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Celebrate fall by making Apple Pork Chops! Juicy and tender pork chops are seared and simmered with fresh apple slices in a brown sugar-sweetened sauce that’s good enough to eat by itself. Perfect with mashed potatoes!
Why You’ll Love These Pork Chops With Apples
Delicious Details
- Cuisine Inspiration: American
- Primary Cooking Method: Stovetop
- Dietary Info: Gluten-free, Dairy-free option
- Skill Level: Easy
Pork chops are one of my favorite dishes to make on a busy weeknight because they don’t take much time and effort yet are satisfying and flavorful. This pork chops with apples recipe is similar to my savory Garlic Butter Pork Chops recipe but features sweet, crisp apples rather than garlic.
Pork chops with apples is a nice intro to pork for kids because it’s hard to turn down the sweet, apple-infused sauce that’s draped over the perfectly cooked chops. The best part? It takes half an hour or less to make this easy main dish. Here’s why you’ll love it:
- Simple Ingredients. I love an ingredients list that isn’t complicated. A quick scan below will show you that all you’ll need is pantry staples, plus fresh pork chops and a few apples.
- Gluten Free. I hardly need to mention it, but this recipe is entirely gluten free! You won’t need to worry about making any substitutions because every ingredient is already gluten free. And, if you need to make it dairy-free, it’s beyond easy to swap the butter for oil or non-dairy butter.
- Nice balance of flavors. I love the flavor contrast in this dish. The sweet apples and the sweet sauce perfectly complement the sweet-salty pork that will almost melt in your mouth.
Recipe Ingredients
I’ve outlined what you’ll need to make pork chops and apples below, plus included some ingredient notes to guide you through grocery shopping. Make sure to check the recipe card at the end of this post for the full ingredient amounts.
- Pork Chops: I love using boneless chops but feel free to use bone-in. You will need to adjust the cooking time accordingly to ensure the chops are cooked through.
- Salt and Pepper
- Avocado Oil: I like to use avocado oil, but any neutral oil is fine.
- Butter: If you have to avoid dairy, you can use all oil or substitute vegan butter. Otherwise, either salted or unsalted butter will work.
- Apples: I used Honeycrisp apples, but you can use any type of sweet and firm apples such as Fuji or Gala.
- Chicken Broth: Vegetable broth or beef broth can be used as substitutes, depending on what you have on hand.
- Apple Juice: For a different kind of sweetness or if apple juice is not available, you could use orange juice or even pear juice.
- Brown Sugar: You can use a small amount of white sugar, or if you’re reducing sugar intake, you can use a sugar substitute like coconut sugar or a reduced amount of honey or maple syrup.
- Ground Spices: Ground cinnamon and nutmeg are classic with apples, but you can experiment with allspice or cardamom for a different flavor profile.
How To Make Apple Pork Chops
Here’s a look in photos of how to make this recipe. Find the detailed instructions in the recipe card below.
- Season the pork. Rub both sides of the pork with salt and pepper.
- Cook pork. In a large skillet, heat the avocado oil and cook the pork chops over medium heat for 3-4 minutes on each side.
- Melt the butter. Remove the pork from the skillet, then melt the butter over medium heat.
- Cook apples. Add in the sliced apples and cook until they begin to soften.
- Add liquid. Add the chicken broth and apple juice to the apples.
- Simmer. Now, add the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt and simmer until the mixture thickens slightly.
- Add in pork. Return the pork chops to the skillet.
- Cook a little more. Simmer the pork chops in the apple sauce for about 5-7 minutes.
- Serve! To serve, spoon the apple mixture over the pork chops.
Tips For Cooking Pork Chops
To cook perfect pork chops, similar to cooking other meats, use an instant-read thermometer and let the chops rest after cooking so that the juices can release and re-mingle with the meat, creating a lovely texture and juiciness in every bite.
A few more tips to help you make this recipe include:
- Don’t overcook! Try to avoid overcooking the pork chops. They should be slightly pink in the center when done, so cook them just until they reach the recommended internal temperature. Then, let the chops rest for a few minutes before serving to retain their juices.
- Use a meat thermometer. Pork chops are cooked to a done, safe temperature when their internal temperature reaches 145°F. For accuracy, use an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness.
- Make ahead: You can cook the pork chops and apple mixture ahead of time and gently reheat them before serving. However, the pork chops are best enjoyed fresh to maintain their juiciness.
- Thicken the sauce. If the sauce is too thin after following the recipe instructions, you can simmer it longer to reduce and thicken it. Or, mix a small amount of cornstarch with water and add it to the sauce, stirring until it thickens.
- Try another fruit. If you want to try a fruit other than apples, pears or peaches can be good substitutes. They also cook well and complement the savory flavors of the dish.
Proper Storage
I prefer to eat apple pork chops hot and fresh, but you can save your leftovers to enjoy later in the week. Here’s how to do it:
- Fridge – Place cooled leftover pork chops in an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezer – To freeze, store the pork chops separately from the apple mixture: Place the cooled pork chops in a freezer-safe container or Ziploc bag with a layer of parchment paper in between any layers. Store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw the chops overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Note that freezing pork chops may change their texture a bit when they are thawed.
- To Reheat – Warm a skillet over medium heat and add a splash of water or apple juice, then add the pork chops and cook until heated through, about 5-8 minutes. Or microwave the chops on medium power in 30-second intervals until hot.
Make It A Meal
Apple pork chops make a fantastic main dish and all you’ll need to do is add a few vegetables, a fluffy scoop of mashed potatoes, or a salad to round them out into a complete meal. Here are a few of my favorite dishes to serve with pork chops and apples:
- With potatoes. My favorite side dish to serve with apple pork chops will always be a creamy batch of Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes. Close seconds are Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes or Smashed Potatoes. Or, make Instant Pot Potato Salad!
- Add vegetables. Fill out your meal with a vegetable or two. Some nice accompaniments to pork chops with apples include Air Fryer Cauliflower or Roasted Cauliflower, Roasted Butternut Squash, Creamed Spinach, or Perfect Oven-Roasted Asparagus.
- Bread. Serve apple pork chops with a simple side of homemade Gluten Free French Bread or Gluten Free Cornbread.
- Salad. For a lighter meal, serve pork chops with salad. Some of my favorite seasonal salad recipes include Harvest Salad or Mixed Greens Salad with Butternut Squash and Pomegranate Seeds.
More Easy Pork Recipes To Try
Apple Pork Chops
Celebrate fall by making Apple Pork Chops! Juicy and tender pork chops are seared and simmered with fresh apple slices in a brown sugar sauce
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 4 boneless pork chops , about 1/2” thick
- salt and pepper , to season the chops
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 large apples , cored, peeled, and sliced
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ¼ cup apple juice
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Season both sides of the pork chops with salt and pepper to taste.
- In a large skillet, heat the avocado oil over medium-high heat.
- Add the pork chops to the skillet and cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side, or until they are nicely browned and cooked through.
- Remove the pork chops from the skillet and set them aside.
- In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the sliced apples and cook for about 2-3 minutes, or until they begin to soften.
- Pour in the chicken broth and apple juice, and stir to combine.
- Stir in the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt; Let the mixture simmer for a few minutes unIl the sauce slightly thickens.
- Return the pork chops to the skillet, nestling them into the apple mixture.
- Let the pork chops and apples simmer in the sauce for an additional 5-7 minutes, allowing the flavors to blend and the apples to become tender.
- Once the pork chops are cooked through and the apples are tender, transfer them to a serving platter. Spoon the apple mixture over the pork chops.
Nutrition Facts
Apple Pork Chops
Amount Per Serving
Calories 354
Calories from Fat 198
% Daily Value*
Fat 22g34%
Saturated Fat 8g40%
Trans Fat 0.3g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 10g
Cholesterol 105mg35%
Sodium 511mg21%
Potassium 534mg15%
Carbohydrates 8g3%
Fiber 0.3g1%
Sugar 8g9%
Protein 29g58%
Vitamin A 183IU4%
Vitamin C 0.2mg0%
Calcium 24mg2%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Disclaimers: Please discuss your individual dietary needs (i.e. gluten free) with a physician. Even when not specified, be sure to verify all ingredients are gluten free, if needed, by reading labels on all packaging and/or confirming with the manufacturer this varies by brand and can change at any time. Nutrition information shown is an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate.
Did you make this?
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This was delicious!! Easy, simple ingredient recipe that even I could make! Kid and week night friendly. I did reduce the butter to 1 tbsp instead of 2 (trying to reduce Sat. Fat) and it still turned out great. Next time I’ll reduce brown sugar from 2 tbsp to 1 tbsp and I bet it will still be just as good!