Baked Pork Chops and Rice
Juicy, golden pork chops baked over tender, savory rice with onion, garlic, herbs, and flavorful pan drippings. This cozy pork and rice dinner is made from scratch without canned soup and comes out rich, comforting, and full of flavor.
Ingredients
For the Pork Chops
- 4 bone-in pork chops about 1–1 1/4 inches thick
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
For the Rice
- 1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice uncooked
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 3 cups chicken broth preferably low-sodium
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Fresh parsley chopped, for serving
Instructions
- Mix the seasoning. In a small bowl, combine the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper.
- Season the pork chops. Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels, then season them generously on both sides with the spice mixture.
- Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Sear the pork chops. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once the butter has melted and the skillet is hot, add the pork chops. Sear for about 2–3 minutes per side, until deeply golden. Transfer the pork chops to a plate.
- Cook the onion. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the finely chopped onion to the same skillet and cook for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping up the browned bits from the bottom, until the onion begins to soften.
- Add the garlic. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
- Add the broth. Pour in the chicken broth and Worcestershire sauce. Stir well, scraping up any remaining browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
- Add the rice and seasonings. Stir in the uncooked long-grain rice, then add the dried thyme, salt, and black pepper. Mix well so the rice is evenly distributed in the broth.
- Transfer to the baking dish. Pour the rice and broth mixture into a baking dish and spread the rice into an even layer. Arrange the seared pork chops over the rice and pour in any juices that collected on the plate.
- Cover and bake. Cover the baking dish tightly with foil. Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 30–35 minutes, until the rice is tender and has absorbed most of the broth.
- Finish uncovered. Remove the foil and bake for another 5 minutes, allowing the pork chops to regain some color and any excess moisture on top of the rice to evaporate.
- Rest and serve. Remove the dish from the oven and let it rest for 5–10 minutes. Fluff the rice gently with a fork, sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley, and serve the pork chops over the savory rice.
Notes
- Use thick bone-in pork chops. Chops around 1–1 1/4 inches thick stay much juicier during the time the rice needs to bake.
- Use regular long-grain white rice. Do not substitute instant rice, brown rice, or another rice variety without adjusting the liquid and cooking time.
- Do not reduce the broth. The tested ratio is 3 cups chicken broth to 1 1/2 cups uncooked rice. This gives the rice enough moisture to become fully tender.
- Cover the dish tightly. Trapped steam is essential for cooking the rice. Press the foil securely around the edges of the baking dish.
- Sear for color, not doneness. The pork chops will continue cooking in the oven, so only brown them during the skillet step.
- Check the pork temperature. The pork chops are done when the thickest part reaches 145°F (63°C).
- Let the rice rest. Resting for 5–10 minutes after baking allows the grains to absorb any remaining liquid and gives the rice a better texture.
- Low-sodium broth works best. It gives you better control over the final salt level since the pork and rice are both seasoned separately.
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