These creamy pork chops are as easy to make and come together in a snap. In this recipe, boneless pork chops are cooked in a simple cream sauce that’s flavored with garlic and thyme.
What's great about this recipe
- Quick and easy: This dish comes together quickly, making it perfect for busy weeknights.
- Rich and creamy sauce: The flavorful sauce elevates the pork chops to a restaurant-quality meal.
- Versatile: Pair it with a variety of sides like mashed potatoes, rice, or steamed vegetables for a complete meal.
- Budget-friendly: Uses simple, affordable ingredients for a delicious and satisfying dinner.
Ingredients
- Oil – Use a neutral (flavorless) oil with a high smoke point (we use canola oil) to fry the pork chops.
- Pork – Choose pork loin boneless chops about 1 inch thick. If all you have is bone-in or thinner chops, then adjust the cooking time (see recipe tips).
- Seasoning – The pork is simply seasoned with salt and the sauce is seasoned with fresh garlic, fresh thyme, and black pepper.
- Butter – Used to cook the garlic and to make the roux that will give the sauce body. Regular salted butter will work fine.
- Flour – The flour is used to thicken the sauce just a little bit. Use all-purpose flour.
- Liquid – The sauce is made with chicken broth and half and half
- See the recipe card for quantities and preparation.
How to make creamy pork chops
- Pat the pork chops dry and season with salt on both sides. Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Cook undisturbed 4-5 minutes or until a golden-brown crust has formed on the underside. Turn the chops and cook another 2-3 minutes to brown the other side.
- Take the skillet off the heat and turn off the burner. Remove the chops and place them on a pan or plate. Keep them warm by covering loosely with foil.
- Before covering use an instant read thermometer to take the internal temperature of the thickest chop to gauge how long they will need to cook in the sauce. If the chops are already up to temperature (at least 145°F) then just put them in at the end for a couple of minutes to warm through.
- Do not wash the skillet. Let it cool slightly before adding butter and garlic to prevent burning. The skillet should be warm but not too hot.
Make the cream sauce
- Place the skillet over medium-low heat and add the butter. When the butter is melted and foamy add the garlic, thyme, and black pepper. Cook for 2 minutes until the garlic is sizzling gently and fragrant. Stir frequently.
- Add the flour and cook 1 minute while stirring almost constantly.
- Add the chicken broth to the skillet.
- Gently scrape any bits on the bottom. Move in small circles around the whole pan. Continue stirring until the sauce is smooth. Bring the sauce to a simmer (It will take about 2-3 minutes), stir frequently.
Finish the dish
- Add the half & half and stir to incorporate, let it come to a simmer. Add the pork chops back in, along with any juices collected on the plate. Stir well.
- Cover and cook for 5-10 minutes or until the internal temperature of the thickest pork chop is at least 145°F.
- Keep the sauce simmering gently. Stir occasionally and turn the chops once or twice. If the sauce is boiling too vigorously lower the heat a notch or two and check again.
Serving suggestions
Serve the pork chops with the creamy sauce on a bed of mashed potatoes as we do here. It’s equally good on a bed of spaghetti or tube pasta like ziti or rigatoni. If you want to keep it really simple, serve with a side salad and a generous piece of crusty bread to soak up the cream sauce.
Recipe tips and notes
- Choose Thick Pork Chops: Thicker chops take longer to cook, reducing the risk of drying out during cooking.
- Adjust for Thin Chops: If using thinner pork chops, brown them as instructed, then check the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer. If they’ve reached 145°F, set them aside while you cook the sauce. Add them back in at the end for 1–2 minutes to warm through.
- Use the Right Skillet: A heavy-bottomed skillet helps create a beautiful crust without burning the meat. An enameled cast-iron skillet works perfectly for this recipe.
- Cook to the Right Temperature: Pork is safe to eat at 145°F. Unlike fattier cuts like pork shoulder, boneless pork loin chops are lean and can dry out if overcooked, so be careful not to exceed the recommended temperature by too much.
- Be Prepared: Things move quickly in this recipe, especially at the start. Prep all your ingredients ahead of time to keep the process smooth and stress-free.
Pork chops are a versatile option and a great alternative to beef or chicken. They’re quick to cook and can be prepared in many delicious ways. If you enjoyed this recipe, be sure to try our fried pork chops, mushroom pork chops, or pan-fried Cuban pork chops—each one perfect for an easy and flavorful weeknight dinner!
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📖 Recipe
Creamy Pork Chops
These creamy pork chops are as easy to make and come together in a snap. In this recipe, boneless pork chops are cooked in a simple cream sauce that’s flavored with garlic and thyme.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Oil use a neutral (flavorless) oil with a high smoke point (we use canola oil)
- 1½ - 2 pound Pork Loin Boneless Chops about 1 inch thick (4 pork chops)
- 1 - 1½ teaspoon Salt
- 2 tablespoons Butter
- 3 - 4 Garlic Cloves minced
- ½ teaspoon Fresh Thyme minced – plus extra for garnish, if desired
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1½ tablespoon Flour
- 1 cup Chicken Broth
- 1 cup Half and Half
Instructions
- Pat the pork chops dry and season with salt on both sides.
- Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, but not quite smoking, add the pork chops.
- Cook them undisturbed 4-5 minutes or until a golden-brown crust has formed on the underside. The chops should also have released from the pan and be easy to flip without offering much resistance.
- Turn each chop and cook another 2-3 minutes to brown the other side.
- Take the skillet off the heat and turn off the burner.
- Remove the chops and place them on a pan or plate. Keep them warm by covering with foil and/or place them in the microwave or oven, they will stay warm away from drafts.
- Before covering take the internal temperature of the thickest chop to gauge how long they will need to cook in the sauce.
- Do not wash the skillet. Let it cool for a few minutes so that it is not too hot when we add the butter.
- Place the skillet over medium-low heat and add the butter.
- When the butter is melted and foamy add the garlic, thyme, and black pepper. Cook for 2 minutes until the garlic is sizzling gently and fragrant. Stir frequently.
- Add the flour and cook 1 minute while stirring almost constantly.
- Add the chicken broth to the skillet and gently scrape any bits on the bottom. Move in small circles around the whole skillet. Continue stirring until the sauce is smooth.
- Bring the sauce to a simmer (It will take about 2-3 minutes), stir frequently.
- Add the half & half and stir to incorporate and let it come to a simmer.
- Add the pork chops back in, along with any juices collected on the plate, stir well. (Unless they are already up to temperature.)
- Cover and cook for 7-10 minutes or until the internal temperature of the thickest pork chop is at least 145°F.
- Keep the sauce simmering gently. Stir occasionally and turn the chops once or twice. If the sauce is boiling too vigorously lower the heat a notch or two and check again.
Notes
How long to cook the pork chops at the end will depend on how thick they are and how high the temperature got in the browning process. We checked ours after 5 minutes and they were not at 145°F so we gave them a few more minutes.
For thinner pieces cook less time in the sauce, add them in when there are only a few minutes left on the cooking time.
Nutrition
Calories: 530kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 52gFat: 32gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 189mgSodium: 545mgPotassium: 994mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 430IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 94mgIron: 2mg
The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate. This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.
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