Mystery Lovers' Kitchen: pork chops

Saturday, March 21, 2026

French Onion Pork Chops

This recipe was quick and easy for a weeknight dinner. I used Adobo seasoning on my chops before coating with mixture but I put that on everything. I was hesitant to add salt because of the salt in the soup mix. It's up to you if you want to add some. You can add other seasonings as well like paprika for a bit of color. I used gluten free panko but regular is fine too. Baking time varies according to the thickness of your chops. Err on the side of caution and check early. You can always put them back in the oven. I couldn't run mine under the broiler because I'd baked them in a Pyrex dish. Mine came out quite tender and juicy, which is practically a miracle with pork chops! I had some sour cream mixture left over and luckily had a bag of chips in the pantry so that took care of that!

1 8 ounce container sour cream

1 packet of French onion soup mix (I used Liptons)

salt & pepper and other seasonings of choice

4 boneless pork loin chops

Panko (regular or gluten free)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix container of sour cream and French onion soup mix.

Place pork chops in baking dish and slather with sour cream mixture.

Sprinkle tops of pork chops with panko

Cover with aluminum foil and bake 30 minutes.

Remove foil and test chops for doneness. They should reach 145 degrees internal temperature.

Run baking dish under broiler to brown panko if desired.

When a wealthy local benefactor is slain on the farm, Monica has to figure out who wanted to cash in on the killing . . .

As Sassamanash Farms hunkers down for the long winter, Monica agrees to let the local animal shelter host their Christmas-themed fundraiser there. The draw of the event—a chance to have your pet’s picture taken with Santa—brings in animal lovers from far and wide. But when the crackling fire dies down and the festive holiday props are all carted away, Monica discovers a very un-jolly sight next to the barn—the dead body of one of the shelter’s biggest donors. With the farm’s good name in jeopardy, Monica goes to work to root out the killer.

By all accounts the victim was a charming and generous supporter of the shelter, but Monica discovers that he was loathed by those who knew him for being tight-fisted and unscrupulous. Suspecting money might be the motive, she turns her sights on his stylish wife and her lavish lifestyle, along with the manager of the struggling shelter, who stood to collect a hefty bequest from his will. But as Monica closes in on one final clue, the culprit closes in on her. Caught unawares, she’ll have to survive the brutal winter weather, as well as a cold-blooded killer . . .

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Tuesday, September 9, 2025

HIGH-PROTEIN COMFORT: How to Make Perfect Breaded Pork Chops from Cleo Coyle

Breading and pan frying pork chops may look like a retro comfort food, but it's one of the best, quick methods for sealing in juices in today's leaner cuts of pork. And with 30 or more grams of protein in just one (8 oz) bone-in chop, this foolproof recipe is a delicious way to give your body a good source of high-quality protein with all nine essential amino acids.

These amino acids are vital for muscle growth and repair; and, because our bodies cannot produce them, we must get them through food. That's one reason Marc and I always enjoy this comfort food dinner. It delivers on taste while putting high protein on our plates...

So let's get our pork chops on!

Cleo Coyle writes two
bestselling mystery

series with her husband.
To learn more, click here.

A Note from Cleo

While pork chops may seem like an indulgence, much of today’s pork is as lean as skinless chicken (16% leaner with 27% less saturated fat than the pork produced in the early 1990s). That’s great for healthy living, but unfortunately these breeding techniques have yielded pork that is far less tasty than its predecessors.

As any chef will tell you, fat means flavor, which is why today’s pork often cooks up dry and bland. Unless you can find heirloom pork with the kind of marbled fat that we used to enjoy, cooking up juicy chops can be a tricky endeavor. One way to give today’s leaner pork more flavor and juiciness is to marinate the meat overnight in a brine of salt, herbs, spices, and fruit juice. It’s a method that yields marvelous results, but it also takes time.

So how do you cook up savory pork chops quickly? We bread them. The breading seals in the juices during the shallow pan frying, followed by the quick oven baking. The chops are perfectly cooked, delicious, and juicy.

Now here is our simple, foolproof method for making mouthwatering breaded pork chops...

To download this recipe
in a free PDF document
that you can prints, save,
or share, click here.

Click here or on the image above

for Cleo's Free Recipe PDF.

Cleo Coyle's

Breaded Pork Chops

Ingredients:

4 to 6 one-inch thick pork chops (about 3 pounds)

1-½ cups unseasoned breadcrumbs or panko*

½ cup finely-grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon oregano

½ teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon finely ground sea salt

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon milk (or water)

½ cup all-purpose flour

½ cup (or more) of oil (double if using 2 skillets)

*Note: panko (aka Japanese-style breadcrumbs) are what you see in our photos for this recipe post. Standard breadcrumbs are a little less crunchy but just as delicious.

Directions

Step 1: First preheat your oven to 325° F. Prepare the breading by mixing unseasoned breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan, oregano, cumin, and salt in a pie or cake pan (or shallow bowl). In a second pan or shallow bowl, beat the eggs with the milk (or water). Into a third pan or shallow bowl, place the flour.

Step 2: Wash the pork chops in cool water and pat off excess moisture with paper towel. Dip chops, one at a time, in the flour, then the egg mixture, and finally the breadcrumbs. Press firmly, making sure that the crumbs stick to the meat.

First the flour...

Then the egg...

Finally the breadcrumbs!

(Remember to press firmly. You want
the breadcrumbs to stick to the meat.)

Step 3: Warm ½ cup of oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. When the oil is rippling, add the chops and quickly reduce the heat. Lightly brown the chops on each side for about 3 minutes, turning once. Here are a few notes for getting the best results...

* Do not overlap the chops, only fry one layer at a time.

* Do not fry the chops in oil that is too cool or you'll end up with greasy instead of crispy breading. Watch for the oil to ripple. Test the oil by dropping in a few crumbs of breading. If the breading sizzles in the oil, it's ready. (And if the oil smokes, you've gone too far the other way, reduce the heat!)

* While hot oil is what you want, if it's too hot, the chops may brown too quickly in the 3 minutes of cooking time per side. So give one test chop a peek halfway through the cooking time and reduce the heat if necessary to prevent over-browning.

* See our photos as a guide for the correct color, golden brown...

* If making 6 chops, either use two skillets (3 chops in each skillet) OR remove the 3 finished chops from the pan and set aside. Then discard the old oil, wipe the pan with a paper towel, and add a fresh ½ cup of oil for your final 3 chops.

Step 4: Place your skillet (or 2 skillets) of chops into the preheated 325° F. oven for about 20 minutes, turning them halfway through the cooking time.

Chops will come out golden brown with the natural juices locked inside. If making 6 chops, you can either place 2 skillets in the oven or arrange the chops as we often do in one skillet, see how we do it in the photos below...