These tender, juicy, and flavorful oven-baked pork chops can be customized with your favorite spices and seasonings. Use our seasoning suggestions or substitute with your favorite spice blends.
We ask you to cover the pork with foil or parchment during baking. By gently cooking the chops this way, they remain juicy and become tender.
4 pork chops, about 1-inch thick and 6 to 7 ounces each
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon avocado oil or high-heat cooking oil
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1 lemon, cut into wedges
Handful of fresh herbs like parsley or dill, chopped
Take the pork chops from the refrigerator and season on both sides with salt and pepper. I use just less than 1/4 teaspoon of salt per pork chop. Set the chops aside to rest for 30 minutes.
When you are almost ready to cook the chops, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
Heat the oil in a large oven-safe skillet or cast iron pan over medium-high heat.
When the oil is hot and shimmery, pat the pork chops dry and then add them without moving them until golden on one side, 2 to 3 minutes.
While the pork sears, scatter half of the thyme over the side of the pork chops facing up.
If the pork has a fattier edge, use kitchen tongs to hold the chops fat-side-down until they sizzle and brown slightly, about 30 seconds.
Then, flip the pork so that the seared side faces up and scatter over the remaining thyme. Arrange lemon wedges around the pork chops, and then loosely cover with foil or tuck parchment paper around the pan.
Slide the skillet into the oven to finish cooking. (If you do not have an oven-safe skillet, transfer the pork chops to a baking dish.)
Bake for 8 to 15 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer reads at least 145°F when inserted into the thickest part of the chop. (Cook time depends on the thickness of the chops. Check for doneness at 5 minutes, then go from there, checking every 2 minutes.) If you do not have a thermometer, you will know they are done if the juices run clear when cutting into them.
Transfer the baked pork chops to a plate, then cover loosely with aluminum foil. Let the pork rest for 5 minutes. Serve with additional herbs, roasted lemon wedges, and a spoonful of pan juices on top.