When I was testing this recipe to get a deeper golden crust, I found the answer was the pan, not the recipe. Everything was the same, even the oil temperature, but switching to cast iron produced a noticeably darker crust. If your breading is falling off? That’s a separate issue. It comes down to the dredge sequence. I’ve got you covered there, too. Here’s the method I use to get fried pork chops just right.
Read Before You Start Frying
#1 – Pound the chops first. I do this before I set anything else up. The dredge and the cook time only work if the chops are an even thickness. If one end is thin and the other isn’t, parts of it will be overcooked.
#2 I set up my dredging station left to right: flour, egg, flour, clean plate. Once my hands are in the egg, I don’t want to be moving bowls around.
#3 I also get my wire rack and paper towels ready at the same time. The chops need to have somewhere to go the second they leave the oil. When I’ve not been ready, they’ve sat in the oil longer than they should have.
#4 The coating is genuinely at its best right after cooking. When I’m making these for guests, I have everything breaded and ready to go. That way, I can fry in batches and serve straight from the pan.
Ingredient Notes
- I’d stick with all-purpose flour unless you have no choice. I’ve tested gluten-free blends and the coating has fallen off in the oil. Not a swap worth making.
- Don’t skip the eggs or substitute them for milk. Eggs are what bind the two flour coats together. Milk doesn’t have enough protein to do the same job. I’ve seen recipes suggest it and the breading won’t hold.
- Oil needs a high smoke point. I use vegetable oil. Canola, peanut, or sunflower work the same way. I tried olive oil once and it started smoking before the chops were done.
- Boneless pork chops are what I use for this recipe. I’ve made it with bone-in and the edges were a bit overcooked before the meat near the bone was done.
- If you only have bone-in pork chops, try to choose ¾ to 1-inch cuts and watch the temperature closely.
Tips For Frying Pork Chops
Follow the dredge sequence exactly: flour, egg, flour – The first layer of flour grips the meat. The egg bonds to that layer. The second coat of flour builds the crust. Skip the final coat and the breading won’t have anything to hold onto once it hits the oil.
Press the coating into the pork before frying – If the coating is just sitting on the surface, it will lift off in the pan. I press it in firmly so it’s anchored before it goes into the oil.
Get your oil to 375°F and keep it there – Below 350°F, the coating absorbs oil instead of crisping. I cook in batches so the temperature doesn’t drop when the chops go in.
If you end up with leftovers, don’t let them go to waste. I chop the pork and use it in Pork Fried Rice. It’s one of the best ways to use leftover pork.
Recipe Testing (Last Updated April 2026)
This recipe was originally developed and photographed in 2021. To ensure it still meets our strict standards, our independent recipe tester, Teresia, has re-tested it in 2024, 2025 and, again, in 2026.
The first test used a standard skillet. The chops came out golden, nothing wrong with them, but lighter than what I was after.
Honestly, the color wasn’t appetizing to me at all.
I had Teresia test using a cast iron with the same recipe, same dredge, same oil temperature.
The difference showed up immediately in the crust.
Cast iron holds and radiates heat more consistently across the surface, which is what produces that deeper, more even browning on the breading.
If you want that dark golden crust, use cast iron. A heavy-bottomed stainless skillet is the next best option. Nonstick will cook the pork fine, but it won’t give you the same color.
Fried Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp coarse sea salt
- ½ tsp coarse black pepper
- ½ tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- 2 eggs
- 4 to 6 boneless pork chops
- 1 cup vegetable oil
Instructions
- Whisk together flour, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder in a shallow bowl.
- Beat eggs in a separate shallow bowl.
- Place pork chops between two sheets of plastic wrap or parchment paper and pound with a meat mallet to thin them to about ½ to ¾ inch thick.
- Heat oil about ¾ inch deep over medium-high in a cast iron skillet. Heat oil to 375°F.
- Dip each pork chop in the flour mixture, coating both sides. Then dunk each side into the beaten eggs and back into the flour mixture.
- Carefully lower the pork chop into the heated oil, maintaining an oil temperature between 350°F and 375°F. Fry for about 3 minutes on the first side, flip, then cook for another 2 minutes on the second side, or until the pork chop reaches an internal temperature of 145°F.
- Transfer the pork chops to a paper towel-lined plate and let them rest for 3 minutes before serving.
- Continue dredging (dipping in flour, egg, flour mixtures) the remaining pork chops and cooking, taking care not to overcrowd the pan.
- Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
For nights when you want pork chops but don’t want to stand at the stove, Crockpot Ranch Pork Chops use the same cut with no hands-on cooking. If you want to skip frying, Boneless Pork Chops in Air Fryer give you a crisp exterior with less oil. And when you want something more substantial, Pork Chop and Rice Casserole turns it into a full one-pan dinner.
You can browse more recipes like this one on my complete page of dinner recipes.
Comments
Teresa Bacon says
This is a great recipe! I served it with homemade au gratin potatoes and roasted asparagus…absolutely delicious! Thanks so much! 🥰
Beverly says
I made this for my family tonight. They absolutely loved it!!! Soooo flavorful and juicy!!! My husband said please save that recipe. Forget about shake n bake! This is so much better and takes about the same time. Thank you!!!
Mrs. Grass says
This recipe is easy and delicious! My family loved it. It’s definitely a keeper.
Astein says
So good! Thank you!