Pan-Seared Pork Chops with Buttery Apples and Chickpeas
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in pork chops
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 medium apples, thinly sliced
- 1 (15.5 ounce) can chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and dried
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced
- ¾ cup low sodium chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon whole-grain Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
- 1½ teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
Instructions
- Trim any excess fat from the pork chops and season with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the pork chops and sear for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until the chops are golden brown. Transfer the chops to a plate (it's ok if they are slightly undercooked, they will finish cooking when put back in the pan).
- Using the same pan, melt butter. Add the sliced apples, chickpeas, and onions. Sauté until everything is caramelized and the apples are golden brown with some charred spots, about 8 minutes.
- Whisk together the chicken stock and mustard in a small bowl. Add the stock mixture to the pan, and stir. Place the chops back in, sprinkle everything with rosemary, sage, and thyme. simmer for 2 to 3 minutes on medium-high, or until the sauce is reduced by half and the pork chops have reached an internal temperature of 145°F. Enjoy!
Notes
Optional:
For extra tender pork chops, brine them in a simple brine for a couple of hours prior to cooking them.
Brine Ingredients:
3 cups water, ¼ cup kosher salt, ¼ cup granulated sugar, 8 garlic cloves (smashed),
8 black peppercorns, 3 fresh thyme sprigs, 1 bay leaf, and 2 cups of ice cubes
Brining Instructions:
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine all of the brine ingredients, except the ice, and stir until sugar has dissolved. Pour the brine into a large bowl and add the ice cubes. Let the brine cool to room temperature. Add the pork chops to the brine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to overnight. Remove the pork chops from the brine and discard the brine. Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels and let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before cooking.