Apple Pork Chops

These pork chops with cinnamon apples are juicy with a caramelized outer crust and cooked in sweet apple cider sauce with onions, warm spices, and fresh thyme. Made in one-pan and ready in just 30 minutes, this apple and pork dinner is a cozy culinary masterpiece perfect for holidays, special occasions, or a mouth-watering midweek dinner!

📝 Ingredients

• 4 whole Bone-in Pork Chops
• 1 3/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon (- DIVIDED)
• to taste Kosher Salt & Ground Pepper
• 3 TBS Unsalted Butter (- DIVIDED)
• 2 heaping Cups Green Apples (– Cored and diced (about 2 apples) (SEE NOTES))
• 1 medium Yellow Onion (– peeled and diced)
• 2 TBS Light Brown Sugar (- packed)
• 1/8 tsp Allspice
• 1 Cup Apple Cider
• 2 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 TBS Fresh Thyme Leaves (- plus more for garnish)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Season Pork Chops: Season the Pork Chops: Place the pork chops on a clean work surface and season both sides with the measured ground cinnamon and generously with salt and pepper.
2. 2Brown Pork Chops on Stove: Brown the Pork Chops: Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once melted, add the pork chops to the pan and cook, turning once, until golden brown all over, about 5 minutes total. (Note: You aren't cooking the pork chops all the way through here - you are just browning them to develop flavor.)Once the pork chops are well browned, transfer them to a clean plate and set aside.
3. 3Make Cinnamon Apples: Make the Cinnamon Apples: To the same skillet, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Once the butter is melted, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2-3 minutes. Next, add in the apples, brown sugar, remaining teaspoon cinnamon, and allspice. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until the apples are tender-crisp, about 2 additional minutes. Then, stir in the apple cider, apple cider vinegar, and thyme.
4. 4Cook Pork Chops in Cinnamon Apples: Finish the Pork Chops: Return the pork chops and any juices that have accumulated to the skillet, nestling the pork chops in the cinnamon apples, and spooning some of the apples over the top. Cook, turning the pork chops over once halfway through, until the pork is tender and cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees F, about 6-12 minutes. (SEE NOTES)
5. 5Serve Pork Chops with Apples: Transfer the pork chops to serving plates or a platter and top with the cinnamon apples spooned on top. Garnish with fresh thyme, serve immediately, and enjoy!