Description
This Pork Chops with Mushroom and Asparagus recipe features juicy, seared boneless pork chops served with a flavorful mushroom and asparagus sauté in a rich balsamic cream sauce. Perfectly cooked on the stovetop and finished with a luscious pan sauce, this dish combines tender veggies and savory pork for a comforting yet elegant meal suitable for family dinners or special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
For Pork Chops
- 4 boneless pork chops, 1 inch thick (about 1 and 1/2 pounds)
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1/2 to 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
For Vegetables and Sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound asparagus, ends snapped off and sliced into thirds
- 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup cream (or half and half)
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Instructions
- Preheat Oven to Warm: Set your oven to the “keep warm” setting, approximately 170°F, to keep the cooked pork chops warm later.
- Heat Skillet: Place a dry 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes until very hot.
- Prep Pork Chops: Pat pork chops dry and make two small cuts in the fat edge to prevent curling during cooking.
- Mix Seasoning: Combine flour, kosher salt, garlic powder, and black pepper in a shallow dish.
- Dredge Pork Chops: Coat each pork chop thoroughly with the flour mixture, reserving leftover flour for the sauce.
- Sear Pork Chops: Add butter and olive oil to the hot skillet; once melted and shimmering, add pork chops spaced apart. Sear for about 2 minutes.
- Cook Pork Chops: Lower heat to medium and cook 2-3 more minutes on first side, then flip and cook 4-5 minutes on the other side until internal temperature reaches 140°F.
- Keep Pork Warm: Transfer pork chops to the warm oven or a plate to rest.
- Cook Vegetables: Add butter and olive oil to the same skillet, then the asparagus and mushrooms. Sauté on medium-high for 3-4 minutes until veggies are crisp-tender.
- Remove Vegetables: Take the vegetables off the heat and keep warm in the oven or on a plate.
- Deglaze Pan: Return skillet to medium-high heat and add balsamic vinegar, allowing it to bubble and reduce for 30 seconds while scraping up browned bits.
- Add Broth and Thyme: Gradually stir in chicken broth and add thyme sprigs or dried thyme.
- Add Flour Mixture: Whisk in reserved flour mixture and simmer until bubbles cover the surface, ensuring flour is cooked.
- Add Cream: Reduce heat to medium and slowly whisk in cream to thicken the sauce.
- Combine and Simmer: Return pork chops and vegetables with their juices to the skillet, and simmer on medium-low to thicken sauce for 2-5 minutes.
- Serve: Serve the pork chops and sauce over rice, brown rice, egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or cauliflower rice as desired.
Notes
- Use a meat thermometer for best results to ensure pork reaches an internal temperature of 140°F for juicy doneness.
- Leaving some flour mixture to create the sauce adds consistency and flavor to the pan sauce.
- Snipping the fat cap on pork chops prevents curling while searing for even cooking.
- Keeping pork chops warm in a low oven ensures they stay tender without overcooking.
- The balsamic vinegar adds a nice tangy depth to the creamy mushroom sauce.
- You can substitute half and half for cream to reduce fat content slightly.
- Serve with a starch like mashed potatoes or noodles to complete the meal.
