Sweet and Sour Pork Chops

Sweet and Sour Pork Chops are an easy one skillet dinner made with juicy pork chops, colorful vegetables, pineapple, and a homemade sweet and sour sauce. The tangy sauce is perfectly balanced with brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, and sweet chili sauce, creating a flavorful meal that's ready in about 30 minutes.

One of my favorite things about this recipe is how easy the sauce is to customize. Taste it before adding it to the skillet and adjust it to your liking. Add a little more brown sugar if you prefer it sweeter, another splash of vinegar for extra tang, or a bit more sweet chili sauce if you'd like a touch more heat. It's an easy way to make the recipe just right for your family. You should double the sauce if you want extra to serve over your rice, noodles or potatoes.

We serve a pork recipe almost every week because they're affordable, cook quickly, and pair well with so many different flavors. Some of our other favorite pork chop recipes include grilling them like Lemon Pepper Pork Chops, broiling Teriyaki Broiled Chops and pan frying Blackened Pork Chops. But give me a main dish with a fantastic sauce and that's my choice every time!

Ingredients

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

• Boneless pork chops about ¾ to 1 inch thick cook quickly and stay juicy when they aren't overcooked. Bone-in pork chops also work well but may need a few extra minutes of cooking time depending on their thickness. You can also use pork tenderloin, sliced to ¾ inch thick. They will cook a few minutes quicker than boneless pork chops.
• Pineapple adds natural sweetness while the juice helps create the sweet and sour flavor. Canned pineapple chunks are easy to use, but fresh pineapple works just as well. If using fresh pineapple, you may need to add a splash of pineapple juice or chicken broth to replace the liquid from the can.
• Red bell peppers and carrots add color, texture, and sweetness to the recipe. You can also use yellow or orange bell peppers, sliced onions, broccoli florets, or snow peas depending on what you have on hand.
• Sweet chili sauce adds mild heat along with a touch of sweetness. It shouldn't make the dish overly spicy. If you don't have any, substitute apricot preserves or orange marmalade with a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes or a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce. The flavor will be a little different but still delicious.

How to make Sweet and Sour Pork Chops

**To save some time: Have the vegetables sliced and the sauce mixed before you start cooking. This recipe moves quickly once the pork chops go into the skillet.*

Pat dry and season pork chops. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in pan and brown chops for 4 minutes per side or until they reach 145°F when measured with an internal meat thermometer. Remove to plate to let pork chops rest a few minutes.

Heat remaining oil and lightly brown the carrots, peppers and pineapple.

Stir in the sauce and bring to a simmer over low heat. Add pork back to skillet. Stir and simmer for another 3 minutes to thicken. Spoon sauce over top of chops.

Recipe Tips

• Always pat your pork dry with a paper towel to ensure a good sear.
• If you pork chops have a lot of fat around the outside, use a knife and cut small slices in it to prevent the pork chop from curling up and not laying flat in the skillet.
• If you want a stronger pineapple flavor, add the pineapple with the carrots and pepper. If you'd like the pineapple to have a firmer texture, add it last when you return pork to the skillet.
• Taste your sauce before adding to the pan. Brands of chili sauce and canned pineapple vary in flavors. Adjust for spiciness or sweetness as preferred. And taste again after you have added the pork back to the skillet. The pork juices may dilute the sauce.
• Always test with a thermometer. The pork should read 145° with an internal meat thermometer. Don't cut into them before they have rested for 5 minutes. You will lose some of the delicious juices in the pork chops.
• Simmer the sauce until it lightly coats the back of a spoon. If it becomes too thick, stir in a tablespoon or two of chicken broth. If it's too thin, simmer it another minute or two before returning the pork chops to the skillet.
• Keep the vegetables slightly crisp. Bell peppers and carrots should be tender but still have a little bite for the best texture.
  

Frequently Asked Question

Serving Suggestions

Sweet and Sour Pork Chops are delicious served over white or brown rice, which soaks up every bit of the homemade sauce. Buttered egg noodles are another great option if you're looking for something a little different.

If you'd like extra vegetables, serve them with Sweet and Spicy Brussels Sprouts, Charred Broccoli, Pan Fried Asparagus or Blackened Green Beans.

If you tried this recipe and enjoyed it, I'd love if you left a comment and a rating. This tells me what you like and want to see more of. Thank you!

Here are more pork recipes to try:

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Sweet and Sour Pork Chops

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• Author: Deb Belsha
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings 1x
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Stove Top
• Cuisine: American

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Description

Sweet and Sour Pork Chops have the perfect blend of natural sweetness from brown sugar and pineapple. And they are combined with some chili sauce for a bit of spicy heat. It's an easy skillet meal and dinner is ready in about 30 minutes.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 6 boneless pork chops, about ¾"-1" thick
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 8 ounce pineapple chunks, with juice
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 8 ounce carrots, sliced thinly

Sauce

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ⅓ cup white or apple cider vinegar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ⅓ cup sweet chili sauce
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• ¼ cup chicken broth, low sodium*
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

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Instructions

1. Pat pork chops dry with paper towel.  Sprinkle on the salt and pepper.
2. Add 1 tablespoon oil to a large skillet and heat over medium heat.  Add chops to pan and cook for about 4 minutes per side.  Test with a meat thermometer.  They are done if it reads 140°F.  If you need to cook longer, use some aluminum foil or the pan cover and reduce to low heat for a few minutes longer. 
3. Remove pork chops to a plate.  The pork may be slightly pink but will continue to cook as the pork rests. 
4. Add the other tablespoon of oil, increase to medium heat and add the peppers and carrots to skillet. Saute' them for 4 minutes, until crisp tender.* Add the pineapple and saute' for 1 minute. 
5. Stir together the sauce, taste for sweetness or spiciness and adjust as needed.  Pour into pan and bring to a simmer.  Add the pork chops back to skillet and stir on low simmer for about 2-3 minutes to thicken sauce.  Spoon sauce over pork chops before serving.

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Notes

*If your chops are very thick and need to cook longer, try adding a few tablespoons broth or water before you cover the chops and continue cooking.  But make sure to use the meat thermometer so that you don't overcook them.

*Always taste the sauce before and after adding to the skillet.  Adjust with more sugar, vinegar or chili sauce as preferred.

*Add a few tablespoons water to speed up cooking the vegetables especially if you like them softer.

*Refrigerate leftovers and use up within 3 days.  Reheat on low in a skillet.  Add more broth to thin the sauce if it thickened too much.  The pork may be a little tougher as you reheat it.  Slice it very thinly and it should be fine.

*Freeze any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 months.  Defrost overnight in the refrigerator.  Reheat as above.

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1
• Calories: 427
• Sugar: 18g
• Sodium: 903mg
• Fat: 13g
• Carbohydrates: 25g
• Protein: 43g
• Cholesterol: 132mg