Juicy Lemon Garlic Pork Chops made with a simple and brightly flavored marinade. Say goodbye to bland and dry pork chops and hello to your new favorite recipe!

sideview shot of pork chops just finished cooking in a skillet garnished with parsley

I love how juicy these Lemon Garlic Pork Chops are! No dry, bland or boring pork chops to be found here! Made with a simple, fresh flavored marinade, these easy pork chops are sure to become a new favorite in your house!

Using only a handful of simple, kitchen staple ingredients, these pork chops will exceed your expectations in the flavor department. Bright lemon, and of course, yummy garlic enhance this chop to the next level, making it an easy, yet impressive dinner!

Ingredients

Keep scrolling down to the printable recipe card for FULL ingredient amounts and instructions or click the “Jump to Recipe” button at the top of the page!

Pork Chops – The star of the show! I used about 3/4-inch thick boneless chops for this recipe, you can use thicker chops as a substitute. Keep in mind that thinner chops will cook much quicker, so keep your thermometer close by. Bone-in chops are an excellent option as well! The bone will add a minute or two of extra cook time.
Lemon Zest – From a large lemon.
Lemon Juice – I used freshly squeezed!
Garlic – Fresh is best! Minced.
Olive Oil – Substitute for canola oil, vegetable oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil or avocado oil.
Salt & Pepper – To taste.
Butter – I used unsalted.
Parsley – Freshly Chopped.

How to make lemon garlic pork chops

Marinate Pork Chops: Place your pork chops in a large freezer bag or a large bowl. Add the lemon zest, juice, garlic, 1 tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix everything well to coat the pork chops evenly. Transfer to the fridge marinate for at least 1 hour to a maximum of 12 hours. If the chops are marinating in a bowl, cover them with plastic wrap.
Cook Pork Chops: Heat the butter and remaining olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the chops to the skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes per side, until fully cooked through and browned.
Garnish & Serve: Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.

overhead shot of a pork chop on a white plate with a side of peas

Some tips

I think pork chops have a bad reputation for being dry and bland – but it doesn’t have to be that way! Pork chops have the potential to be juicy, tender, and flavorful. Follow these tips to achieve the best pork chops out there!

Wait & Marinate: Make sure to let your chops marinate for AT LEAST 1 hour, that way the marinade can soak really well into the meat.
Don’t cook chops straight from the refrigerator: Thirty minutes before you plan to cook, take your chops out of the fridge and let them come to room temperature! This will allow the pork to cook more evenly throughout.
Get your skillet HOT: The goal is to get a golden, crisp crust on your chop without over cooking the pork chop. A hot pan is CRUCIAL. Let it cook a couple minutes undisturbed, then take a peek and see how that golden crust is forming. When you’re happy with how it looks, flip it and give it a chance to get golden on the other side!
Use a meat thermometer: If you want to get extra technical, you can pull out your trusty thermometer to make sure your chop is perfectly cooked! (around 145° F). You don’t want any pink, but you also don’t want them to be dry! Anything past 145° F has potential for the danger zone (AKA dry chops), so keep an eye on them!
Let the meat rest: Give the meat some time to rest before digging in. (Five minutes should do the trick.)

*Again, I will note: the size of the chop matters on the cook time! Thinner chops will cook much quicker than thicker or bone-in pork chops, therefore result you will have to keep an eye on them! If you are a beginner I would highly recommend using a meat thermometer to help you!