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!
Can I use granulated sugar instead of brown sugar?
That may change the way they turn out in both flavor and the consistency of the glaze. Brown sugar has molasses in it which provides extra flavor and moisture.
I decided to make these because they seemed pretty easy and I happened to have all the ingredients. They were quick, easy, and delicious. They had a little bit of spice, but not too much. Would recommend.
Made these tonight and my boys and I loved them! I brined them for a couple of hours before cooking like other reviewers suggested – made a big difference in moistness. Mine were about an inch thick and did not need finishing in the oven. Will definitely make again!
IT was delicious. Cooked on electric. Just browned the pork for 3 min on each side It was getting to hot. Finished off in oven Sauce was delicious. Wish there was more to go on it
Just made this for dinner. I couldn’t stand to waste the delicious pan sauce that was left over, so I threw some balsamic vinegar in it and tossed with mixed greens and dried cranberries… omg delicious!
Not a comment but a question, can i use vegetable if i dont have olive oil?
Yes, you can. :)
I made these for the first time today and they came out beautifully moist and delicious! Paired with baked potatoes and cheesy veggie medley -my family loved it! Thanks! :D
Thanks so much for your help. I felt for sure there had to be a way to get the same grill effect without having to fire up the outdoor grill each time.
This sounds delicious. Going to try it out tonight!
This recipe is a treasure! I rarely make pork at home because it tends to be so dry. I decided to brine the pork chops, as someone suggested here, and it turns out really good, tender and spicy and sweet. Just use 3 tbsp of salt for 4 cups of water to brine, otherwise the meat can be salty.
Super good recipe!!
My husband loves this and wants to use the sauce on deep fried chicken wings. Is there a way to make just the sauce? Not sure how the consistency would be if I just put it in a skillet.
The first time I made this was about a month ago and since then we’ve had these about 3 times. My husband ask Fred all the time so I think it will become a weekly meal! And it’s so affordable!
my family loves this seasoning mix. we like to do it with ham steaks on the stove with fried eggs & potatoes.
The basics of this are great and I enjoyed it., but I found that it lacked the spicy for my personal tastes so I changed it up a bit and loved it. Thought I’d post it here since I got the inspiration from here:
I brined the pork for starters, just because it makes cooking very forgiving, even if you go a bit along cooking your pork is still moist. Typical brine, 4 cups water, 1/4 cup salt. I also put in 2 tablespoons chopped garlic since I didn’t have garlic powder for later in recipe. I let it set for 4 hours, but anywhere between 1 to 6 hours should work.
I kicked up the paprika and cayenne to 1 tsp each for more spice.
After the sear(just got a nice sear on both sides, didn’t cook fully) , I tossed the pork into a separate pan the oven to cook some more and keep warm. In the pan with the goodies from searing the pork, I tossed in 2 tablespoons of butter, 1 onion sliced, and an apple sliced (both were about 1/4″ thick on outside edge). Once nicely browned on one side, I flipped them, pulled the pork from the oven and put it back in the pan with onions and apples (along with the juice that accumulated in the pan while in the oven). Once that side finish up, served the pork with the carmelized apples and onions on top. Came out a nice spicy-sweet perfectly moist pork chop!
Yummmmm!!!!
Can this recipe be used for boneless pork chops? Thanks!
Yes, I used boneless chops. :)