Pork chops get a bad rap for being dry, tough, hockey-puck-like pieces of meat that no one gets excited about, but this Glazed Pork Chops recipe is guaranteed to change your mind. These boneless pork chops are tender, juicy, and done in just a few minutes, which makes them perfect for weeknight dinners. What’s the secret? Cooking the pork chops fast and coating the pork chops in a smoky, spicy, sugar glaze helps hold in the moisture. So you can stop looking. You’ve found the best pork chop recipe and the last one you’ll ever need!
Ingredients for Glazed Pork Chops
The best part about this pork chop recipe is the incredible flavor you get with just a few simple ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need to make this delicious and juicy boneless brown sugar glazed pork chop recipe:
- Pork Chops: You’ll need boneless pork chops for this recipe to make sure they cook through in the quick cook time and before the glaze burns. Aim for pork chops that are about ¾-inch thick.
- Brown Sugar: Brown sugar is the base of the spice rub and is the magic ingredient that transforms into a glaze when it combines with the pork juices and heat. Use dark brown sugar for this recipe.
- Spices: A simple mix of cayenne pepper, garlic, paprika, salt, and black pepper creates a deliciously savory and slightly spicy flavor that perfectly balances the sweetness of the brown sugar. You can use smoked paprika for an extra smoky finish!
- Olive Oil: You can use olive oil or your favorite cooking oil for this recipe. The oil helps the pork chops achieve a nice sear in the hot skillet.
What Kind of Pork Chops to Use
This pork chop recipe works best with center-cut boneless pork chops that are about ¾ inch thick. Thin-cut pork chops will cook too quickly and will likely dry out. Bone-in pork chops take much longer to cook, and the glaze will likely burn by the time the pork chops cook through. So, stick to center-cut boneless pork chops for best results!
If you don’t like pork chops, you can make a similar recipe with pre-cooked ham steaks or chicken thighs. See my Glazed Ham Steaks recipe and Sweet and Spicy Chicken Thighs for reference.
Air Fryer Glazed Pork Chops
This brown sugar glazed pork chop recipe is undoubtedly best cooked in a hot skillet where direct contact with the hot pan creates a perfect thick glaze, but you can make these pork chops in an air fryer if needed. Just keep in mind that the glaze will not be as thick and sticky as the pan fry method.
To make these boneless pork chops in an air fryer, follow these instructions:
- Coat the pork chops in a thin layer of oil before coating in the spice mix.
- Preheat the air fryer to 420ºF for five minutes.
- Add the pork chops and cook at 420ºF for 7 minutes. Flip the pork chops and cook for an additional 8 minutes.
- Use a meat thermometer to make sure the internal temperature of the pork has reached 145ºF, adding additional time if needed.
Make sure to use boneless center-cut pork chops that are approximately ¾-inch thick. The cook time will increase with a thicker pork chop and decrease with a thinner pork chop.
What to Serve with Glazed Pork Chops
Pork chops are a classic comfort food, so comfort food side dishes are a natural match. Comfort food recipes like Mashed Potatoes, Mac and Cheese, Green Bean Casserole, Fried Cabbage, or Collard Greens would be awesome. If you want to go with something lighter, Roasted Broccoli, Honey Mustard Broccoli Salad, Grilled Vegetable Pasta Salad, or even an Apple Dijon, and Kale Salad would be great.
Sweet and Spicy Glazed Pork Chops
Servings 4Ingredients
- 1/4 cup brown sugar ($0.12)
- 1/2 tsp cayenne powder ($0.05)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder ($0.05)
- 1/2 tsp paprika ($0.05)
- 1/2 tsp salt ($0.05)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper ($0.05)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.32)
- 4 thick cut boneless pork chops ($5.97)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper.
- Remove the pork chops from their package and rub the seasoning mixture over all sides of each chop. The moisture from the meat will help the seasoning to adhere to the surface.
- Heat olive oil in a large, oven-safe skillet over a medium flame. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the pork chops. Cook the chops for about 5 minutes on each side, until nicely browned.
- If your chops are greater than one-inch thick, transfer the skillet to the preheated oven for another 5-10 minutes to finish cooking. Test the chops with a meat thermometer to make sure the internal temperature has reached 145ºF. Cook longer if needed.
- Dredge the chops through the thick sauce in the bottom of the pan just before serving.
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Nutrition
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Look at that juicy, glazed goodness… 🤤
How to Make Glazed Pork Chops – Step By Step Photos
In a small bowl stir together 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp salt, and some freshly cracked pepper.
Rub the spice mix over both sides of four thick-cut boneless pork chops. The moisture from the meat will dissolve the sugar and help the spices adhere to the surface.
Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat until the oil is shimmering. Place the chops in the pan and cook on each side for about 5 minutes or until browned.
Depending on the thickness of the chops, you may need to transfer the skillet to the oven (only if using an oven-safe skillet) to finish cooking. These chops were about an inch thick and were cooked through once browned on both sides. If any thicker you may need to finish in a 350ºF oven for 5-10 minutes to make sure the internal temperature reaches 145ºF.
Dredge the pork chops in the glaze that has formed in the skillet before serving. You can also tilt the skillet and scoop it up with a spoon, then drizzle it over the chops.
😍😍😍 This glazed pork chops recipe has me mesmerized!
I added a little chopped parsley to the brown sugar glazed pork chops just for kicks (or color, actually), but it’s not necessary for flavor!
Absolutely delicious! I didn’t get any glaze, though, sadly, but man was this just amazing!
Also, I didn’t have an oven-safe pan, so what I did was just turn to both sides a couple more times for 2-3 minutes each.
Delicious recipe. My husband isn’t much of a pork fan but devoured these pork chops. Thank you!
Wow! This recipe is simple and amazing!!! Huge hit with my family. Just perfect…thanks!
This was AWESOME! very easy and quick.
I made this and it was a hit on my family! Thanks for the recipe :-)
My burner had issues so I ended up just having to bake the pork chops instead. The mixture was delicious! Will definitely make again at some point. :)
Absolutely awesome! ! 1 of the best recipes for porkchops I’ve ever made.been cooking for 25 years, this is a winner
Wow! I’ve always thought I didn’t really like pork, based mainly on memories of blank, overcooked pork from childhood dinners. But pork chops were on sale at the grocery store this week, so I decided to give it another try, and I’m so glad I did. This was easy and absolutely delicious!
*bland (oops)
Also, I’m a total wimp when it comes to spicy food, but I used the cayenne pepper and had no problems with the spice level.
This recipe is one of my favourite recipes for pork chops (the other is your honey mustard recipe!). I follow the recipe to a T and the pork chops come out beautifully. So delicious, sweet and spicy!
This was delicious! I used cajun seasoning, garlic salt, and jerk seasoning to give it an extra kick. Then I broiled them in a grill pan with a little oil. They were a hit with the entire family.
Made these tonight. The flavor was great, but some of the sugar mixture burned and the glaze was a sticky gooey mess. I’ve had the same problem when I use marinades calling for honey. What am I doing wrong?
I think it’s supposed to be sticky and gooey. That’s part of the appeal. :)
I should have chosen different words. Sticky and gooey can be good things, but not in this case. Parts of the sauce were thick and burned, other parts (cooking oil?) were more liquid.
Ahh, I see. Try lowering the heat just a little next time.
Use butter instead of oil to prevent burning! That’s what I did :)
thanks for the input! I burnt mine immediately and i’m guessing it was because of the olive oil! They turned completely black! Very disappointed. I have never burnt anything until I tried making this recipe. Lol
Made theses tonight, amazing and so easy!
this was amazing. I used butter instead of oil and Cajun seasoning instead of cayenne. it was fabulous. very mouth watering. will definitely make again :) thank you!
I would hate to eat those tough chops! Did you know that the safe (and most juicy, delicious) temp to cook pork is 145? Not sure why you would want to cook them that long. The rest of the recipe sounds delicious.
That’s the temp in the recipe, but since I only looked at it late yesterday, it may have been in response to your comment. Pork is actually quite safe to eat while still a bit pink–trichinosis has not been a problem in this country for decades, so there is no longer any reason to cook pork to shoe leather status. I’m with you about overcooked pork, and I think that many folks who don’t care for pork have only tried dried out overcooked cuts. At our house a quickly cooked pork scallop or succulent chop is a fast and easy meal for busy days. My husband enjoyed this glazed version a lot, but it was a little sweet for me.
Good stuff….