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!
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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!
I doubled the rub mix, since we like extra sauce. So much flavor from such simple ingredients! Loved it!
Has anyone subbed chicken instead of pork chops?
I did this with chicken legs but added 1/2 tsp of chili powder. It was a nice balance of sweet and spicy. The kids raved over it.
I love your website! I plan on making these tonight! Can’t wait!!
These look delicious! Definitely plan on making these tonight :) Just a heads up though, olive oil isn’t in the ingredients list for this recipe even though you use it. Looking forward to making them!
Made these & our grown son ❤️❤️❤️ Loved them…. Can’t get too hot for him!!!
Will make again & again
please don’t put it on medium high! i almost burnt the house down! i did medium high for like a minute and it started burning like crazy!
I had the burner on medium-high too. Liquid in the pan turned black after about two minutes and the porkchops were charred. I used a new stainless fry pan and I think the oil started to smoke before I added the chops, so not sure what exactly caused it. First time that I’ve botched a recipe from here. :-/
I tried this recipe because I had all of the ingredients & I wanted to make a glazed pork chop for the first time. It turned out to be way more than I anticipated!! SO easy, and the rub makes a lovely thick sauce that almost similar to a homemade spicy bbq sauce. (I added a tiny bit more than 1/2 tsp because I love spicy) It was absolutely delicious and will be adding it to my repertoire! Thanks for the share – I will be enjoying this one for a long time :)
Just wanted to let you know how much I LOVE this recipe. Its become a staple in my house — my boyfriend recommends it every week. I like to serve it with brown rice and a side salad.
Tried this recipe a few months ago and it was delish! Easy and quick, just what I was looking for.
Thanks for the recipe. I just made the pork chops and they were very tasty! I served it with white rice and “steam in the bag” sugar snap peas. Quick & easy meal!
Word of advise: try to clean off your skillet before the glaze hardens or else that sauce is not coming off in the dish washer. Awesome and easy recipe though! Definitely will do it again.
I am in the process of making these right now. I added a bit more brown sugar and a little less cayenne pepper. It smells amazing. I am paring it with homemade loaded mashed potatoes, corn on the cob and garlic bread. Can’t wait to take a bite. :)
I am excited to try this! I was just wondering if it’s pretty spicy with the cayenne pepper or not? I’m going to be making it for someone who likes really spicy stuff, so if it isn’t, can I just add more cayenne pepper? If so, how much? I hate spicy stuff so I’m not accustomed to cooking with it lol. Thanks!
Yes, you can just add more cayenne to turn up the heat. :) I would suggest tasting the spice/sugar mix before adding it to the chops to test the heat level at that point. Heat is very subjective, so it would be impossible for me to tell you just how much (or how little) to use. Your taste buds are your best measure. :)
I’ve been looking for a good pork chop recipe and a friend referred me to this. I just made it, and it was excellent! I did everything according to your instructions, minus the cayenne powder, hubby and I both really enjoyed it. Thank you!
These were amazing!! Highly recommended! Sweet, slight kick to it … Perfection. Having them again tomorrow night. Thanks!!