Pan-Fried Pork Chops with Apple-Cider Reduction and Caramelized Onions
Juicy pan-fried pork chops served with a sweet and tangy apple-cider sauce and golden caramelized onions. This American-inspired pork recipe, ready in about 35 minutes, pairs bone-in pork chops, salt, black pepper for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 420 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 4 pieces (about 6 oz each) bone-in pork chops
- 1 1/2 tsp, divided salt
- 1 tsp, divided black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 large, thinly sliced yellow onion
- 1 cup apple cider
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Season 4 bone-in pork chops evenly with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Step 2: Add pork chops and cook for 5 minutes per side until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 145°F. Remove pork chops from skillet and keep warm.
- Step 3: Reduce heat to medium, add 2 tbsp unsalted butter to the same skillet. Once melted, add 1 large thinly sliced yellow onion and 1/2 tsp salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes until onions are deeply golden and caramelized.
- Step 4: Pour in 1 cup apple cider, 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, and 1 tbsp brown sugar. Stir to combine and simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes until sauce reduces and thickens slightly.
- Step 5: Stir in 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, season sauce with 1/2 tsp black pepper, and return pork chops to skillet to warm through for 1-2 minutes.
- Step 6: Serve pork chops topped with apple-cider reduction and caramelized onions.








