Smothered French Onion Pork Chops

Smothered French Onion Pork Chops are seared and then surrounded by beefy, rich caramelized onions, and topped with gooey Provolone cheese for a satisfying, delicious dinner idea with very little clean up!

Why Smothered French Onion Pork Chops?

When I was a little kid, if we went out for a “fancy dinner”, I always wanted to order French Onion Soup. I fell in love with the combination of the rich flavors and indulgent cheese. So many delicious things happening in one little bowl and these Smothered French Onion Pork Chops capture the same flavors!

My first attempt at Crock Pot French Onion Soup was a complete success and also a total surprise. I never in a million years would have thought that the crazy process I was attempting would work — BUT IT DID! If you haven’t tried that recipe, try it. It is just as good as any that I have ever ordered in a restaurant, but as always, it was made with stuff that I had at home.

This recipe uses the same flavor profile (yummmmmy) but instead of soup, sweet, beefy caramelized onions surround seared pork chops that are topped with gooey, melty, Provolone cheese. Hearty and satisfying, this meal is cooked in just one pan and is simple enough to become a weeknight favorite!

About the Ingredients

• Thick boneless pork chops – this recipe is best with these. Thin pork chops could potentially dry out so the thicker ones are better. You could use bone-in pork chops but they become harder to navigate when they are covered in cheese and onions!
• Yellow onions thinly sliced into wedges – you can substitute white onions if you like. If you choose to slice the onions rather than cutting them into wedges just make sure that you cut thick slices. As the onions break down you want them to remain identifiable as onions!
• Cooking sherry – lets face it, not everyone has this. Acceptable substitutions are white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar or sherry vinegar.
• Dried thyme leaves – I use dried thyme because that’s what I have in the pantry all the time. Fresh thyme would be so much better and you would need a little under a teaspoon of fresh, or you could use a couple of fresh thyme springs while cooking (just remove them before serving).
• Sliced Provolone Cheese – The cheese that you choose to use can be shredded or sliced. Substitutions include Mozzarella, Gruyere, Fontina, Emmental or Jarlsberg.

How To Make Smothered French Onion Pork Chops

A tip before you cook: Cutting the onions into thin strips before starting this recipe is something that I highly recommend. Of all of the steps, this is the one that takes the most time so go ahead and get it out of the way before you even start. You’ll be glad that you did!

Set the oven rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 450 F. Season pork chops with salt and pepper. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large cast iron or other oven proof skillet over medium-high heat and add the pork chops to the pan.

Cook the pork chops 3-4 minutes per side until they have browned, and then remove from the pan to a plate. Set aside for now. (They will not be cooked through yet and that’s ok!)

Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan. Add the onions and garlic, seasoning with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often until golden brown and softened, 5-10 minutes.

Add the cooking sherry and thyme to the skillet and then stir in the beef broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. These brown bits will deepen the flavor of the onions.

Return the pork chops and any juices collected on the plate to the skillet with onions, spoon some of the pan sauce over each pork chop.

Place the cheese slices over the pork chops in the pan and spoon some of the onions on the top.

Bake on the upper rack in the 450 degree oven for 8-10 minutes until pork chops are cooked through to at least 145 degrees F. You will want to check this with an instant read thermometer.

The cheese is will be melted, bubbly, and slightly browned and it will smell delicious!

Serve immediately, spooning extra onions and sauce over the top. Enjoy!

Other Weeknight Meal Ideas You May Like

Weeknight Pineapple Shrimp and Rice Bake – Flavorful pineapple chunks and tender shrimp on a bed of fluffy rice, drizzled with a quick and easy sweet island sauce.

Weeknight Pasta Primavera – tender pasta and crisp, fresh veggies in a rich, creamy garlic sauce for a deliciously satisfying family dinner.

Easy Instant Pot Mongolian Beef – This is a delicious take on traditional Mongolian Beef that takes a fraction of the time and has delicious results!

Weeknight Shrimp Portofino – A light pasta dish featuring shrimp and marinated artichokes, perfect weeknight fare.

Simple Weeknight Meatloaf – Simple and easy comfort food that is a throwback to childhood and a piece of cake to throw together on a weeknight. You can make it the night before and just pop it in the oven too!

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