Curry Pork Chops are a delicious, easy meal idea that the whole family will love! The sauce is rich and creamy with a wonderful curry flavor. Make it as mild or spicy as you like!
The pan-fried pork chops are quick and easy to cook, and you can use bone-in or boneless pork chops! Pan-frying the pork to get a golden exterior and then finishing them off in the sauce means you get such juicy tender pork.
The smooth curry sauce is a mixture of onions, apples, broth, and cream. All simmered together with curry powder and a pinch of sugar. This means you are entirely in control of the spice level. Choose mild or hot curry powder to suit your tastes. A great meal that is ready in under 30 minutes!
Cooking Pork Chops
Pork chops get a bad rap, but when cooked correctly, they are juicy and tender and delicious to eat. They cook quickly, and like chicken, they are a very lean protein.
If you have time, then a quick brine will work wonders for your pork. The brining process adds moisture to the meat and also seasons it perfectly. You can leave the pork in the brine for a couple of hours, but just 15 minutes can make a difference.
Brine is just a simple water bath with some salt dissolved into it. This encourages water to move into the pork chops, which means when it is cooked, you lose fewer meat juices!
Like I said above, just 15 minutes can make a difference, but on an average weeknight, I tend to leave mine for 30 minutes. (I mean there is always something else to do, right?? Like an endless quantity of laundry!)
The other trick to tender pork chops is a quick tenderizing technique that the restaurant chefs do. Take a fork and stab the eye of the pork chop all over. This is the same principle as a meat mallet, but it doesn't flatten the chop at all. It just allows the proteins to break apart slightly, resulting in a tender pork chop that sucks up the flavor.
Once the pork chops have been brined, they are coated in some curry powder and then pan-fried over medium-high heat until golden. I use a mixture of oil and butter for flavor and color.
When cooking the pork chops, you want to turn them a couple of times to ensure they cook evenly and stay tender within.
Pork chops don't need long in the pan. Just 3 minutes in total on each side (with a couple of flips) will give you tender meat. The chops are then removed from the pan and tented with foil, giving the juices time to flow back into the meat, while you make the sauce.
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Making the easy curry sauce
Now I don't, for one second, want to suggest that this is an authentic or genuine curry sauce. If you are looking for something more authentic, then try my Lamb Dopiaza, Chicken Rogan Josh or Chicken Jalfrezi, but this creamy curry sauce is the perfect accompaniment to the pork.
This creamy curry sauce is more like a chip shop curry sauce that they would serve in Britain. It is made with curry powder. I have my homemade recipe that you can find here, or use any store-bought brand that you like. Choose mild if you are serving those without a spicy palette or hot for those who want some heat. The recipe also gives the option for adding some red pepper flakes for those who want a little extra pep!
The base of the curry sauce is sliced onions and then some cubes of apple. They add a sweetness to the sauce, and also Pork and Apples just go together!
The onions and apples are cooked off for 2-3 minutes until softened. Then we pour in some chicken broth, heavy cream, and our curry powder. This is simmered gently for a couple of minutes, so it thickens. Then the pork chops (and any juices that have collected) are added back in and simmer for a further minute or so.
Dinner is made!
What to serve with curry pork chops
The creamy curry sauce needs something to soak it up!
Enjoy x
For more delicious pork recipes why not try:
- Vietnamese Pork Chops
- Lemon Pepper Pork Chops
- Pork Stroganoff with Buttered Noodles
- Quick and Easy Maple Glazed Pork Chops
- Pork Tenderloin with Beans and Bacon
- Instant Pot Pork Stew with Maple Syrup
- Rosemary Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Strawberries
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Get the Recipe
Curry Pork Chops Recipe
Ingredients
For the pork
- 4 pork chops - see note 1
- 3 cups room-temperature water -see note 2
- ½ cup salt -see note 2
- 2 teaspoon curry powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
For the sauce
- 1 onion
- 1 green apple
- 1 ½ teaspoon curry powder
- ¾ cup chicken broth
- pinch brown sugar
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
Instructions
Tenderize the chops
- Place the chops on a chopping board and stab them all over with a fork. Turn the chops over and repeat on the other side. (see note 3)4 pork chops
For the brine (see note 2)
- Dissolve the salt in the room temperature water.3 cups room-temperature water½ cup salt
- Place the pork chops in the brine and leave for 15-60 minutes.
- Remove the chops from the brine and pat dry.
To cook the pork
- Rub the pork chops with curry powder and black pepper.2 teaspoon curry powder¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Heat the oil and butter in a heavy skillet/frying pan over medium-high heat.1 tablespoon oil1 tablespoon butter
- Add the pork chops and cook for 6 minutes in total, turning 3 times.
- Remove the chops from the pan to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
To make the sauce
- Peel and chop the onion, then chop and core the apple.1 onion1 green apple
- Add these to the skillet you cooked the pork in and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened.
- Pour in the chicken broth, curry powder, and brown sugar, bring to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes.1 ½ teaspoon curry powder¾ cup chicken brothpinch brown sugar
- Add the cream to the pan and bring to a simmer, cook for a couple more minutes.⅓ cup heavy cream
- Add the pork chops back to the pan along with any juice that have collected.
- Simmer gently for a minute and then serve garnished with cilantro if desired.
Notes
- Buy either rib chops or boneless chops. The cooking time will vary depending on which you buy.
- Brining the pork chops is optional but it does give you really juicy tender chops with very little effort.
- You want to stab the chops about ⅛ inch deep.
Nutrition
Nutrition is per serving
Vanessa N. Weber says
Is there anyway to make this without so much salt? I'm not supposed to eat much of it. I use alternative salts.
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
Hi Vanessa,
You can skip the brining stage if you want. The pork won't be quite as juicy, but that will cut down a lot of the salt.
Hope that helps
Cx
Mimi Rippee says
Great recipe! I love that you added an apple.
Alicia says
This may seem like a stupid question, but I do not have a green apple nor do I have time to go get one before cooking... am I able to create this recipe without the apple? Or possibly replace the apple with something else to balance the sauce out? Thanks!
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
You can use any color apple. or you could replace it with some dried apricots.
Hope that helps 🙂
Cx
Tamika says
Made this tonight with my daughter and we loved it! we used Jamaican curry powder, thyme, and coconut milk instead of heavy cream. The sweet-savory combo of the apples/brown sugar and curry was heavenly! Thank you for this awesome recipe!
Mona Michelle says
So I made this last night and my boyfriend was just short of licking the plate. He said I never made anything so wonderful and wants me to recreate it in the future with chick. His picky self made me realize this was fantastic because I love everything, but trying to please him is hard. Kudos.
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
Oh I am so happy you both enjoyed it 🙂
It is one that 3 out of my 5 kids love, then I cook some chicken fillets for the other 2 and add them to the sauce, as they won't eat pork. So it definitely works with chicken.
I have an adapted version with chicken breasts on the website (Curried Chicken Breasts) it isn't exactly the same as it doesn't brine the chicken. You could use the pork recipe and swap the pork for chicken breast fillets/cutlets or try the chicken breast version.
Thank you for taking the time to come back and comment 🙂
Cx
Mona Michelle says
I am making this as soon as I get off work in a little while. I'll leave a full review after. I can't wait to try it out.
Denise says
Hi there, can this recipe be made with yogurt in place of the cream?
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
Hi Denise,
I haven't tried yogurt, so I am not sure. But I think it would work 🙂
Cx
Juliet Mitchell says
I used coconut milk and added bellwether and sweet peas to up the veggies. Yummy 😋
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
So happy you enjoyed it 🙂
Cx
Lucy says
I followed the directions accordingly and these were not good really “ salty “. I had to basically redo the entire dish and doctor the pork chops up ( a lot ) and make it as if I were making smothered pork chops.
Mary says
Haven’t tried the recipe yet but I like how you listed the ingredient measurements in the instructions. Makes it much easier than having to scroll back up.
Carol says
Very tasty. I would definitely make more topping. I don’t like breasts and will probably make it with shredded cooked chicken or at least smaller pieces of chicken. Will definitely make again!
jacqueline chapman says
Was so easy to follow and really juicy served with pasta and home made breadv
Hector says
This was absolutely delicious! I'm not normally a fan of cooked apples, but this recipe just might have changed my mind on that. A lovely recipe and perfect for the cold weather that's coming on. Brining the pork chops was also a great tip. Thank you!
Aline says
Excellent, fast, and easy! I think it will become a favorite at my house!
Claire McEwen says
Oh I am so pleased you enjoyed them. I love quick and easy meals!
Cx
Elaine says
This is one of the best recipes ever! I don't normally go back to give a review unless it was super bad or super good and this is most definitely super super good! Thank you so much! I'm not sure if it was the brining (I gave it about 24 hours) or I happened to get a great cut of chops or the curry but we were happy happy happy!
Claire McEwen says
I am so pleased Elaine!
And thank you for taking the time to come back and comment.
This is a fav with my kids as well 🙂
Cx