Crispy Panko Crusted Pork Chops

This panko-crusted pork cutlet recipe one of those recipes that’s so easy and delicious that I can’t help but share it. It’s certainly not an overly unique recipe but sometimes the classics are the best way to go, no?

I prefer to add the seasonings directly to the pork chops and not mix them in with the flour, eggs, or breadcrumbs so that I know the chops are seasoned evenly. The panko breadcrumbs offer a much crispier crust than regular breadcrumbs and I prefer to use whole wheat panko on these over white.

Whatever you do, don’t skip the refrigeration step after breading the chops because this not only helps the seasonings work a bit of flavor magic but refrigerating them also helps the breading adhere better when cooking them.

Some people prefer to oven bake their breaded pork chops and though I’ve done them this way, I still prefer the old-fashioned way of pan frying them. If you have the oil properly heated and are sure to blot them on paper towels after frying them, there’s very little additional oil involved.

Easy Panko Crusted Pork Loin Chops Recipe

• 4 boneless pork loin chops, excess fat removed
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 2 large eggs, beaten in a wide shallow dish
• 1 cup whole wheat (or white if you prefer) panko breadcrumbs
• 1 cup canola or vegetable oil

Directions

• Blot chops dry with paper towels
• Use a meat tenderizer to pound the chops on each side to about 1/2 inch thick
• Season on each side with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder
• Spread the flour and breadcrumbs out on separate plates
• Dredge one chop through the flour on each side until it’s well-coated and shake off any excess
• Dredge the floured chop through the beaten eggs until it’s coated and let any excess drain off
• Place the chop on the breadcrumbs, gently pressing it in, coating it on both sides until well coated and shake off any excess.
• Place the finished chop on a plate and repeat with the remaining chops
• Refrigerate the coated pork chops for one hour

• In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. I don’t bother with a thermometer, I just heat it for a few minutes, pull off a small piece of the breading and when it sizzles and jumps to the top, you’re ready to roll
• Place 2 chops in the pan and fry for about 4 minutes per side, rotating the chops in the pan halfway through on each side so that they brown evenly
• Remove with tongs and place on paper towels to blot/drain
• Repeat with 2 remaining pork chops – always watch the second batch a little more closely as they will often cook faster than the first batch.

That’s it! These chops stay very moist and tender while the crust is super crunchy.

And yes, you can also make panko-crusted chicken cutlets this way – works like a charm. Now, if you want to really ramp up the flavor, you can customize this a number of ways. Here are a few ideas:

• Add a little hot sauce to the beaten eggs
• Add a little spicy brown or Dijon mustard to the beaten eggs
• Try a little smoked paprika or ground cumin with the rest of your seasonings
• Add some dried herbs such as oregano and/or thyme to your breadcrumbs

The possibilities are practically endless. Have a little fun with these and use what you really love.

Enjoy!