Juicy pork chops with potatoes, onions, and kale with a tasty mustard sauce. These easy dutch oven pork chops are a delicious and healthy one pot meal!
Healthy Pork Chops and Potatoes
While most pork chops recipes can be heavy and covered in gravy, this Dutch oven pork chops recipe is on the lighter side. People usually assume pork is a fatty meat, but boneless pork chops can be a tasty lean protein!
Pork is such a versatile meat to cook with and can be so flavorful when cooked properly and seasoned well. I love making Dutch Oven Pork Tenderloin, Lemon Pepper Pork Chops, or Pork Tenderloin with Balsamic Glaze for healthy pork dinners.
And if you’re obsessed with Dutch Ovens, check out my favorite Dutch Oven Recipes, or try my Dutch Oven Salmon, Dutch Oven Shredded Beef, Dutch Oven Shredded Chicken Breasts, or Dutch Oven Carnitas!
These dutch oven pork chops with potatoes are the perfect cozy one-pot meal. I always have a difficult time figuring out side dishes for any meat, let alone pork chops, so this recipe combines everything you need for the perfect weeknight or weekend dinner in under 45 minutes!
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Why this recipe works
- One pot meal! All the cooking takes place in the dutch oven for an easy dinner with an easy cleanup.
- Healthy. Lighted up pork chop recipe made with fresh, healthy, and simple ingredients.
- Under an hour. From prep to eat time, you only need 45 minutes to create this entire meal!
Ingredients
Boneless Pork Chops
This recipe calls for 1-inch thick, 5-6 ounce boneless chops. You can use thinner or thicker pork chops as a substitute, but this will affect cooking time. Thin pork chops cook quicker and thicker ones cook longer, so pay attention to your digital meat thermometer (affiliate link).
You can use bone-in chops to make dutch oven pork chops, but these typically have more fat and take a longer total time to cook. If substituting for bone-in chops, add at least 1-2 minutes of oven time.
Red Onion
The flavor of red onions mellows out once they are cooked. Substitute for shallots or yellow onion.
Creamer Potatoes
In this pork chop and potatoes recipe, I like using creamer potatoes as they’re quick to cook and easy to prepare. If substituting, I highly recommend cutting the potatoes into a small dice (about ½” cubes or smaller). This will help the potatoes cook all the way through.
Substitute for yukon gold or sweet potatoes.
Kale
Kale is a great hearty green for this recipe. Substitute for spinach, mustard greens, swiss chard, or collard greens.
Have some extra kale to use up? Try Lemony Kale and Spinach Salad, Kale and Fennel Salad, or Kale Quinoa Salad.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Substitute for balsamic vinegar or white balsamic vinegar.
Whole Grain Mustard
I love grainy mustard and pork chops together, it’s the perfect combination! If you’re not a huge mustard fan, grainy mustard is typically the least harsh tasting mustard. Substitute for dijon mustard.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How to cook boneless pork chops
Season
Season pork chops and combine ingredients for the pan sauce in a small bowl.
Prep
Thinly slice red onion and quarter creamer potatoes.
Sear
Sear pork chops until golden brown and set aside.
Sauté
Add onions and potatoes to the dutch oven with pan sauce.
Braise
Add pork chops back to the pan and cover. Cook until potatoes are fork tender.
Wilt
Add kale to the pot and stir. Cook for a few minutes until wilted.
Slice pork chops and serve with a side of potatoes and kale. Spoon some mustard pan sauce over both and enjoy!
Equipment Needed
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(affiliate link)
A Dutch oven is an essential kitchen tool to have. Often made from cast iron, they are well known for their heat retention.
Dutch ovens can transfer to the oven, making them versatile for many types of recipes! (Try over 30+ Dutch Oven Recipes)
Click for the 5.5 qt. Dutch oven I use!
No Dutch oven? No problem! Check out this article about Dutch Oven Substitutes.
Cooking Temperature for Pork
Cook a pork chop (or any kind of pork) to an internal temperature of 145ºF. This will result in a medium cook, or where there’s a slight pink in the middle. The USDA recommends pork temperature anywhere between 145ºF to 160ºF, but removing the pork at 145ºF will typically result in the juiciest meat.
Always use a meat thermometer when cooking meat (whether that’s beef, pork, etc.) A thermometer is your best friend when cooking proteins. I have tried over and over to do that trick where you feel the bounce of the protein to see if it feels bouncy (undercooked) or hard (overcooked). The one tried and true method is finding the temperature.
No matter what the recipe says for timing, everyone's stove-tops and ovens are different and it's the safest bet to use the thermometer as much as possible to know how far along your cook is.
Expert Tips
Thickness of the Pork Chop
The thickness of the pork chops plays an important part in cooking this recipe. Pork can dry out very easily when over cooked, so a thinner pork chop may need to be removed much earlier than a thicker one.
This Dutch oven recipe calls for 1” thick pork chops. If you have thinner pork chops, I highly recommend taking the internal temperature of the chops right after searing, as you might not even have to braise them in the oven to finish cooking.
If after searing, the pork chops are close to the recommended temperature of 145°F, I recommend keeping a close eye on them while in the oven. Check the temperature after a few minutes in the oven and remove immediately when they hit the recommended temperature. Keep the potatoes and onions in the Dutch oven even if the pork chops are ready, until the potatoes are fork tender.
Room Temperature Pork
With any protein, I like to take it out of the fridge about 20 minutes prior so that it can come close to room temperature. This helps the searing process and creates an even cook through the meat.
Meat Thermometer
Use your digital meat thermometer (affiliate link) to make sure it reaches the temperature you prefer. For pork tenderloin: 145ºF is Medium, 160ºF is Medium-Well and 175ºF is Well Done. To prevent dry pork, cook to 145ºF and let rest.
Pat Meat Dry
We all love a golden brown color on meat, that’s what makes a beautiful presentation! For best results, pat the pork dry with a paper towel before seasoning. If you skip this step, the pork can steam instead of sear, and instead be a gray-ish color.
Let it Rest
Once the pork reaches the internal temperature you desire, take it out of the oven and onto a cutting board or plate. Allowing the meat to rest before slicing helps the juices in the pork stay, resulting in a juicy, flavorful meal.
Dutch Oven Substitutes
If you don’t have a Dutch oven, don’t worry, you can still make this recipe! You can use a cast iron skillet (affiliate link) with a lid, or check out my 10 Dutch Oven Substitutes post for more information.
Storage
Store leftover pork chops and potatoes in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. Reheat in the microwave.
What to Serve with Pork Chops
This one pot pork chop dish covers all bases, so that you don’t have to worry about what sides to serve with pork chops!
However, if you do want to add an additional side to this dutch oven pork chop recipe, I suggest:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the secret to juicy pork chops?
The secret to cooking pork chops that are tender and juicy is to not overcook them! Use a meat thermometer to keep an eye on the temperature. The USDA recommends pork temperature anywhere between 145ºF to 160ºF, but removing the pork at 145ºF will typically result in the juiciest meat.
Can pork chops be slightly pink?
Yes, as long as the pork is cooked to 145ºF, it is considered cooked to a safe temperature. The inside may still be slightly pink at this internal temperature.
More Pork Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Healthy Dutch Oven Pork Chops Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 ounces boneless pork chops 2 6-ounce pork chops, 1” thick
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon granulated garlic
- ½ pound creamer potatoes ; about 10-12 creamer potatoes
- ½ red onion
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cups chopped kale
Pan sauce
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
- 2 tablespoons water
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
- Pat pork chops dry with paper towels and season with salt, pepper and granulated garlic. Combine pan sauce ingredients together in a small bowl and leave to the side.
- Slice the red onion thinly and leave to the side. Quarter creamer potatoes (if using another type of potato, cut into ½” dice).
- Place potatoes in a microwave safe dish and microwave for 2 minutes. Leave to the side.
- Meanwhile, heat oil in the dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot and looks shimmery, add the pork. Sear each side for 3 minutes, until golden brown.
- Transfer pork chops to a plate and turn the dutch oven heat off. Check the internal temperature of the pork chops; if they are thinner, they may already be close to the 145°F USDA recommended internal temperature. If they are already at temperature, continue with the steps until potatoes are fork tender. If they are not at temperature, continue along all steps.
- Turn to low heat and add the thinly sliced red onion, potatoes and pan sauce. Stir to loosen browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Allow the red onion to soften slightly, about 2-3 minutes.
- Nestle pork chops into the potato-onion mixture, and place the dutch oven into the oven (no lid). Cook until pork chops are completely cooked through and reach an internal temperature of 145ºF, about 10 minutes. Pork chops may reach the internal temperature of 145°F before the potatoes are fork tender. If this occurs, remove pork chops from the Dutch oven and continue to cook potatoes and onions until the potatoes are cooked through.
- Remove the dutch oven from the oven, and place pork chops onto a cutting board.
- Add the kale to the potatoes and red onion, and stir until wilted, about 1-2 minutes.Taste and season as necessary. Option to add black pepper or red pepper flakes.
- Split between two plates. Slice pork chops and divide onto plates. Serve warm.
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