Lean boneless pork chops are breaded simply with parmesan and Italian bread crumbs, then quickly pan fried in olive oil until golden brown and juicy. These Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops are a great weeknight dinner!

Pork chops are often written off as dry or tough unless they’re brined, but this recipe is proof that that doesn’t have to be true.

Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops - Served On a Wooden Platter with a Fork and Knife Slicing Into Pieces

No brining is necessary here to get pork that’s crispy on the edges, but juicy in the middle, and that’s part of what keeps this recipe so quick and perfect for weeknights.

I’m not against brining, but it adds a lot of prep time, you know?

This recipe takes about 15 minutes total, so if you’re looking for a reliable weeknight dinner that’s quick and tasty, this may become one of your go-to recipes.

Anytime I see pork chops on sale, I grab a bunch and make this parmesan pork.

Parmesan Pork Chops - Served On a Wooden Platter with a Fork and Knife Slicing Into Pieces

How to Make Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops:

To get started, set up your breading station with three separate bowls. One with Italian bread crumbs, one with beaten eggs, and one with grated parmesan:

Dipping Bowls with Parmesan Cheese, Egg Wash, and Seasoned Bread Crumbs

A quick tip: grate your own parmesan using a zester. This will give you an ultra-light parmesan that sticks like magic to the pork chop:

Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese in a Bowl

Season the pork chops with salt and pepper, then dip them into the grated parmesan:

Breading a Pork Chop in Grated Parmesan

Shake off any excess, then dip into the beaten egg:

Dipping the Parmesan Pork Chop in Egg Wash

Again, make sure to shake off the excess. If you’ve ever had the breading fall off, it’s because there was excess that needed to be shaken off.

Finally, dip the pork chops into Italian bread crumbs:

Coating the Pork Chop in Italian Seasoned Bread Crumbs

If you prefer, you can also do Panko bread crumbs instead, which is what I do for my Parmesan Crusted Chicken.

Pan fry the breaded pork chops in olive oil for about 5 minutes on each side:

Breaded Fried Pork Chops Cooking in Oil in a Skillet

You only have to cook pork chops to 145F for the interior temperature, so that should be plenty of time to crisp up both sides to a golden brown color, with a juicy interior:

Parmesan Breaded Pork Chop on a Plate with Side Salad

I like to serve the pork chops with an easy vegetable side, like Coleslaw, Mediterranean Quinoa Salad, or Greek Zucchini Salad. Enjoy!

Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops Served On a Wooden Platter with a Fork and Knife Slicing Into Pieces

Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 15 mins
Lean boneless pork chops are breaded simply with parmesan and Italian bread crumbs, then briefly pan fried in olive oil until golden brown and juicy.
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Ingredients

  • 3 to 4 boneless pork chops (about 1.5 lbs)
  • salt
  • black pepper
  • 1 oz parmesan cheese, freshly grated* (1 cup)
  • 2 eggs beaten
  • 1 cup Italian bread crumbs
  • 3 tbsp olive oil for frying

Instructions 

  • Season the pork chops generously on both sides with salt and pepper.
  • Set up three bowls, placing the grated parmesan in the first bowl, the eggs in the second, and bread crumbs in the third. 
  • Dip each pork chop into the parmesan, then into the egg, then into the bread crumbs, making sure to shake the excess off after each breading station. This prevents the coating from falling off.
  • Heat up a skillet over medium heat, then add the olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan.
  • Pan fry the pork chops for 4-5 minutes on each side, until golden brown and crispy on both sides, with a minimum interior temperature of 145F. Enjoy!

Notes

*The pork chops I typically get from the store are 3/4" in thickness, or 1" max. Thickness will affect cooking time, so make sure not to get the double cut or extra thick pork chops here. Thinner is better.
**If possible, use a zester to grate the parmesan. It will give you an ultra light parmesan that will stick well to the pork.

Nutrition

Calories: 531kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 44g, Fat: 29g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Cholesterol: 202mg, Sodium: 546mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Author: Joanne Ozug

Post updated with new photos, writing, and tips in August 2018. Originally published July 2011.