We’re getting a little fancy here today but no worries, as always the recipe involves just a handful of easy to find ingredients. These Stuffed Pork Chops with Wild Rice are easy enough for a weeknight but dressed up enough for guests.
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Confession time, I don’t make much pork at home. I just seems so blah and it’s not something I think about unless it’s bacon. Because always bacon.
But I promise you, these wild rice stuffed pork chops are anything but boring and blah. They are packed with herby goodness and a super rich, flavorful wild rice filling that will completely change your dinner game.
The Best Stuffed Pork Chops
Like I said before, we’re not big on pork chops but things have taken a big turn around here. I could not get enough of these and kind of didn’t want to share.
The stuffing consists of a wild rice blend, olive oil, finely chopped onion and lots of minced garlic. These super simple ingredients come together and bring so much flavor to the dish. The rice is delicious on its own too so feel free to double or triple the recipe for use throughout the week.
This dish doest take a little longer to come together because you have to cook the rice beforehand and the wild rice blend takes about 45 minutes. You could make the rice the night before to make dinner a snap.
The seasoned wild rice is stuffed into a bone-in pork chop next. You’ll need to cut a decent sized slit into the pork chop to give you plenty of room for the rice. Just be sure not to cut all the way through.Â
The pork chops get a generous sprinkling of salt, pepper, garlic powder and dried thyme before they are seared, preferably in a cast iron skillet. They finish off cooking in the oven until tender and juicy.Â
Great for Any Occasion
There are so many times these stuffed pork chops would be perfect for dinner. First, my specialty, the weeknight dinner. Though the rice takes some time, these pork chops don’t take a lot of effort and the majority of the cook time is inactive for you.
If you have guests you want to impress, these are a great, stress free option. They seem fancy and can be served with any type of roasted vegetable or salad making for a really simple meal.
Lastly, these are totally an option for a low-key holiday meal. Say you’re only having a handful of people over and you don’t want to bake a huge turkey or ham, these pork chops are a delicious idea. Make the recipe the day before so you have time to dedicate to the rest of your meal.
The Trick to the Perfect Pork Chop
If you often under or way over cook (hello, it was me) your pork chops (or chicken or steak) a digital thermometer will change that immediately. I use mine every time I grill or bake any kind of protein.
Set it for 5 degrees below the safe temperature for the protein. It will continue to cook and rise up to the safe temperature giving you perfectly juicy results every time. It’s completely worth the $17 investment.
More Simple Guest Worthy Mains:
- Spicy Steak
- Simple Chicken Cordon Bleu
- Hard Apple Cider Braised Chicken Thighs
- Roasted Garlic Alfredo
- Bacon Wrapped Bourbon Glazed Pork Chops
Stuffed Pork Chops with Wild Rice
Equipment
- cast iron skillet
Ingredients
For the Wild Rice Stuffing:
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 cup finely chopped onions
- 5 cloves garlic, finely minced or grated
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 cup wild rice blend
- 1 3/4 cups water
For the Pork Chops:
- 4 thick-cut bone-in pork chops
- 2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 2 tsp. dried thyme
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
Instructions
- Heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Once hot add olive oil and onions. Saute for 2 minutes, until softened. Add garlic and salt and continue to cook another minute. Add rice and water. Bring to a simmer over low, cover and cook for 45 minutes or until rice is tender.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Heat an oven-safe skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium heat. In a small bowl, combine 2 teaspoons salt, pepper thyme and garlic powder. Set aside. Carefully cut a slit in the pork chops, being careful not to cut all the way through. Sprinkle the seasoning evenly over all sides of the pork chops and gently press into the chops. Spoon the wild rice into each pork chop.
- Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet. Add pork chops and sear on each side, about 2 minutes per side. Move skillet to oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until cooked through to 140 degrees F (I use a digital thermometer to ensure correct temperature).
May 15, 2024 at 2:04 pm
Just made these for dinner and they were absolutely delicious! The combination of the tender pork chops with the nutty wild rice was incredible. Will definitely be adding this recipe to my rotation!