Asian Pork Chops

The tantalizing sweet, spicy, savory flavors of these easy baked Asian Pork Chops will transform your weeknight dinner routine! Made with pantry ingredients, they can be on the table in under 45 minutes! Serve with Oven-Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges!

Why This Recipe is a Keeper!

Looking to change up your weeknight dinner routine? These easy baked Asian Pork Chops made with hot and trendy chili crisp will become your fall-back favorite!

While the oven preheats, you can whip up the simple, sweet, savory, and spicy glaze made with ingredients you may already have in your pantry.

Pork chops are a dinnertime staple that are also budget-friendly. They’re a culinary blank canvas and pair exceptionally well with fruit-based flavors.

The glaze for these baked Asian pork chops starts with apricot spread but is not too sweet because it’s tempered with spicy chili crisp, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and ginger paste for a delicious, savory combination.

This Asian Pork Chop recipe is:

• Super simple! Mix the glaze, place the pork chops in a baking dish, pour it on, and bake!
• Versatile! Not a pork person? Pour it over chicken instead! How about beef, turkey, or chicken meatballs?
• Make ahead! If you’re pressed for time when you get home, make these Asian-style pork chops the night before, refrigerate then pop them in the oven when you get home.

Let’s make ’em!

How to Make Asian Pork Chops:

Recipe Ingredients:

Here’s everything you’ll need to make this Asian pork chop recipe, along with how to prep the ingredients. See the recipe card below for the exact quantities.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions:

• Pork Chops: Pork chops are sold bone-in or boneless. Bone-in pork chops come from the ribcage and are generally less expensive. They have a mild flavor and have a little more fat than loin chops.  Because of that, they are more tender. Boneless pork chops come from the top back part of the pig, referred to as the loin. Either can be used for this Asian pork chop recipe. For the cooking time indicated, you’ll want to use chops that are about 1 inch thick.
• Apricot Spread: Spreads are made from whole or pureed fruit, jelly is made from fruit juice, jam is made from pureed fruit, and preserves are made from whole fruit. I like an apricot spread because it smooths out easily without much chunky fruit remaining and doesn’t require “melting” the way jelly would. Other fruit flavors that will work in this Asian pork chop recipe are peach, orange and apple.
• Ginger Paste: When I don’t have time or energy to grate fresh ginger, I use ginger paste. It doesn’t have the same punch as freshly grated ginger, but it works in a pinch.
• Soy sauce: I always use low-sodium soy sauce. Many Asian ingredients are high in sodium, and if using several in one dish, the result can be super salty. Low-sodium soy sauce helps to tone it down.
• Chili Crisp: Chili Crisp is one of the trendiest ingredients out there! You can find it in most grocery stores now. Lao Gan Ma brand (which translates to old grandmother) is often credited with kicking off the chili crisp trend in this country. This combination of crispy shallots, garlic, Szechwan peppercorns, and other ingredients is great on everything from eggs to vegetables to ice cream! Lao Gan Ma does contain MSG, so if it bothers you, there are other MSG-free chili crisps out there. MSG adds to the umami quotient of chili crisp.
• Rice Vinegar: Rice vinegar is milder and less acidic than distilled white vinegar or those derived from anything grape-based. Use plain, unseasoned rice vinegar.

Step-By-Step Instructions:

• Gather and prep all the ingredients.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Spray a baking dish with cooking spray.
• Combine the apricot spread, soy sauce, chili crisp, rice vinegar, and ginger paste in a small bowl.

• Place the pork chops in the prepared baking dish.

• Pour half the apricot-chili crisp combination over the pork chops.
• Flip the pork chops and pour the other half over them.

• Bake for 25-30 minutes or until baked through to at least 145 degrees in the center.

• Garnish with sesame seeds and serve!

• Delish! An easy Asian Pork Chops recipe!

Chef Tips and Tricks:

• The fat ribbon surrounding pork chops adds flavor, but it also causes them to curl. This is a bigger problem if the pork chops hit high heat, such as when being seared or grilled, because when the fat starts to render, it pulls taut and causes the pork chop to curl. To prevent that from happening, score the fat every inch or so.
• If you overcook pork chops, they will be dreadfully dry. A little pink is okay! Pork is safe to consume when it reaches a temperature of 145 degrees in the center. If the pink color bothers you, you can take the pork to 155 degrees, but anything higher will result in dry pork chops.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Storage:

• Store any leftover Asian Pork Chops in the refrigerator. Consume within three days for the best flavor.

Serve Asian-Style Pork Chops with:

• Riced Cauliflower flavored with a splash of soy sauce.
• Miso Eggplant
• Pan-Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Sweet Chili Orange Glaze
• Easy Homemade Kimchi
• Hot Honey-Roasted Carrots
• Canned Baked Beans Recipe

More great pork recipes you’ll love!

• Sicilian Stuffed Pork Chops
• Braised Pork Loin Roast
• Pecan-Crusted Pork Tenderloin
• Cajun-Smothered Pork Medallions

Get all my pork recipes at Pork Recipes – From A Chef’s Kitchen.