Smothered Pork Chops
It’s Day 6 of this round of Whole30 I’m doing and I’m finally feeling good again! Day 3-4 were the hardest so far for me; I went to bed both nights with a headache. Though strangely, I started both days feeling pretty good! It just went downhill as the day went on. Yesterday, while I was feeling good, I was CRAVING carbs like none other! Popcorn was calling to me, whispering my name from the pantry. I did not cave though! The thought of having to start over was enough to keep me compliant. 😉
Smothered Pork Chops
I felt really good all day yesterday so I experimented with several new recipes throughout the day. A package of pork chops was sitting on the bottom of the deep freezer, just wishing to be used, so I complied. Normally, I bread my pork chops in gluten-free breadcrumbs or almond flour and fry them (see this recipe for jagerschnitzel) but I was running really low on oil. I’m determined not to go grocery shopping again this week! It’s going to be a “no-spend” week for me as I tackle my out-of-control food budget from 2018. I’ve gotten careless (oh, Thrive Market, I love you dearly but my budget does not!) and need to rein that in a bit. So, instead of frying my pork chops, I decided to drown them in a yummy onion gravy. Introducing, smothered pork chops! They’re Whole30, Paleo, and gluten-free!
I was also out of almond yogurt and contemplated for a few minutes on how to give the sauce the creaminess I desired. After standing in front of my frig and pantry for a while, and deciding coconut cream would probably not taste great in this dish, I scooped a spoonful of Kite Hill ricotta into my dish. Now, you might not be adding this ingredient to your Whole30 menu, and that’s perfectly fine. If all cheeses are a trigger food for you, Kite Hill’s plain yogurt will work just as well, if not better, in this dish. That’s what I would have put into this recipe anyway, had I had it on hand. Either way, you choose. I just don’t suggest coconut. It’s probably too sweet. Smothered pork chops is a great meal prep idea as well! Since it’s not fried, it’s not going to get soggy when you go to reheat it!
Whole30 Smothered Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 4 boneless pork chops
- 1 large onion thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp arrowroot starch
- 1 cup chicken bone broth
- 1/2 tsp lemon pepper
- 1/4 tsp dried thyme
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 2 tbsp Kite Hill ricotta or yogurt
Instructions
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Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil to pan.
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Sprinkle lemon pepper on both sides of pork chops and fry in skillet until nicely browned and cooked through. Remove from pan and add more oil to pan.
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Lower heat on stove to low. Add onions to pan and cook slowly until caramelized (about 12-15 minutes).
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Add garlic, rosemary, and thyme to onions and fry over medium heat 2-3 minutes.
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Sprinkle arrowroot starch over onions and toss to coat. Slowly add chicken broth and whisk until sauce thickens (3-4 minutes). If needed, add more chicken broth or water until desired consistency is achieved.
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Lastly, whisk in ricotta and add pork chops back in. Heat through and serve immediately.