These Lemon Pepper Pork Chops are a quick dinner idea. Ready in under 30 minutes, they make an easy weeknight meal the whole family will love.
This easy pork chop recipe involves a few simple seasonings, and you can use boneless or bone-in pork chops. Seasoned with lemon pepper, some olive oil, and a little bit of butter and extra lemon, these pork chops use storecupboard ingredients to make a delicious dinner.
Trim your pork chops to remove any rind; you can remove some fat, but leave some fat around the chop.
Use kitchen paper to pat the surface of the pork chops to remove any moisture.
Sprinkle the lemon pepper seasoning all over the pork chops, cover with plastic wrap and let them sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 375ºF/190ºC for at least 20 minutes before cooking.
Place an ovenproof frying pan/skillet in the oven when you first turn it on to preheat. (see note 3 if you don't have an ovenproof skillet).
Once the pork chops have had their 30-45 minutes, remove the frying pan from the oven and place over high heat.
Sear the chops for 2 minutes on one side without moving.
Flip the chops and then transfer the pan to the oven and cook for 7-9 minutes until the internal temperature is 140ºF/60ºC.
Remove the chops from the oven and transfer them to a warmed plate. Cover the chops and let them rest for at least 5 minutes.
Off the heat, add the butter to the hot frying pan, grate in the zest of the lemon, and stir gently.
Serve the pork with the lemon zest butter, some slices of fresh lemon, extra pepper, and an optional scatter of parsley.
Notes
You can use thicker or thinner chops, but the cooking time will vary. Ideally, use an instant-read thermometer to ensure the pork is at 140ºF/60ºC when you remove it from the oven. You can also use boneless pork chops as well but they will need 5-6 minutes cooking time in the oven.
You can use a store-bought lemon pepper seasoning or make your own lemon pepper seasoning - you can get my easy recipe here. Check the ingredients on your bottle; if your seasoning doesn't have salt in, you will need to add 2 teaspoon of salt to the mix before you dry brine the chops.
If your frying pan/skillet won't go in the oven, place a baking dish in the oven to preheat. Preheat your frying pan on the stovetop for at least 5 minutes. Cook the chops in the frying pan for 2 minutes (as steps 6-7) and transfer your chops and any oil to the baking dish after step 7. Bake the chops in the baking dish and use this to add your butter and lemon zest to at the end (step 10)