Pork Chops with Spinach Cream Sauce

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4.75 from 4 votes

A one-pan pork chop recipes with lots of flavor. Fresh spinach, cream, and cream cheese make the best sauce!

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Total Time25

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: people

Calories: 420kcal

Author: Katie Shaw

Equipment

Large skillet
Tongs or spatula
Paper Towels
Knife and cutting board
Meat thermometer (optional)

Ingredients

4 pork chops (about 1/2 inch thick)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
16 ounces baby spinach
2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic (minced)
2 ounces cream cheese
1/3 cup heavy cream

Instructions

Season and cook the pork chops. Dry the pork chops with paper towels until they're completely dry. Then, season both sides with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pork chops when the oil is hot. Cook for about 4 minutes on each side until they're brown and the inside reaches 145°F (63°C). Then, move the pork chops to a plate and cover loosely with foil to keep them warm.
Sauté the spinach. In the same skillet, add the baby spinach. It may seem like a lot at first, but it will quickly wilt down as it cooks. Sauté the spinach for about 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally until fully wilted. Once wilted, transfer the spinach to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Press another paper towel on top of the spinach to remove as much excess moisture as possible, making sure the sauce isn’t watery.
Prepare the garlic and sauce. Lower the heat to medium-low and add the butter to the skillet. Once melted, add the minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until it becomes fragrant and slightly softened, being careful not to let it burn. Return the drained spinach to the pan and stir to combine with the garlic.
Make the cream sauce. Add the cream cheese to the skillet in small chunks, stirring constantly until it begins to melt. Gradually pour in the heavy cream, stirring until the cream cheese is fully melted and the sauce is smooth and creamy. Allow the sauce to simmer for 1-2 minutes, thickening slightly. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper if needed.
Combine and serve. Return the pork chops to the skillet, nestling them into the sauce. Spoon some of the sauce over the pork chops to coat them. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together. Serve immediately, either with the sauce spooned over the pork chops or with the pork chops nestled on a bed of creamy spinach sauce. For an extra touch, garnish with freshly ground black pepper or a few fresh spinach leaves.

Notes

Try to go for pork chops with the bone still in for better flavor and juiciness. Look for chops around 1/2 inch thick for the best cooking time.

Aldi has fresh and reasonably priced pork chops. Costco also offers great prices, and their chops are so thick they can be cut in half.

Pork chops don't have to be cooked well. Avoid overcooking them, or they will become dry! You can check a chart for the ideal cooking temperature for each cut of pork.

Baby spinach is often on sale at regular grocery stores. If you can find large containers of it at Costco, they are also reasonably priced!

Spinach lets out a lot of water when cooking. To prevent a watery sauce, make sure that you cook the spinach until it’s completely wilted, and then get rid of as much liquid as possible using paper towels.

The most important part of this dish is the sauce, so make sure to taste it before serving. You can adjust the flavor with more salt, pepper, or a splash of lemon juice to liven it up.

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