This is a delicious pork chop recipe that is a delicious alternative to regular everyday breaded pork chops.  These are 1 inch thick bone in pork chops stuffed with spinach, garlic, basil pesto and mozzarella cheese.  These are tender, juicy and so simple to make for a busy weekday meal 🙂 This can be prepared a head of time and placed in the fridge so they’re ready to cook when you get home!

Ingredients:

4 – 1″ Bone In Pork Chops (you can use boneless but the cooking times will be different, look at the bottom of the page for cooking times)

For The Stuffing:

• 1 Cup of Frozen Spinach Thawed and Drained of Excess Water
• 1 Cup of Mozzarella Cheese
• 2 TBSP of Prepared Basil Pesto
• 1 TBSP of Crushed Garlic
• 1/4 Cup of Grated Parmesan – Romano Cheese Blend
• 1 TBSP of Crushed Garlic
• 1/4 tsp of Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• A Pinch of Salt

For The Rub:

• 2 TBSP of Crushed Garlic
• 4 tsp of Minced Onion Flakes
• 2 TBSP of Black Pepper
• 2 tsp of Salt
• 2 tsp of Rosemary
• 4 tsp of Smoked Paprika

To Cook & Finish You Will Need:

• 4 TBSP of Butter (not margarine)
• 2 TBSP of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Garlic Butter (2 TBSP of Butter, 2 tsp of Crushed Garlic, 1 tsp of Italian Seasoning, mixed in a bowl and refrigerated until pork chops are done)

 

Directions:

Pre-heat your oven to 425*

1. Mix everything for your stuffing in a bowl and set aside
2. In a bowl mix all of your rub ingredients together and set aside
3. Cut your pork chops in the middle from the outside toward the bone, making a pocket, make sure not to cut all the way through, you just want a pocket to stuff the chop.
4. Cover the top and bottoms of your pork chops with the rub and place on a plate
5. Divide your stuffing into 4 equal servings and stuff into the center of your pork chops, you can secure the chops with a toothpick to hold the stuffing inside if you need to or you could also use butchers twine to tie it closed.
6. In a frying pan, (I use a cast iron pan so that I can brown my chops and then throw right in the oven to finish cooking, then I only have the one pan to clean) add your butter and olive oil and mix together until the butter is completely melted.
7. Add your pork chops and cook about 5 minutes per side or until golden brown, then put into your pre-heated oven and continue to cook for about 30 minutes or until your meat thermometer reads 145*
8. Remove from the oven and let them rest for 5 minutes
9. Garnish with 1/2 TBSP of the prepared garlic butter right on top of the cooked pork chop and serve
10. These go great with Annie Gran’s Potatoes and Sweet Baby Carrots 🙂

 

*** If using boneless pork chops, cook in the butter oil mixture for about 3 minutes per side and finish cooking in the oven for about 15 minutes or until your meat thermometer reads 145*

If you’ve made this please share with us how they came out and any changes you may have made 🙂