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You only need 4 ingredients and about 5 minutes to prepare these flavorful, juicy, and tender Baked Pork Chops! The easy dinner recipe is perfect for busy weeknights when you need dinner on the table fast, and it works equally well as a freezer meal!

Sliced baked pork chops on a plate

I saw some nice looking thick-cut pork chops at the grocery store last week, so I instantly scooped them up.

We try to have pork on the dinner menu at least a couple of times each month — just to mix it up from chicken — and I love to experiment with new ways to cook the meat. There’s only one rule: any recipe I try has to be really easy!

Baked pork chops in dish

These tender baked pork chops tasted so darn amazing that I just had to share them with you! Best of all, they were thrown together with a handful of pantry staples and have now become a regular in our home.

Easy tender baked pork chop on a plate

This meal is a great option for those days when you have some pork chops in the freezer and you don’t know what to do with them, or you can prep them in advance as a freezer meal for those nights that you don’t want to cook!

HOW DO I MAKE TENDER PORK CHOPS IN THE OVEN?

Trust me when I say that this is about as easy as it gets!

You need just 4 ingredients (plus salt and pepper) for these marinated baked pork chops: Italian salad dressing, Dijon mustard, and brown sugar…

Ingredients for baked pork chops

plus 4 thick-cut boneless pork chops.

Thick boneless pork chops

To start, pat the pork dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Place the chops in a large baking dish.

Boneless pork chops in dish

Whisk together the Italian dressing, mustard, and brown sugar to form the most delicious sweet-and-savory sauce. This marinade would also be perfect for grilled pork chops or chicken!

Pork chops easy marinade

Pour the marinade over the pork chops and your job is DONE! See how simple that is?

Marinade for easy baked pork chops

HOW LONG DO YOU COOK PORK CHOPS IN THE OVEN?

Bake the pork chops (uncovered) at 400 degrees F for about 20 minutes.

Tender pork chops in the oven

The final cooking time will ultimately depend on the thickness of your meat, so I like to use a meat thermometer (like this one) to make sure that the pork is cooked perfectly.

You know that the pork is done when it’s slightly pink inside and it reaches an internal temperature of at least 145 degrees F.

How to bake pork chops in the oven

Tip! During the final 3-4 minutes of baking time (when the pork is about 135 degrees F and almost finished), I like to transfer the dish to the broiler. Broil on HIGH for a few minutes to get that crispy finish on the top of your pork.

Thick baked pork chop sliced on a plate with salad and rice

The chops will be nicely browned, but will stay tender and juicy on the inside!

What Should I Serve with the Easy Baked Pork Chops?

This meat pairs perfectly with just about any sides (it’s so versatile!). Try serving the pork with one of these quick-prep options:

Baked pork chops on a plate with marinade

Looking for even more easy pork chop recipes? Try these:

Dump-and-Go 4-Ingredient Baked Pork Chops

4.82 from 16 votes
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Resting Time 5 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 213.7 kcal
You only need 4 ingredients and about 5 minutes to prepare these flavorful, juicy, and tender Baked Pork Chops!

Ingredients
  

  • 4 thick-cut boneless pork chops about 1-inch thick and 6 ounces each
  • 1 cup Italian salad dressing I use Ken’s Steak House Lite Northern Italian with Basil and Romano
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup Dijon mustard
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Optional garnish: fresh parsley or other herbs

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a large baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
  • Pat pork chops dry with a paper towel, and season on both sides with salt and pepper.
  • Place pork chops in prepared baking dish.
  • In a large measuring cup or bowl, whisk together salad dressing, brown sugar, and Dijon mustard. Pour over pork chops.
  • Bake uncovered until pork is slightly pink inside, reaching an internal temperature of at least 145 degrees F – about 20 minutes (use a meat thermometer to make it really easy!). I like to put the pork under the broiler for the final 3-4 minutes so that it gets a bit crispy on the top, but that step is totally optional.
  • Loosely cover pork with foil and allow to rest for at least 5-10 minutes.
  • Garnish with fresh parsley just before serving.

Notes

Tip: This is a great freezer meal! Just place the raw pork chops in a large plastic freezer bag, pour the sauce into the bag, and freeze until ready to bake. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, transfer pork and sauce to a baking dish, and cook according to instructions above.
Cooking Just for Two? Cut the ingredients in half (using just 2 pork chops and half of the sauce), and bake the pork in an 8-inch square dish. The rest of the cooking instructions remain the same.

Nutrition

Serving: 1pork chop with 2 teaspoons of the sauceCalories: 213.7kcalCarbohydrates: 2.5gProtein: 38gFat: 4.6gSaturated Fat: 1.2gCholesterol: 93mgSodium: 411.3mgPotassium: 6mgSugar: 1.8g
Keyword: easy dinner, pork, pork chops
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Author: Blair Lonergan

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. I may earn a small commission for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial, and/or link to any products or services from this website.

blair

Hey, I’m Blair!

Welcome to my farmhouse kitchen in the foothills of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. Inspired by local traditions and seasonal fare, you’ll find plenty of easy, comforting recipes that bring your family together around the table. It’s down-home, country-style cooking!

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Comments

  1. On the menu plan! I have been wondering what to do with a bottle of Italian dressing left over from a cooking project. We usually just use olive oil for salads, and I couldn’t bring myself to get rid of the bottle. I am glad I kept it, can’t wait to make this for dinner!

  2. 5 stars
    Hi Blair! It’s David again from the Bronx. This was so delicious. Your timing is so on point. It literally took me 25 minutes from start to eating. And it was so delicious. I even made additional for my daughter and son in law. I think they will be looking at some of your recipes as well. Thanks again!

  3. 5 stars
    This was so amazing. Easy and delicious. Even my 4 year old devoured it. He kept saying, “Mommy, you’re the best cook in the whole world!” Thank you for sharing, Blair.

  4. Blair, thank you so much for this site! I have used about 10 of your recipes and they have all been easy and great! I get home very late from work and need a quick easy meal, your site has been my savior!

  5. 5 stars
    Easy and delish! I confess that I didn’t believe they would be done in 20 minutes, and overcooked them a bit – my own fault! This will be my go-to when I don’t feel like breading my chops. My son who doesn’t like pork chops actually ate some, and proceeded to pour the sauce all over everything else on his plate. Thanks for a great recipe!

    1. Awesome! We love it, too! I made the dinner again this week, and my son helped himself to 3 servings of pork! 🙂

  6. Thanks for having a “jump to recipe” option. Three similar photos of the chops in the baking dish and three more of the chops on a plate with salad and rice! Why do this? One of each is plenty! I find it annoying to have to keep scrolling when all I really want is to get to the actual recipe.

  7. 4 stars
    I made this tonight. I did a variation though, used the Newman’s Own low fat seasame ginger dressing instead of Italian. It came out great! I served it over basmati rice and added steamed carrots and snap peas for an Asian flair. It was a bit sweeter than I’d normally make, so if I make it again I’d cut the brown sugar to 1/2 or use agave instead. Easy meal that came together quickly and the pork chops we’re perfectly juicy at 20 mins.

    1. Thanks, Angela! Yes, that sesame ginger dressing is sweet (as I recall), so you probably didn’t need as much brown sugar. Glad you liked it, though! 🙂

  8. 5 stars
    I had four thick cut pork chops in the freezer that I wanted us to have but I had no idea what to do with them. My husband offered to grill them so I thought that sounded good. But then, around time to start dinner, a storm hit so grilling was out. So I Googled recipes and found yours and I have to say we loved it! We didn’t have the dressing or the mustard so my husband ran to the store and got them. I will be sharing your delicious and easy recipe with family and friends and it will be our go to recipe. Thank you!

    1. Thanks, Denise! I’m so glad that you enjoyed the pork chops! It’s tough to compete with grilled pork chops, but sometimes the oven is just way more convenient — and that’s when this recipe comes in handy! 🙂

      1. And I would never have thought to put those three ingredients together! I don’t know who you thought of those but they were a perfect combo of flavors.

          1. Thanks, Denise! Sometimes I’m forced to get creative with pantry staples when I’m avoiding an extra grocery run! 🙂

  9. I’ve been looking for something to do with my chops other than grill or fry them. This sounded really good so I thought I’d try it. I did have to bake them longer than the 20 minutes though, and then put them under the broiler.!i made saffron rice with broccoli as a side dish.

  10. 5 stars
    Really enjoyed this recipe. – served with braised cabbage , onion & apple with caraway seeds & mashed potatoes. All flavors really worked. Thanks!

  11. These were great!!! So flavorful and tender! My 3 year old gobbled his up so fast and asked for more. ???? Thanks for a great recipe!

  12. These were great!!! So flavorful and tender! My 3 year old gobbled his up so fast and asked for more. ???? Thanks for a great recipe!

  13. This looks really very good and I look forward to making these pork chops. But I think there a mistake in the nutrition facts. There are 127 carbs in the recipe as written. That is far more than indicated in the nutrition facts. Even if one only put two teaspoons of sauce on the chops when serving the chops would have absorbed some of the sauce. As written each chop would have about 27 carbs.

  14. 5 stars
    I would give this more than five stars as I could! I used Olive garden dressing. Because it is so flavorful I only used less and added olive oil for the rest. I didn’t have enough Dijon so I made up the difference with regular mustard. I just thought that this combination couldn’t possibly be good! but it’s a flavor I am addicted to now. The perfect slightly sweet but savory sauce. Hubby ate 2 chops and that’s saying alot! I used thinner bone in chops and baked for 17 minutes. I made your basil roasted green beans too. This was a great meal with no leftovers! There is plenty of sauce in the baking dish and I am dreaming of ways to use it up!

    1. Thanks, Michelle! I’m so glad that your husband approved, too! 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to leave me a note.

  15. 5 stars
    My fiance and I were pleasantly surprised by how much we liked this recipe! It is definitely a “do it again”!

    1. Awesome! Thanks for taking the time to come back here and let me know. So glad that you liked it, Missy!

  16. 5 stars
    Delicious! So, I thought I had all the ingredients, but alas I was wrong. I didn’t have Dijon, so i mixed stonegeound mustard with mayonnaise. I also didn’t have Italian, so i mixed balsamic vinegarente with an oil and vinegar blend ( both Newman’s Own. It came out fantastic! I can’t wait to try with the actual ingredients. Putting this in our rotation.

  17. 5 stars
    I’ve made this at least 3 times already. Delicious. A very tasty dish and is now my go-to for pork chops. Made it just as the recipe calls for.

  18. 5 stars
    I tried this recipe last night and it was sooooo good. Will definitely be making again. Thanks for the recipe.

  19. 5 stars
    I made this for dinner last night and my husband kept saying how much he liked it. It really is surprising delicious. Seemed like a lot of dijon mustard but it all blended together so nicely. I have a lot of sauce left so tonight the sauce will be served over egg noodles. Fast, easy, delicious….every cook’s dream.

    1. That’s so good to hear, Joan! I’m glad that your husband approved, too. Thank you for taking the time to come back here and leave me a note!

  20. 3 stars
    This was good, although perhaps a bit too sweet for me. The recipe makes A LOT of sauce that we didn’t end up eating, which meant wasted ingredients. If I make this again, I’ll cut the sauce amount down to save on pantry ingredients.

    1. Hi, Trisha! Yes, it should work with chicken breasts. Depending on the size and thickness of your chicken, you might need to adjust the cooking time. The chicken needs to reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. 🙂

      1. `I made it with the chicken breast and it was delicious. I loved the sauce on the mashed potatoes. This is going into my recipe file.

  21. 5 stars
    My entire family loved this recipe and told me to only make oorkchops this way from now on! Excellent dish! Thank you so much!!