allows air to circulate all around the chops so they get crispier. Will they still be delicious in a pan? Of course!
Bake the chops for about a half hour or until the internal temperature reaches nearly 145°F. Let them rest 10 minutes or so; the internal temperature will continue to rise. They should be just slightly pink inside and juicy, but not bloody.
What to serve with Breaded Pork Chops:
Breaded pork chops would be great with roasted vegetables or potatoes because everything could roast in the oven at the same time. Just arrange your oven racks with a little space between the racks. Try roasted sweet potatoes and shallots, with maple mustard sauce. Or this medley of balsamic roasted vegetables. Roasted carrots with thyme and nutmeg are so good, too! Check out 40 of my roasted vegetable recipes.
Looking for more pork recipes?
- Instant Pot Pulled Pork
- Slow Cooker Pork Loin with balsamic glaze
- Pork Tenderloin with easy spice rub
- Pork Tenderloin with apples and onions
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
servings
Crisp on the outside and juicy on the inside, these easy breaded pork chops are baked in the oven. The buttermilk marinade makes them so tender!
Ingredients
- 4 boneless pork chops, about 8 oz. each
- 2 cups lowfat buttermilk
- 1 ½ cups panko (whole wheat or regular)
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh or dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Pour buttermilk into a shallow dish. Add pork, flip to coat and submerge. Refrigerate, covered, for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line baking sheet with foil, set a baking rack on it, and spray lightly with cooking spray.
- In a large shallow bowl, mix panko, Parmesan cheese, parsley, mustard powder, salt and pepper. Remove pork from marinade, allowing excess marinade to drip off. Dredge each pork chop in breading mixture, patting lightly so breading adheres. Place on prepared rack.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 145°F.
- Allow to rest 5-10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Don't have a baking rack? Bake pork chops in baking pan without rack. They may be slightly less crispy on the bottom side but will still be delicious.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1g, Calories: 368kcal, Carbohydrates: 36g, Protein: 27g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 53mg, Sodium: 957mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 8g
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
Verdict: These are great! I love cooking things on a baking rack because it gets crispy all around without deep-frying.
Husband’s take: “These are the best pork chops I have ever had!” He also said, “You’re getting better at cooking, I didn’t think it was possible.” Hmmm, I could take that comment two vastly different ways. I prefer to think positively.
Changes I would make: None.
Difficulty: Easy.
Changes I would make: None.
Difficulty: Easy.
Donna says
HA!!! I loved how that whole post from your husbands "no choice" to him loving these delicious chops in the end! Too cute:) (and I can relate;) hahahahahhahaha…
Nutmeg Nanny says
These look amazing! I love the crunchy crust…yum!
Rachel says
Thanks Kelly! Frequent visitors are my favorite. I'm adding you to my Google reader as well. I could stand to "eat myself skinny." ;)
Kelly says
This looks absolutely delicious! Your blog is great!! Consider me a new frequent visitor :)
Autumn@Good Eats Girl says
I'm definitely going to make these! They sound great! I also love cooking on a baking rack! It works like a dream!
Dandy says
On a baking rack is an awesome idea- yum!
Alexa @ Simple Eats says
These look AMAZING! I love any kind of pork, but encrusted pork chops like these sound wayyy too good!
Gin Oakley says
You had me at buttermilk and panko . . .
This is going on this week's menu :)