Many people love these oven baked pork chops because they turn out incredibly tender, juicy, and packed with flavor. The chops are first seared on the stove to lock in all those delicious juices, then baked in the oven to perfection. Made with garlic, butter, and fragrant thyme, the seasoning creates a savory crust while keeping the meat moist and flavorful.

These delicious easy Baked Pork Chops are one of the best pork chop recipes I’ve ever made. But don’t just take my word for it—this is one of the most popular pork recipes on the internet, with over 500 comments and 4,000 positive-star ratings! It’s a winner in our home and a favorite among so many Primavera Kitchen readers.
I’ve been making this recipe for years now and my family really love it. I’m sure, you’ll make this baked pork chop recipe many times too since it’s the fastest and easiest way to make pork chops in the oven. In only 5 minutes, you’ll prep everything, and in 10-12 minutes, this baked pork chops will be done and ready to eat.
Want to try more pork chop recipes? I’ve created over 15 delicious variations for you to explore! Some of the all-time favorites include these Air Fryer Pork Chops, this flavorful Garlic Butter Pork Tenderloin, the sweet and savory Honey Garlic Pork Tenderloin, Pork Chops with Apples and Onions, and even Grilled Pork Chops—perfect for warmer days!
Recipe Ingredients
- Good quality butter – After making this recipe so many times, I’ve found that using good quality butter makes a huge difference. It adds a rich, creamy flavor that enhances the dish, while also helping to create a smooth sauce. I always recommend using high-quality butter to get the best texture and taste.
- Garlic – I’ve tasted this recipe with both fresh and jarred garlic, and I’ve found that fresh garlic gives the best flavor. When freshly minced or crushed, garlic infuses the butter with a vibrant, aromatic essence that really elevates the dish. It’s worth taking the extra step to use fresh!
- Fresh thyme – again, I highly suggest fresh thyme.
- Salt and ground black pepper – You can rub the pork chops with salt and pepper, but you also can use other spices like paprika and onion powder if you prefer. I prefer just salt and pepper because the garlic butter sauce is already very flavorful.
- Pork chops – Try to pick an evenly thick cut, so you don’t end up with overcooked tips. I like to buy at least 1 to 2 inches thick. Also, you make this recipe with boneless pork chops (loin chop or pork loin) or bone-in pork chops and even with thick cut pork chops. This recipe also works well with chicken breasts (see my baked chicken breast recipe for reference.)

How To Make Baked Pork Chops
- First, preheat the oven to 425°F. Pat dry the pork chops with a paper towel to remove any leftover moisture from the packaging. Then, season both sides well with salt and pepper. The amount of salt and pepper depends on your taste.

- Prepare the butter sauce by melting four tablespoons of butter in the microwave or stove. Once it’s melted, add the chopped thyme and garlic. Stir well, and set aside.
- In a cast iron skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat, and when the skillet is really hot, add the pork chops, and sear them until they have a nice golden brown look, about 2-4 minutes per side.

- Pour the garlic butter mixture over the pork chops, and place the skillet in the oven. Cook until the pork chops reach an internal temperature of 145ºF. Don’t overcook them to avoid having dry pork chops.
- Remove the skillet from the oven. Drizzle some of the tasty butter sauce from the skillet over the pork chops. Do this before serving. Enjoy!!

How Long to Bake Pork Chops
At 400°F, boneless pork chops should bake for about 7 minutes per ½ inch of thickness, while bone-in chops need around 8 minutes per ½ inch.
So, for chops that are 1½ inches thick:
Bone-in: Bake for about 24 minutes. Again, I recommend you use a meat thermometer to determine doneness and not rely on the general cook time.
Boneless: Bake for approximately 15-20 minutes.
How Do I Cook Pork Chops Without Drying Them Out?
In my experience, after testing this recipe many times, I’ve found that the sear-and-bake method is one of the best ways to keep pork chops from drying out.
But, why sear pork chops before baking? Searing the pork chops helps build a beautiful golden crust as well as helping lock in the moisture for when it bakes in the oven.
Why should I let the chops rest before serving?
Letting pork chops rest before serving helps the juices spread out, making the meat moist and tasty.
Do I Cover Pork Chops When Baking?
For this recipe, you don’t need to cover the pork chops. But once the pork chops are done, remove and cover them with foil. Let the chops stand three minutes before serving.
What To Season Baked Pork Chops With?
My favorite way to season pork chops is with salt, pepper and fresh herbs, plus of course butter and garlic. But you can also use other seasonings of your preference like paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, and so on.
You can also play around with fresh herbs and use sage, rosemary, and coriander. So good!
What To Serve With This Recipe
Potatoes, potatoes, potatoes! If you’re not looking to keep things low-carb, serve your chops with some starchy root veggies. Potatoes au gratin, mashed sweet potatoes, regular creamy mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes or air fryer baby potatoes are some of my favorites.
Any side salad! A simple arugula salad would pair really nicely with these pork chops. You could also do quinoa salad, couscous salad, broccoli salad or some fresh, creamy coleslaw.
Bread is always a winner. Add crunchy garlic bread or some cornbread would also be super yummy!

Garlic Butter Baked Pork Chops Recipe – Juicy and Tender!
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I’ll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Primavera Kitchen.
Video
Ingredients
- 2 medium-sized pork chops
- Salt and pepper
- 4 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper, and set aside.
- In a cast iron skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When the skillet is hot, add the pork chops. Sear until golden, about 2 minutes per side.
- Pour the garlic butter mixture over the pork chops. Place the skillet in the oven, and cook until the pork chops reach an internal temperature of 145ºF, about 10-14 minutes. The time depends on the thickness of your pork chops.*
- Remove from the oven. Using a spoon, pour some of the butter sauce left in the skillet onto the pork chops before serving.
Tips
- Thick cut pork chops are ideal as they won’t overcook as easily.
- When using a cast iron skillet in the oven, use a heat-resistant glove or oven mitt to safeguard your hands when handling the skillet. It gets extremely hot and can cause burns if touched without protection.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.
Morgan and Margaret Evans says
One of our favorite recipes for pork. Didn’t make any changes as comes out perfect each time. Juiciest pork chop u can make. I don’t usecsst iron but have pan that I can transfer to oven.
Olivia Ribas says
So very happy to hear that!
Rachell says
Just made this tonight, my family was in heaven. They said it was the best pork chop I have ever made. I must admit it was so tender. It had amazing flavor with very little ingredients. This will be a family favorite!!
Olivia Ribas says
That’s awesome!! Happy you and your family liked this recipe! Thanks for this kind comment.
Joanie says
Delicious! The seasonings and browning in the pan first before putting in the over made these chops juicy and tasty!
Olivia Ribas says
Happy you liked it.
Amy says
Simply delish!!
Olivia Ribas says
Thank you!
Ida says
Did not have fresh thyme so I used Herbs de Provence…it was delicious! My 17 year old son who said he hates pork chops had seconds! (I doubled the recipe)
Olivia Ribas says
That’s awesome. Happy you and your son liked this recipe!
Kelly says
Unfortunately I didn’t have thyme so I used oregano and it was delicious. Ext time I would like to try it as suggested.
Olivia Ribas says
Yes this recipe works well with oregano too. Glad you liked it.
Carol says
I made lots of pork chops in my life time..I mean time consuming pork chops. but these pork chop are so easy and OMG the best delicious juicy pork chops.I swear you serve these pork chops your family will think you slaved making these just spray little water on you before they get home lol..thank you for a super great EASY recipe..
Olivia Ribas says
That’s awesome!! I loved your comment. Thanks for stopping by and for making my recipe. I appreciate it a lot.
Foxy says
Disappointed that there’s not even a estimated time. I don’t use or own a thermometer to cook. I’m sure many don’t. I’ve tried recipes that suggest a thermometer to make sure meat is cooked. We all know most meats come in different cuts,sizes ,and thickness. You could have told what cut, size, thickness ect. You used and how long your pork chops took using your thermometer…..
Olivia Ribas says
Yes there is. If you read the instructions on recipe card you will see that the cooking time is between 10-14 mins.
Michelle says
Will this still come out good if I don’t use an iron skillet?
Olivia Ribas says
Yes it will.
DebMacDonald says
They were excellent
Olivia Ribas says
So glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Gregory says
Really enjoyed. Really easy. Single dude who doesn’t cook a lot much less follow recipes that closely. Highly rec and will do this weekly
Olivia Ribas says
Aww thank you. So happy to hear that. I appreciate your comment. Thanks for stopping by.