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These French Onion Pork Chops are one-pan comfort food that’s ready in a flash. Create juicy and tender boneless pork chops in the air fryer or stovetop, while whipping up a quick and flavorful pan sauce on the stove.
A dinner this delicious should take hours, but you’re actually going to get this meal on the table in just about 20 minutes. As a busy parent, these are the dinners that I lean on for survival.
And if you don’t have an air fryer, you’ll find stovetop instructions in the recipe card notes.
And if you love the flavor of French onion, you’ll absolutely love our Instant Pot French onion soup and onion pizza recipe.
How to Store and Reheat
Storing leftovers: Allow everything to fully cool before storing in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. If you’re making these French onion pork chops for meal prep, you can store the sauce and cooked pork chops separately.
Reheating leftovers: If you have an air fryer, I like to reheat these with the sauce in a small dish in my air fryer’s basket. Cook them at 330˚F for 2-3 minutes or until heated through.
You can also use the microwave for 1-2 minutes, but the microwave can lead to drying out the pork.
Freezing leftovers: While I love a freezer meal, I don’t recommend freezing this recipe.
What to Serve With This Recipe
This dinner is pure comfort food, so you can really lean into that and serve it over Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes, or Instant Pot Jasmine Rice, or Garlic Butter Rice. If you go that route, I highly recommend doubling the sauce so you can spoon some over the potatoes or rice.
A side of Air Fryer Texas Toast would be amazing as well.
Looking for quick and easy veggie sides to serve? Try Roasted Frozen Broccoli, Greek Yogurt Coleslaw, Garlic Butter Green Beans, Cabbage Salad, or Roasted Frozen Cauliflower.
Helpful Equipment
There are a few handy tools that will make your life easier when cooking this recipe. We have and love this air fryer. A heavy-bottomed pan (like this one) that goes from stovetop to oven is important.
And an instant-read thermometer will keep you from overcooking your pork chops.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- If possible, allow the pork chops to sit at room temperature for 15-30 minutes prior to cooking. Taking the chill off the meat will lead to juicier chops.
- Pork is fully cooked at 145˚F, but with this recipe, it is ok if the chops register at 140˚F coming out of the air fryer, as long as the juices are running clear. The chops continue cooking while they rest for a few minutes and then also go under the broiler to melt the cheese.
- Allowing the finished pork chops to rest for 5 minutes before cutting into them will let the juices redistribute to the entire cut, instead of all running out when you cut into them.
- You can sub in chicken breasts and still get an amazing dinner. Cook boneless chicken breasts at 370˚F for 8 minutes, flip, and cook for another 8-10 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer reads 160˚F.
More Delicious Fast Dinners You’ll Love
French Onion Pork Chops
Ingredients
Pork Chops
- 4 boneless pork chops {~6 to 8 oz each}
- 2 tbsp olive oil {+ a bit more for the air fryer basket}
- 1.5 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp dried thyme
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
French Onion Sauce
- 3 tbsp butter {salted or unsalted is fine}
- 3 cups white or yellow onion {~1 extra large onion sliced thinly}
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 cup beef broth
- 4 slices provolone {or sub in mozzarella}
Instructions
Prep the Pork Chops
- Mix garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, ¼ tsp dried thyme, and smoked paprika in a small bowl.1.5 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 2 tsp kosher salt, 1/4 tsp dried thyme, 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- Brush all sides of pork chops with olive oil.4 boneless pork chops, 2 tbsp olive oil
- Sprinkle the dry seasoning mix over the pork chops, making sure you get the sides as well.
- {optional}: refrigerate pork chops covered for up to 24 hours. If possible, remove pork chops from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking them.
Start French Onion Sauce
- In a large heavy bottomed pan, melt butter over medium-low heat.3 tbsp butter
- Add olive oil and onions, and cook, stirring often while the pork chops are cooking in the air fryer.3 cups white or yellow onion, 1 tsp olive oil
Start Pork Chops in Air Fryer
- Brush olive oil on the air fryer basket and add pork chops.
- Bake at 370˚F for 10 minutes, flip and bake for another 2-5 minutes.
- Using an instant-read thermometer, check each pork chop to make sure it registers 140˚F.
- Remove pork chops to a plate, loosely place a piece of foil over them, and allow them to rest for 5 minutes.
Finish French Onion Sauce
- When the onions are browned and caramelized (about 10 minutes from starting them), sprinkle 2 tbsp of flour and ½ tsp dried thyme over the top and stir. Cook for 1 minute.2 tbsp all-purpose flour, 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- Slowly stir in beef broth, scraping the bottom of the pan as you go.1 cup beef broth
- Cook for about 1 minute, or until the broth is bubbling and has reduced by about 1/3.
- Turn off the burner, and nestle the pork chops in the pan with the onions. Top each pork chop with 1 slice of provolone.4 slices provolone
- Broil on high for 1-3 minutes (watch closely so it doesn't burn) or until the cheese is lightly browned and bubbly.
- Serve each pork chop topped with the french onion sauce.
Notes
- Pork is fully cooked at 145˚F, but with this recipe, it is ok if the chops register at 140˚F as long as the juices are running clear. The chops will rest for a few minutes and then also go under the broiler for a few minutes.
- If possible, allow the pork chops to sit at room temperature for 15-30 minutes prior to cooking. Taking the chill off the meat will lead to juicier chops.
- Allowing the finished pork chops to rest for 5 minutes before cutting into them will let the juices redistribute to the entire cut, instead of all running out when you cut into them.
- Sear seasoned pork chops for 2-3 minutes on each side with 1.5 tbsp olive oil in a cast-iron skillet on medium-high.
- Reduce heat to low and cook for 5 minutes on each side or until the temp reaches 145˚F.
- If possible, allow the pork chops to sit at room temperature for 15-30 minutes prior to cooking. Taking the chill off the meat will lead to juicier chops.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi, would like to try this. I’m new to air frying & need to know this. Your recipe says ‘bake’ and I don’t know if I should use the bake button…or, the air fryer button? Need help. Thanks, Nancy
Air fry button would work great in this recipe, Nancy!
Yummy 🤤
I made these for the first time tonight and they were a hit! My kid who doesn’t like onions had seconds and the other kid asked if he could lick the spoon afterwards. It was a win for the whole family. Thanks for another great recipe.
Who-hoo, I love a dinner win! So glad it was a hit.
Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!
The only thing wrong with this recipe is that I need to double the onions because they were AMAZING. Ten out of ten, will be making again! We used the stove top recipe because we are AF-less. The chops were tender, the onions and sauce were excellent.
Awwww, so glad you enjoyed it, Erin! I truly love the onions too. I give the boys and Troy the majority of the pork chops and I just go to town on the onions and sauce.
Was planning to cook pork chops for dinner last night and this recipe popped up in my email. I don’t have an air fryer, so used the pan method and it turned out great! We only had chicken stock, instead of beef, so it was a little bit lighter, but oh so delicious. We will definitely be making this again. Thank you Sarah for elevating what would have been a plain jane dinner to the HNL (for any MadTV fans out there).
Sara (great name), I’m so glad you enjoyed it! And I love using chicken stock instead of beef in this recipe and others. So, great switch. 🙂
These were so goood! I did not do the French onion soup but the pork chops were so flavorful and juicy. Excellent and I will be adding this to my weekly rotation
Lisa, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review. 🙂
I hesitated to post my review because I made a lot of substitutions.
I omitted the cheese, just because I wasn’t feeling it, I used red onions (because that’s what I had), and I used a frying pan. My air fryer is a T-Fal, with a paddle. So I opted to make air fries to go with it.
I “marinated the pork chops, as suggested.
They tasted really good and hubby enjoyed the extra sauce/gravy on his fries.
This will definitely go into our rotation.
I’m totally happy when people make one of my recipes their own. The only time I have a problem with it is when someone does a ton of substitutions and then complains that the recipe didn’t turn out. Your substitutions sound great!
The sauce on the fries sounds fantastic!