Elevate your dinner table with these impressive stuffed pork chops. Filled with a rich, savory mixture of fresh spinach, cream cheese, and garlic, this brilliant method transforms a standard cut of meat into an elegant, complete meal that looks gourmet but is surprisingly simple to make.
Ingredients
- 4 Thick-cut bone-in pork chops (must be at least 1.5 inches thick)
- 4 oz Cream cheese (softened at room temperature)
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
- 1 cup Fresh spinach (finely chopped)
- 2 cloves Garlic (minced)
- 1 tbsp Olive oil (for searing)
- 1 tsp Salt (divided)
- 1/2 tsp Black pepper (divided)
- 1/2 tsp Paprika (for seasoning the outsid
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- In a medium bowl, mix the softened cream cheese, grated Parmesan, chopped spinach, minced garlic, half of the salt, and half of the pepper until well combined. This is your savory filling.
- Lay each pork chop flat on a cutting board. Use a sharp paring knife to cut a horizontal pocket into the side of the meat. Cut as deep as you can, being very careful not to pierce through the other sides!
- Spoon the spinach and cheese mixture evenly into the pockets of the pork chops. Use toothpicks to seal the openings shut so the cheese doesn't melt out during cooking.
- Pat the outside of the stuffed chops completely dry. Season both sides with the remaining salt, black pepper, and paprika.
- Heat the olive oil in an oven-safe skillet (like cast iron) over medium-high heat. Sear the stuffed chops for 4 minutes per side to develop a beautiful golden crust.
- Transfer the entire skillet to the preheated oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the pork reads 145°F (63°C).
- Remove the toothpicks, let the meat rest for 5 minutes to lock in the juices, and serve!
Nutrition
Calories: 158kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 4gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 33mgSodium: 771mgPotassium: 58mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 554IUVitamin C: 0.5mgCalcium: 106mgIron: 0.2mg