Ranch Pork Chops

I can't remember the last time I had pork chops. It's been a long time, I know that, but I get tired of the chicken, beef, pasta rotation and need to throw something different in once in awhile. Enter the other white meat. My friend, the same one who posted this amazing Bowties with Sausage, Tomatoes and Cream recipe, recently posted a link to Ranch House Pork Chops that went straight onto the menu.


My crockpot and I don't get along and I didn't want to ruin the chops by experimenting, so I modified this recipe for the stove top. I used the other half of the cream of chicken soup I made earlier in the week, adding some chicken broth to thin it out. The ranch seasoning added great flavor. As the original recipe suggested, I served the chops with garlic mashed potatoes, but to keep it simple I just throw some peeled and crushed cloves into the pot with the potatoes and mash as usual. It saves so much time and effort but still produces great garlic flavor.

Ranch Pork Chops
Inspired by Real Mom Kitchen

4 pork chops, 1/2 inch thick
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons oil
1 packet dry Ranch Dressing Seasoning (or make your own)
1 1/2 cups cream of chicken soup (homemade recipe below)
1 cup chicken broth

Pat pork chops dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper on both side. Heat oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat until smoking. Add pork chops and sear on both sides, about 5 minutes per side or until golden brown. Remove to a plate and set aside.

Add Ranch seasoning, soup, and chicken broth to the now-empty skillet. Whisk to combine and allow to simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add the pork chops to the pan along with any accumulated juices, cover and let cook about 10-15 minutes or until the chops are no longer pink. Serve topped with sauce alongside mashed potatoes to sop up the extra sauce.

Note - you can cook the chops until just done or you can cook them for a few hours, but nothing in between. The chops will be dry if you overcook them, but a slow simmer (think a crockpot, as the original recipe indicates) will make them tender.


From Scratch Cream of Chicken Soup
Slightly Modified From Allrecipes.com

1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
Dash of paprika
2 cups milk
3/4 cup flour

In medium-sized saucepan, boil chicken broth, 1 1/2 cup of the milk, and the seasonings for a minute or two.

In a bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/2 cup of milk and flour. Add to boiling mixture and continue whisking briskly until mixture boils and thickens.