These days, when I'm looking for a quick dinner idea, I turn to pork much more quickly than I used to. My previous go to was chicken, but I find that white meat chicken in particular can be fairly finicky and the reliability rate for pork has just been constant for me. It's quick cooking and lean and plays so well with a wide variety of seasonings and sauces. So when you want comfort food style in under a half hour, embrace those chops!
You can, of course, substitute your favorite seasoning blend instead of making your own, but I'm a big fan of controlling how much salt goes into my food and this blend also boasts smoked paprika, which is one of my all-time favorites. Then, adding mushrooms, more garlic, and heavy cream transforms it all into something blissful. While it's not a lean dish (the pork is, but the butter, olive oil, and heavy cream are not), I swoon a little each time I make it.
Just a couple of minutes under the broiler really helps bring the sauce together and marries the flavor in this dish. If you want, you can keep it all on the stove, but this extra step gives your finished meal that simmered to perfection texture that's hard to achieve on the stovetop without also drying out the pork.
If you find your sauce has gotten a bit too thick or gloppy, feel free to loosen it up a bit with the addition of a tablespoon or two of broth or even white wine. Just make sure you stir it well and give it a bit more time with the heat (on the stovetop or under the broiler) to bring things back together. Then serve it all over pasta or rice and enjoy a green salad alongside it. Yum!
Creamy Mushroom Pork Chops
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- Salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
- 4 pork chops, bone-in or boneless
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced
- 4-5 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
Combine the smoked paprika, granulated garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl to form a seasoning blend. Rub the seasoning into both sides of all four pork chops. Set aside.
Heat the butter and olive oil over medium-high heat and sear the pork chops for 3-5 minutes per side. Remove the chops to a plate and keep warm.
In the same skillet, add the mushrooms and sauté them over medium-high heat until they are golden brown, scraping the pan to incorporate any pan drippings from the pork. Add the garlic and Italian seasoning and cook until the garlic is softened and fragrant. Add the heavy cream and simmer for 3-4 minutes until the sauce is slightly thickened. Return the pork chops and their juices to the pan and place it under the broiler for 2-4 minutes or until the chops are warmed and the sauce is thickened and bubbly. Serve the chops and sauce over pasta or rice.
- Yields: 4 servings
- Preparation Time: 20 minutes