Originally published on May 14, 2014
Way back in the day when I was still a young thing in high school, I had a boyfriend whose mom made the very best pork chops. It was one of the reasons I loved going over there for dinner, even if his parents weren’t the nicest people I’d ever met in my life. But those chops, man were they good. They were super duper thick, and breaded all around so that with every bite you got a nice, satisfying crunch. They were also moist and juicy, and just about some of the best pork chops I’d ever eaten. Well, the relationship didn’t last, but I’ve never stopped thinking about those pork chops. Now, I can eat them in the comfort of my own grown-up kitchen.
Ingredients:
4 thick bone-in pork chops
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups bread crumbs
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
Salt
Pepper
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Directions:
1.) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet or two with parchment paper (depending on the size of your trays and of the chops.)
2.) Set up a breading station with three different bowls, side by side. In the first bowl place the all-purpose flour. In the second, the lightly beaten eggs. In the third, place the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, basil, oregano, and salt and pepper. Mix the bread crumbs up thoroughly so that everything is fully combined.
3.) Pat the pork chops dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper. One by one, place them in the flour first, covering to ensure that the chop is fully coated. Remove from the flour and shake off excess. Then place in the bowl of eggs, submerging them so the pork chop is fully covered. Remove from the eggs and let the excess egg drip off it. Lastly, place the chops in the bowl of bread crumbs and cover with the crumbs. Pat down slightly so that the crumbs stick to the chop. Remove from the bowl, shake off excess crumbs and then place it on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining pork chops.
4.) When all pork chops have been breaded, drizzle them with the olive oil, and place them in the preheated oven and bake for 30 – 40 minutes, until they are completely cooked through.
5.) Serve and enjoy!