Easy Skillet Pork Chops With Tomatoes

Written by
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Diana Rattray
Updated 07/20/19
Pork chops with tomatoes on rice
Diana Rattray
  • Total: 80 mins
  • Prep: 10 mins
  • Cook: 70 mins
  • Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
323 Calories
20g Fat
5g Carbs
30g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Amount per serving
Calories 323
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 20g 26%
Saturated Fat 6g 29%
Cholesterol 89mg 30%
Sodium 468mg 20%
Total Carbohydrate 5g 2%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Protein 30g
Calcium 57mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

These easy pork chops are slowly simmered with tomatoes and seasonings for a simple main dish everyone will enjoy. It's also a great starting point for other flavor combinations.

This is a simple, no frills pork chop skillet dish, and it's super easy to prepare and cook. The chops are excellent served with hot cooked rice or serve them with potatoes or rice pilaf.

The pork chops are also versatile, and you can season them with some Creole or Cajun seasonings and stewed tomatoes or add chili style tomatoes and chili powder for Tex-Mex chops. Add some basil and garlic for Italian-style. You'll find more suggestions below the recipe.

Ingredients

  • 4 to 6 shoulder pork chops
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons chopped onions
  • 1 green bell pepper (sliced into rings or chopped)
  • 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes with juice
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Optional: cooked rice, noodles or potatoes (for serving)

Steps to Make It

  1. Heat a large skillet or saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil to the hot pan and sear the pork chops, turning to brown both sides; drain off excess fat. Add onion, green pepper, and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper.

  2. Cover the pan and reduce the heat to low. Continue cooking for about 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the pork chops are very tender.

  3. Remove the chops and arrange them on a warm serving dish or platter with hot cooked rice, noodles or potatoes in the center if desired.

Tips

  • Pork shoulder chops benefit from long, slow cooking. If you are substituting loin chops or rib pork chops, decrease the simmering time to about 20 minutes. 
  • For extra sauce, add a small can of tomato sauce (8 ounces).

Recipe Variations

  • Cajun or Creole-Style Pork Chops: Increase the onions to 1/4 cup and add about 1/4 cup of chopped celery. Replace the tomatoes with stewed tomatoes and replace the salt with Creole seasoning. Taste and add more salt as needed.
  • Tex-Mex Pork Chops: Replace the diced tomatoes with chili style tomatoes or tomatoes with green chile peppers and add 1 teaspoon of chili powder and a dash of cumin. Add some hot or mild chili peppers for heat, and serve them with beans and easy Mexican style rice.
  • Italian-Style Pork Chops: Add 1 clove of minced garlic along with the onion and green pepper and add 1/2 teaspoon of dried leaf basil.