Creamy Baked Pork Chops Recipe
Have you ever craved a dinner that transforms ordinary pork chops into a restaurant-worthy masterpiece? Creamy baked pork chops might just be your new weeknight hero. This recipe turns simple ingredients into a luxurious meal that'll have your family asking for seconds. From perfectly seasoned meat to a velvety sauce that clings to each bite, you're about to discover a comfort food classic that's both easy to prepare and impressive to serve. Want to know how to make magic happen in your kitchen?
Recipe Highlights
- Thoroughly season pork chops with garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper to create a rich, flavorful base for the creamy baked dish.
- Combine cream of mushroom soup and heavy cream in a large bowl, whisking until smooth to create a luxurious, velvety sauce.
- Bake pork chops covered with foil at 350°F to lock in moisture, then uncover to achieve a golden-brown exterior and reach 145°F internal temperature.
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure pork chops are cooked perfectly, maintaining tenderness while avoiding overcooking for a juicy, delectable meal.
- Serve with complementary sides like roasted vegetables or mashed potatoes, allowing the meat to rest briefly to enhance its rich, creamy flavor profile.
History
While pork chops have been a staple in American cuisine for generations, their creamy baked preparation represents a more modern culinary evolution.
You'll find that this dish emerged in the mid-20th century, when convenience foods like cream of mushroom soup became pantry staples. Cream-based meat preparations gained popularity during the 1950s and 1960s, reflecting post-war home cooking trends that prioritized easy, rich recipes.
Midwestern and Southern home cooks particularly embraced these one-dish meals that transformed affordable cuts of meat into comforting dinners.
The technique of baking pork chops in a creamy sauce likely originated from traditional European braising methods, adapted to suit American kitchen equipment and ingredient availability.
This recipe represents a delicious intersection of practicality and culinary creativity, transforming a simple protein into a luxurious meal.
Recipe
Creamy Baked Pork Chops transform an ordinary weeknight meal into a luxurious dining experience that's both simple and elegant. The magic of this dish lies in its ability to turn tender pork chops into a mouthwatering entrée with minimal effort, creating a rich and velvety sauce that elevates the meat to new culinary heights.
The key to success is in the careful balance of seasonings and the slow baking process, which allows the pork chops to become incredibly tender while developing a beautiful golden-brown exterior. A combination of cream of mushroom soup and heavy cream creates a luscious sauce that infuses the meat with incredible flavor and keeps it wonderfully moist throughout cooking.
Ingredients:
- 4 boneless pork chops
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare a baking dish.
Season the pork chops generously with salt, black pepper, and garlic powder, ensuring even coverage on both sides. In the baking dish, whisk together the cream of mushroom soup and heavy cream until smooth, creating a rich sauce base.
Place the seasoned pork chops into the cream mixture, gently pressing them down so they're partially submerged. Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
After this initial cooking period, remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 15 minutes until the pork chops turn golden brown and reach an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C).
For the most successful outcome, let the pork chops rest at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before cooking to ensure even heat distribution. Use a meat thermometer to check doneness, and if the sauce becomes too thick during baking, thin it with a small amount of chicken broth.
Avoid overcooking, as this can result in tough, dry meat that loses its tender qualities.
Cooking Steps
You'll want to start by thoroughly seasoning your pork chops with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, ensuring even coverage that'll enhance the meat's natural flavors.
Next, combine the cream of mushroom soup and heavy cream in your baking dish, creating a rich, velvety sauce that'll help keep the pork chops moist during cooking.
Carefully place the seasoned pork chops into the creamy mixture, making sure they're partially submerged, then cover with foil and prepare to transform these ordinary chops into a restaurant-worthy meal.
Step 1. Season Pork Chops Thoroughly
Four key steps will transform your pork chops from bland to bold during the seasoning process. First, pat the meat dry with paper towels, ensuring a moisture-free surface that'll help seasonings adhere perfectly. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of garlic powder evenly across both sides, using gentle, sweeping motions to distribute the seasoning uniformly.
- Use kosher salt for best flavor penetration
- Crack fresh black pepper directly onto the meat
- Press seasonings gently to help them stick
Next, massage the spices into the pork chops, creating a thin, even coating that'll caramelize beautifully during baking. Don't be shy about thoroughly covering every surface—this is your chance to build deep, rich flavor that'll make these pork chops truly memorable.
Your careful seasoning now sets the stage for a delicious, restaurant-quality meal.
Step 2. Combine Soup and Cream
When mixing the cream sauce for these decadent pork chops, start by selecting a large mixing bowl that'll comfortably accommodate your cream of mushroom soup and heavy cream.
Pour the entire can of cream of mushroom soup into the bowl, carefully measuring out one full cup of heavy cream alongside it. Whisk these ingredients together until they're completely smooth, eliminating any lumps and creating a uniform, silky texture.
Key steps for perfect sauce combination:
- Use room temperature cream for easier blending
- Whisk thoroughly to prevent separation
- Ensure no soup clumps remain
- Look for a consistent, creamy consistency
The goal is a rich, velvety sauce that'll help tenderize and flavor your pork chops during baking, creating a luxurious coating that transforms an ordinary meal into something special.
Step 3. Place Pork Chops Carefully
After whisking the cream sauce to silky perfection, it's time to carefully position your pork chops in the baking dish.
Arrange the seasoned chops gently, ensuring they're partially submerged in the creamy mixture. Place each chop with about 1-2 inches between them to allow even heat circulation and prevent overcrowding.
Key placement tips:
- Center the chops in the dish
- Keep chops level for uniform cooking
- Avoid stacking or overlapping meat
- Leave space for sauce expansion
The cream sauce should just kiss the bottom edges of the chops, creating a luxurious bath that'll infuse flavor and maintain moisture.
Use tongs to position each chop precisely, keeping the seasoned side up for maximum flavor development during baking.
Your careful placement ensures perfectly cooked, tender meat.
Step 4. Cover With Foil
Almost every perfectly baked pork chops relies on strategic foil coverage to lock in moisture and create tender, succulent meat. You'll want to carefully tent the baking dish with aluminum foil, ensuring it's loose enough to allow slight air circulation but sealed around the edges to trap steam.
When covering the dish:
- Use heavy-duty aluminum foil
- Create a gentle dome above the pork chops
- Avoid direct contact between foil and meat's surface
- Seal edges to prevent moisture escape
This technique helps the cream sauce develop its rich consistency while preventing the pork chops from drying out.
The foil acts like a protective shield, allowing gentle, even heat distribution that transforms your meat from potentially tough to wonderfully tender. Precise coverage is key to achieving that restaurant-quality result.
Step 5. Uncover and Brown Pork Chops
Because browning transforms your creamy baked pork chops from pale and soft to gloriously golden, you'll want to remove the foil during the final cooking stage. Carefully pull back the aluminum foil, exposing the pork chops to direct oven heat. This crucial step allows the cream sauce to caramelize and develop rich, appetizing color.
Key browning techniques:
- Bake uncovered at 350°F
- Watch for golden-brown edges
- Ensure even surface coloration
- Cook for approximately 15 minutes
Monitor the pork chops closely to prevent burning. The goal is a beautiful amber hue that signals both visual appeal and enhanced flavor development.
Your meat thermometer should read 145°F when perfectly cooked, indicating safe internal temperature while maintaining succulent texture. Remove from oven when the surface achieves a uniform, appetizing golden-brown appearance.
Final Thoughts
When you're looking to elevate a simple weeknight dinner, these creamy baked pork chops will become your new secret weapon. The beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity, transforming ordinary ingredients into a restaurant-worthy meal. You'll be amazed at how easily the cream sauce develops a luxurious texture, coating each tender pork chop with rich, savory flavor.
Key takeaways for perfect results:
- Always use a meat thermometer
- Let pork chops rest before cooking
- Don't overcook the meat
- Adjust sauce consistency as needed
Pro tip: Serve with roasted vegetables or mashed potatoes to complete the meal. Experiment with additional seasonings like thyme or rosemary to personalize the dish. Your family will appreciate the delicious, home-cooked comfort this recipe provides.
