Fried Breaded Pork Chops
Crispy Pan-fried Breaded Pork Chops
I remembered when I attempted to cook breaded pork chops for the first time… it was a total failure. Most of the breading burnt because I trying to salvage the inside meat that was still raw.
My excuse was, I was still new to cooking everything on my own being away from home for the first time when I moved to Manila to work. For some time after that disaster, I steered clear from cooking anything with breading.
My Mama’s breaded pork chops, however, are fantastic! But that time I was not that interested how she makes them, I just enjoyed eating them! So when I what breaded pork chops, I would come home and that is that.
But being married and becoming a housewife and moving to Germany changes everything! No more running home to my Mama for her cooking.
On my second year, I did a short stint working in a German kitchen of a reputable hotel restaurant as the Koch’s helper. He would give me the menial tasks like peeling potatoes, cleaning mushrooms and the like. But from time to time he would teach me some of his ‘techniques’ in preparing and cooking food. One of them is how to ‘panieren’ or to coat with breadcrumbs for Schnitzel.
Combining what I learned from this experience and my Mama’s recipe, I can now proudly say that I can make breaded pork chops like a pro!
How to fry breaded pork chops
- Marinate pork chops for one hour or in the fridge overnight.
- Place flour, beaten eggs, and breadcrumbs in separate shallow bowls or plates. Dredge a pork chop first in flour, covering both sides completely then shake off excess.
- Dip it next in eggs completely coating all sides.
- Then dredge it with breadcrumbs. Press one side of the meat to the breadcrumbs and then the other side to make sure it is completely and evenly covered. Do same to the rest of the pork chops.
- Fry breaded pork chops in a pan over medium heat with enough oil to reach half of the sides. Fry each side for 3-4 minutes or until brown and crispy.
Tips for perfect breaded pork chops
Here are some tips to achieve the best breaded fried pork chops you will ever make:
- Use a thin cut. Thinner slices cook faster so it is done the same time the breading reaches a golden brown color. If you got thick pork chops, cut them horizontally to make 2 pieces. I find that half-inch thickness works well.
- Pounding. You can also pound the meat to make it thinner and tender like how Snitzels are made.
- Use Panko breadcrumbs. Its light, airy, and delicate texture helps it crisp as it cooks and absorbs lesser oil making it stay crunchy longer.
- Marinate ahead of time. For the flavors to seep into the meat, marinate them for at least an hour. Overnight in the fridge would be better.
- Make sure that the oil is hot before adding the pork chops to prevent oily or soggy bread coating.
- Do not overcrowd the skillet. It affects the oil temperature which causes it to dip too low and will make it difficult to get a good crispy fry.
- Lastly, trim off the skin or rind. This will prevent your pork chops from “curling” as the skin shrinks when cooked. But leave some of the fat there for moist and flavor.
This fried breaded pork chop recipe is actually very similar to how you make the Japanese Tonkatsu because of the use of Panko. The latter usually uses boneless pork cutlet and is served with Tonkatsu sauce.
Other pan-fried recipes you can try:
- Chicken Cordon Bleu
- Parmesan-crusted Chicken deliciously crispy breading with Parmesan Cheese.
- Lechon Kawali – pork belly cubes fried to perfection
- Lumpiang Shanghai is the Filipino spring rolls with ground meat or our Spicy Tuna Spring Rolls
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Crispy Fried Breaded Pork Chops
INGREDIENTS
- 4 pork chops - - about 1/2 inch thick
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce - or 1/2 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice - or calamansi juice
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- vegetable oil - - for frying
INSTRUCTIONS
- Marinate pork chops in fish sauce, lemon juice, and pepper for at least 1 hour.
- Place flour in a shallow bowl or plate. Whisk eggs in another shallow bowl. Put the breadcrumbs on a third plate.
- Dredge a pork chop first in flour, covering both sides completely then shake off excess. Dip it next in egg mixture and lastly, coat it completely with breadcrumbs. Press one side of the chop to the breadcrumbs and then the other side to make sure it is completely and evenly covered. Do same to the rest of the pork chops.
- Heat skillet or frying pan over medium heat and add enough oil to reach half of the sides of the pork chops. When the oil is hot enough, cook pork chops for about 6-8 minutes each, turning it once in between or until each side is golden brown and crispy.
- Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to remove excess oil. Serve with your favorite side dish.
RECIPE NOTES
- I use the Japanese breadcrumbs (Panko is the brand) for making this recipe to achieve that crispy breading.
- Use thin pork chops about half-inch thick for faster and more evenly frying.
- Make sure the oil is hot before adding the pork chops or the crumbs will absorb the oil.
- Do not crowd the pan as this tends to cool the oil down and you will end up with soggy, oily, pork chops.
This Breaded Pork Chop recipe was originally published in September 2014. Updated in April 2019 to include new photos and additional tips. The recipe remains the same.
