Description
Succulent Parmesan-crusted Baked Pork Chops & Rice offer a delightful culinary journey through home-style comfort. Hearty ingredients and simple techniques combine to create a satisfying dinner that delights palates with rich flavors and tender textures you’ll crave.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 pork chops (bone-in or boneless, 1-inch thick)
- 1 can (10.5 oz / 300 g) cream of mushroom soup (or cream of chicken soup)
- 1 ¾ cups (420 ml) chicken broth (or water)
- 1 cup long-grain white rice (uncooked)
- ½ cup diced onion
- ½ cup diced bell peppers (optional)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter (optional, for extra flavor)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Oven Preparation: Ignite the oven to a steady 350F (175C), creating an ideal cooking environment for the dish.
- Pork Chop Seasoning: Massage olive oil into the pork chops, then generously dust with a harmonious blend of garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper, ensuring complete flavor coverage.
- Rice Foundation: In a 9×13-inch baking vessel, orchestrate a symphony of rice, cream of mushroom soup, chicken broth, diced onion, celery, carrots, and Italian seasoning, blending ingredients into a uniform landscape and punctuating with butter fragments for luxurious depth.
- Culinary Assembly: Nestle the seasoned pork chops atop the rice mixture, creating a picturesque layer of protein and grains.
- Transformative Baking: Shield the dish with aluminum foil, allowing flavors to meld during an initial 30-minute thermal journey. Unveil the foil and continue baking for an additional 20-25 minutes, pursuing tender rice and perfectly cooked pork chops reaching an internal temperature of 145F (63C).
- Final Flourish: Optionally, activate the broiler for 2-3 minutes to achieve a golden, appetizing exterior on the pork chops.
- Serving Ritual: Pause momentarily, allowing the dish to rest and settle. Present steaming hot, potentially adorned with fresh parsley for a vibrant touch.
Notes
- Choose bone-in, thick-cut pork chops around 1-inch thick for juicier, more flavorful results that won’t dry out during baking.
- Cover dish with foil during initial baking to trap steam, ensuring rice stays moist and pork remains tender without becoming tough or rubbery.
- Use meat thermometer to check pork reaches exactly 145°F, preventing overcooking while guaranteeing food safety and maintaining succulent texture.
- Swap Italian seasoning with herbs like thyme or rosemary, or use gluten-free cream of mushroom soup for dietary accommodations without compromising dish’s rich flavor profile.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg