Naturally Sweetened Baked Pork Chops with Apple Sauce
Delight your taste buds with these Naturally Sweetened Baked Pork Chops with Apple Sauce—a perfect blend of savory and sweet flavors for a comforting yet elegant meal. Featuring thick-cut, bone-in pork chops seared to golden perfection and baked in a luscious, homemade apple sauce flavored with maple syrup, cinnamon, and fresh rosemary, this dish embraces the natural sweetness of juicy apples and wholesome ingredients. The skillet-to-oven technique locks in moisture and ensures tender, flavorful meat with minimal effort. Ready in under an hour, this family-friendly recipe is both refined and simple, making it ideal for weeknight dinners or special occasions. Serve with a spoonful of the rich, fragrant apple sauce for an irresistible pairing! Keywords: baked pork chops, naturally sweetened, apple sauce, pork and apples, skillet recipes, comfort food.
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 4 pieces Thick-cut bone-in pork chops
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- 3 medium Apples (e.g., Gala, Fuji, or Honeycrisp)
- 1 cup Unsweetened applesauce
- 1 tablespoon Fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons Maple syrup
- 0.25 teaspoon Ground nutmeg
- 1 sprig Fresh rosemary
- 0.5 cup Chicken broth
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
Pat dry the pork chops with a paper towel. Rub them with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then season both sides with salt, black pepper, and ground cinnamon.
In a large oven-safe skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear the pork chops for 2-3 minutes on each side until they develop a golden crust. Remove the chops from the skillet and set aside.
Peel, core, and dice the apples into small chunks.
In the same skillet, reduce the heat to medium and add the diced apples. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until they start to soften.
Stir in the unsweetened applesauce, lemon juice, maple syrup, ground nutmeg, and chicken broth. Add the rosemary sprig and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
Nestle the pork chops back into the skillet, spooning some of the apple mixture over the top.
Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the pork chops reach an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C).
Remove the skillet from the oven and allow the pork chops to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Serve the pork chops with generous spoonfuls of the naturally sweetened apple sauce on top. Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
616 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 37.0 g | 47% | |
| Saturated Fat | 11.1 g | 56% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.0 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 124 mg | 41% | |
| Sodium | 673 mg | 29% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 33.8 g | 12% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 4.8 g | 17% | |
| Total Sugars | 27.0 g | ||
| Protein | 37.0 g | 74% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 40 mg | 3% | |
| Iron | 1.6 mg | 9% | |
| Potassium | 777 mg | 17% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
