We could all use a few quick-fix, hearty dinner recipes up our sleeves for the fall and winter months, and preferably, the kind that won't require a sink full of dishes. This recipe for Skillet Pork Chops with Apples and Bacon is a one skillet meal that not only satisfies your deepest comfort food craving, but it'll also have you out of the kitchen fast.
This little ensemble of sweet and savory is quick-cooking, and the clean up is an absolute cinch. It's all thanks to a simple one-pan plan for perfectly cooked, savory pork chops, sticky sweet apples, and crispy fried bacon.
In addition to a killer fall recipe to add to your dinnertime lineup, we'll also cover why size matters when it comes to pork chops, how to make your spiced apples really shine, and why that bacon in the skillet is absolutely everything.
Don't you just love the start of the fall? A break from the heat, with cooler temperatures just on the horizon. Yes, please. You find yourself yearning for sights of pumpkins, hay-rides, and trees adorned in autumn colors, but it's not just the sights we yearn for...it's also the food. All the glorious comfort food, and preferably, comfort food featuring the seasons best. It's sweet potatoes, butternut squash, pears, and pumpkins galore, and most importantly, the apples.
Quick and easy to throw together, Skillet Pork Chops topped with apples and bacon are about as comforting and hearty as it gets. There's just something about a savory chop loaded down with sweet, spiced apple slices that makes you feel all warm and cozy inside. The chops take only minutes to cook on the stove top, as do the apples.
But first, there's bacon to fry, and truly, this is a step worth taking. Not only will we be using the bacon to top off our chops, we'll put them to good use, building crazy amounts of flavor in just one pan.
A ONE-PAN PLAN FOR BUILDING FLAVOR
PART 1: START WITH BACON. DUH.
Like most beautiful things, this recipe begins with bacon. Thick-cut bacon to be more precise. Thick-cut bacon is easier to slice and dice, which is in turn, easier and faster to cook in the skillet. There's no flipping, turning, or bacon-like acrobatics in this recipe. Just a stir every now and again, until the bits have crisped up, and you're good to go.
PART 2: SEAR THOSE CHOPS
After the bacon goes out, the chops go in, soaking up all that salty, porky flavor bacon grease has to offer. Told you this was comfort food at its finest. It's important to note here that, for this recipe, you should stick to the indicated thickness of ¾". The thickness of the pork chop will affect how long it takes to cook. A thicker chop will take longer, and a thinner chop will take less time on the stovetop. Therefore, by purchasing your chops at the right thickness, you are guaranteed perfectly cooked pork chops!
PART 3: SPICED APPLES FOR THE FINISHING TOUCH
Here comes the fall flavor, folks. The chops go out, and the apples go in, but they certainly don't go it alone. Oh, no. They travel with an entourage of spices. Sage, ginger, and allspice, along with some brown sugar for the ultimate sweet-and-savory effect. The apples are sauteed just long enough to soften and soak up flavor from both the pork chops and the bacon.
Now that is how you build great big flavor in just one little ol' pan.
The combination of perfectly cooked, savory pork chops smothered in a sticky sweet sauce, sliced apples, and crispy bacon is everything you could possibly want in a fall dish and more. The "more" part being that these chops are quick-cooking, lack of dishes combo, and it's all thanks to our one pan plan. Please, enjoy!
MORE PORK RECIPES TO TRY:
- Crispy Breaded Pork Chops are covered in a panko breading, always tender, and never dry! They're the perfect healthy choice for a weeknight family dinner!
- Pork Chops with Apples, Brie, and Bacon is a quick-cooking dinner featuring thick-cut chops, smothered in melty brie, sliced apples, and crispy bacon!
- This recipe for Best Pork Tenderloin holds the secrets to a tenderloin that always comes out succulent and moist, and packed with flavor!
- Oven-Baked Country Style Pork Ribs is comfort food at its finest! A simple batch of braised country-style ribs in a deeply flavorful sauce. Perfect Sunday suppers and slow-cooking on the weekend!
- BBQ Pulled Pork in the Slow Cooker requires only minutes of preparation and produces a crazy tender pulled pork perfect for on a Pulled Pork Salad, in dinner sandwiches, or as a filling for sliders!
A quick and easy recipe for skillet pork chops with apples coated in a sticky sweet cinnamon sauce and savory, salty bacon to top it all off.
- 2 pounds ¾” thick center loin chops
- 1 ½ teaspoon Kosher salt, plus a pinch (separated)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon diced
- 2 Jazz apples peeled and cut into very thin slices
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- Pinch of allspice
- Pinch of Kosher salt
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Pat chops dry with a paper towel, sprinkle both sides with 1 ½ teaspoon Kosher salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Pat to adhere. Set aside until ready to use.
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Have ready a plate lined with a paper towel. In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, fry bacon for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally until browned and crispy. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to the plate and set aside.
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Have ready a large plate. Add pork chops to the bacon grease and sear 2-3 minutes on each side, taking care not to overcrowd the pan, and searing in batches if necessary. Once cooked through, transfer the pork chops to the plate and set aside.
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Add the sliced apples to the pan and saute 3 minutes, stirring often. Add sugar, sage, ginger, allspice and a pinch of salt to the apples and stir to combine. Allow to cook, stirring often, until apples have softened, about 2 minutes more.
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Spoon the apple mixture evenly over the cooked pork chops, top with bacon, serve and enjoy!
Recipe Video
