Pan-Roasted Pork Chops with Apricot Sauce
Bone-in pork chops browned then oven-roasted, finished with a tangy-sweet pan sauce of reduced chicken broth, dried apricots, apricot jam, and fresh thyme. Lemon zest and apple cider vinegar brighten the flavors while butter enriches the sauce.
Ingredients
- 4 6-oz bone-in pork chops, 1 to 1 1/4-inch thick
- kosher salt, to taste
- ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 cup yellow onion, diced
- 1 Tbsp garlic, minced
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup dried apricots, slivered
- ¼ cup low-sugar apricot jamregular jam1:1sweetness
sweeter sauce
- 2 tsp lemon zest, minced
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 Tbsp fresh thyme, minced
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- 2
Season pork chops on both sides with salt and pepper.
- 3
Brown chops on both sides in vegetable oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat.
- 4
Cover pan, transfer to oven, and roast chops for 7 minutes.
- 5
Remove chops from oven, transfer to a platter, tent with aluminum foil, and rest while making sauce.
- 6
Saute onion in the same pan with roasted pork juices over medium-high heat until softened, about 5 minutes.
- 7
Add garlic and saute for 1 minute.
- 8
Deglaze pan with chicken broth and apple cider vinegar.
- 9
Simmer until liquid is reduced by half, about 15 minutes.
- 10
Stir in dried apricots, apricot jam, and lemon zest, and simmer until sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.
- 11
Remove pan from heat, whisk in butter and thyme, and serve with pork chops.
Tips
Tent with foil during rest to keep chops warm while sauce cooks.
Reduce broth to concentrate flavors before adding apricots and jam.
Whisk in butter off heat to preserve creamy texture and emulsion.
Good to Know
Refrigerate covered up to 3 days. Reheat gently over low heat.
Prepare sauce up to 1 day ahead; reheat before serving. Roast chops fresh.
Serve immediately with pork chops and suggested Mashed Cauliflower.
Common Mistakes
Do not skip the rest period to avoid tough, dry chops.
Do not overcook sauce reduction to avoid bitter, overly concentrated flavors.
Do not whisk butter in while pan is on heat to avoid breaking the emulsion.
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
General Alternatives
sweeter sauce