Panko Pork Chops are quick and easy to make. With a crunchy panko crumb they are crispy on the outside and tender and juicy in the middle. Follow my tips and tricks to perfect them and the whole family will ask for them on repeat! Panko breaded pork chops make the perfect dinner any night of the week.
Recipes like the Crumbed Lamb Cutlets and Crumbed Mushrooms are all about panko breadcrumbs.
The Sticky Pork Ribs, Dutch Oven Pulled Pork and Pork Osso Bucco give us a variety of techniques, flavors and cook times for working with this fantastic protein!
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🤍 Recipe Highlights
I have summarised everything that you will come to know and love (LOVE ❤) about the recipe in the points below:
- Simple ingredients: everything you need to make the pork chops will be able to be sought from your local grocery store. They are year round ingredients that are easy to get your hands on.
- Family friendly: this is a great dinner recipe that the whole family will love. You can use smaller pork chops for little ones and they will love the crunchy texture of the panko crumb!
- Other white meat: it can be easy to make a Roast Chicken every night of the week. Yet with variety being the spice of life, we need to switch it up a little and have more options. Pork chops are an excellent choice for a mid week dinner taking minimal effort yet delivering maximum flavor.
- Taste and texture: despite the simplicity of the recipe, there is a lot going on in terms of textures and overall flavor in the recipe. The panko crumb is crispy and well seasoned. The pork chops are juicy and succulent. It is a win for an easy dinner that everyone can enjoy together. You are going to love it 😉
🥗 Ingredients
The photo below is to show you everything you need to make the recipe. Please refer to the printable recipe card for specific ingredient measurements as well as detailed instructions.
As you can see the recipe calls for:
- Eggs: we use these as part of the 3 step dredging process for coating the chops in the panko crumb. They need to be whisked.
- Peanut oil: we lightly fry the chops in peanut oil on the stove top.
- Salt and pepper: we use a little salt and black pepper to season the panko crumb mixture.
- Garlic powder: an excellent pantry staple that we add to the panko mix.
- Onion powder: we save time, chopping and tears by using this and not peeling and chopping an onion. Plus we want a dry cry crumb, not a wet one 😁👌.
- Paprika: a vibrantly coloured dried spice made from capsicum. It has no 'heat' about it.
- Dried parsley: another great pantry staple as it is versatile and works across so many recipes. We add this to the breadcrumb mixture.
- Pecorino romano: this is a sweeter cheese than parmesan as it is made from sheep's mix not cow's milk. It too goes into the bread crumb mixture.
- Panko breadcrumbs: these will be found in the Asian foods aisle of the supermarket. They are hugely popular in Japanese cooking. They have a larger size crumb than regular breadcrumbs and a much brighter white colour.
- Plain flour: the 1st step in the dredging process is to coat the chops with this ingredient. No need to sift it, it will be fine as is.
- Pork chops: you can use bone in or boneless pork chops. The thicker they are the longer they will take to cook. For both types we want to use a meat tenderiser to pound the pork.
Tasty Tip: I like to provide you with a number of substitutions and variations giving you an array of options when making my recipes. If in doubt of any of the above ingredients, or wanting alternatives, read this section (further below) before jumping into the instructions on how to make the recipe which are coming next 😉👌.
🍳 Instructions
Here are the step by step instructions to make the recipe. We start by combining the ingredients to make the panko crumb.
- Gather the panko seasoning ingredients (Photo 1)
- Whisk to combine (Photo 2)
- Pound the pork (Photo 3)
- Place the chops into the flour and coat both sides (Photo 4)
👩🍳 How to Make Panko Pork Chops
We start by gathering the ingredients to make the panko seasoning. You will need a medium sized mixing bowl.
Add the panko breadcrumbs, pecorino romano cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, dried parsley, salt and pepper. Then use a mini whisk to stir and combine.
Next place the pork chops onto a chopping board with a layer of cling wrap on top. Use a meat tenderiser to pound the pork being gentle around any bone area.
Once done, remove and discard the cling wrap and then get ready to dredge the chops.
🍞 Panko Breaded Pork Chops
Start the dredging process by adding flour to the 1st plate, followed by the whisked eggs to the 2nd plate and the seasoned panko bread crumb mixture to the 3rd plate.
Working one by one lay the pork chops flat in the flour and push down gently. Then flip to the other side and do the same.
Then transfer the chop to the other hand and lay it in the whisked egg mixture. Lift it and rotate it to the other side and then lift it and shake off any excess egg.
- Place chops into whisked egg (Photo 5)
- Then coat in the panko seasoning (Photo 6)
- Repeat for the other side (Photo 7)
- Heat oil on high (Photo 8)
Next place the chops into the seasoned panko breadcrumb mixture. Flip and do the other side and place the crumbed chop onto a chopping board. Then repeat the process to crumb the other chop.
Next place a large heavy based pan on the stove, add the peanut oil and turn the heat to high. Allow the oil to heat for a couple of minutes.
🥩 Panko Fried Pork Chops
Then use your hand over the oil and see if you can feel the heat. Then take a spare breadcrumb from the chopping board and drop it into the hot oil. If the breadcrumb sizzles straight away the oil is hot enough and ready to go. If the crumb doesn't sizzle, wait a couple more minutes then repeat the breadcrumb test.
- Cook chops for 4 - 5 minutes per side (Photo 9)
Place the crumbed chops into the pan and cook for 4 to 5 minutes then use kitchen tongs to flip to the other side and cook for a further 4 to 5 minutes. The total cook time for the chops is 8 to 10 minutes.
Once cooked you can get ready to serve the chops! (The best part, right! 😉👌).
🍽 Serving Suggestions
I like to serve the chops with a simple side salad and sauce. The combination that you see in the photos throughout the post are the Cherry Tomato Caprese Salad (using spinach leaves in place of the basil leaves). With the sauce being the Horseradish Yogurt Sauce.
It is lovely as it is not overly sweet like some store bought sauces, has a little kick about it and pairs exceptionally well with pork.
For milder flavored sauces you can try the Herbed Yogurt Sauce, Basil Yogurt Sauce or Parsley Yogurt Sauce.
For citrus sauces try the Lemon Yogurt Sauce, Lime Yogurt Sauce or Cilantro Lime Yogurt Sauce.
Or you can see all of my homemade sauces in the one spot to consider a variety of options.
For another salad options you can the Fresh Herb Salad or Italian Bread Salad.
If you want potatoes try the Duck Fat Potatoes, Roast Potatoes or Garlic Butter Potatoes.
Or for a bread pairing try the Turkish Garlic Bread, Ciabatta Garlic Bread or the Garlic Pizza Bread.
👍 How to Guide
How to Store
Allow the chops to fully cool then place leftovers in a sealed, airtight container in the fridge. Then can be kept for 2 to 3 days and need to be reheated before consuming.
How to Freeze
You can purchase pork chops from the supermarket and freeze in advance before then defrosting. I don't however, recommend freezing leftover crumbed chops as you loose the crispy texture and juicy meat regardless of how you reheat them.
In the case of left over chops as such, you are better to cut the meat off the bone and repurpose this (sandwich, pizza or burger filling for example than to freeze.
How to Reheat
You can reheat the pork chops using the air fryer for 2-3 minutes. Or the microwave will work for 2 minutes on high. The air fryer will dry and crisp the crumb coating, the microwave not so much.
😉 Substitutions and Variations
Here are my sub ins and outs that you might be thinking about as you read the post and I will tell you if I think they will work or why they won't:
- If you want to use regular bread crumbs in place of the panko, you can (equivalent amount).
- You can use parmesan cheese to the equivalent amount of the pecorino romano if you wish too or have it but not the other.
- If you want a little heat in the panko crumb add 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper either in place of the paprika or as an extra dried spice.
- Oregano is another dried herb that will work. If you prefer to use this in place of the dried parsley you can.
- You can use olive oil in place of the peanut oil of you wish to. Or avocado oil or canola oil will also work.
- For vegetables sides in place of the salad try cooked peas, steamed beans, broccoli or broccolini.
💡 Tasty Tips
Here are my top tips and tricks that I want to share with you so that you master the recipe from the get go:
- Kitchen tongs will come in handy as a means to handle to chops throughout the dredging and cooking process.
- The peanut oil needs to be very hot before we add the chops so that they start to cook straight away. You can test it by adding a crumb to the pan and seeing if it sizzles. If it does, it is good to go, if it doesn't it needs a little bit more time to heat up.
- Dredging foods can get messy! A trick to reducing this is to use 1 hand for the wet egg mix and the other hand for the dry flour and bread crumb mixture
- Once the chops are cooked, use the tongs to lift them up and put the bone bit down into the oil for a couple of seconds to seal the end.
- Have some paper towel on a plate handy so you can rest the chops on there with the towel absorbing any excess oil before you plate them.
🤓 Frequently Asked Questions
What makes breadcrumbs stick to pork chops?
Using a 3 step dredging process which involves flour and egg will ensure the breadcrumbs (3rd step) stick to the pork chops.
Is it better to fry or Bake Pork Chops?
Whether you choose to fry or bake pork chops depends on their thickness. For chops on the thinner (1 inch or less) side, it is best to lightly fry them. For chops thicker 1 inch it is best to initially lightly fry them before finishing them in the oven. This method ensures that the chops cook consistently.
How do you keep pork chops juicy when frying?
Ensure that the oil has heated to the point where the chops will start cooking as soon as they are placed into the bottom of the pan. Allow the chops to cook for 4 minutes then use a pair of kitchen tongs to flip them to the other side.
😍 More Easy Dinner Recipes
Dinner gets boring if we do 'Winner Winner Chicken Dinner' every night of the week. As such I like to give you a variety of different options across proteins, cook time and cooking methods.
Here are some more recipes to tick the 'Here is Dinner!' box:
- Wagyu Beef Burgers
- Beef Back Ribs
- Italian Short Ribs (Braised Beef Ribs)
- Greek Lamb Shanks
- Corn And Bacon Fritters
- Red Wine Short Ribs
- Easy Penne Bolognese
- Chicken Ribs
- Greek Lamb Chops
- Italian Meatballs with Polenta
It's time to get our pork chops on my friend. You can also find all of my dinner recipes in the one spot!
Adrianne
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📖 Recipe
Panko Pork Chops
Ingredients
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ⅓ cup pecorino romano cheese finely grated using a micro plane zester
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2 eggs whisked
- ½ cup plain flour
- ½ cup peanut oil
- 2 pork chops
Instructions
- Panko seasoning: gather the panko breadcrumbs, pecorino romano cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, dried parsley, salt, pepper and add them to a small bowl. Use a mini whisk to consistently combine them.
- Pork chops: remove the pork chops from their packaging. Place them on a chopping board and layer a piece of cling wrap on top. Then take a meat tenderiser and pound the pork so that it is flatter. Avoid pounding the bone area too much.
- Dredging: use 3 side plates and to the 1st one add the flour, the 2nd one the whisked eggs and the 3rd one the seasoned breadcrumb mixture. Working one cutlet at a time coat the pork chops in the flour. Then dip them in the egg, shake off any excess then place it into the centre of the breadcrumb mixture and coat both sides. Then place the crumbed pork chop onto a clean dry chopping board. Repeat till each chop is crumbed.
- Cook chops: place a large heavy based pan on the stove and turn the heat to high. Add the peanut oil and allow it to heat. After a few minutes hold your hand over the pan to see if you can feel the heat. Next take a spare breadcrumb from the chopping board and drop it into the pan. If it starts to sizzle straight away, the hot is hot enough. If not, allow it to heat for a couple more minutes. Use kitchen tongs to place the crumbed chops into the hot oil. Cook for 4 minutes then flip to the other side for a further 4 minutes. Once cooked remove the chops using the tongs and place on a paper towel lined plate for a minute or 2.
- To serve: provide a side salad and sauce for the chops. The combination shown in the photos throughout the post is the Cherry Tomato Caprese Salad (using spinach in place of the basil leaves) and the Horseradish Yogurt Sauce (with a little fresh parsley).
Notes
- Cooking time: thinner chops will take less time to cook than thick chops. For chops up to 1 inch thick 4 minutes per side will work. For thicker chops it is best to lightly fry both sides in oil and then finish cooking the chops in the oven to ensure consistency.
Belinda says
These sound great. I also love the simple salad and sauce you have got going on.