Smothered Pork Chop Scalloped Potato Casserole is golden-seared pork chops baked between layers of tender, thin-sliced potatoes in a creamy cheddar sauce, with a bubbly cheese top. It is a hearty, all-in-one family dinner for a cold night or a Sunday supper.
How to make pork chops and scalloped potatoes: Season and brown the chops, make a cheddar cheese sauce in the same skillet, then layer potatoes, sauce, chops, more potatoes, sauce and cheese. Bake covered at 375°F for 45 minutes and uncovered for 15 more.
Why You’ll Love It
- Meat and potatoes in one dish: the chops and scalloped potatoes bake together.
- Homemade cheese sauce: no canned soup, just butter, flour, milk, broth and cheddar.
- Juicy chops: tucked between the potato layers, they stay moist under the sauce.
- Feeds 6: one chop and a generous scoop of potatoes per person.
Ingredient Notes
Boneless pork chops: Six of similar thickness so they cook evenly. Browning them first gives color and flavor that the oven alone would not.
Potatoes: Four cups, sliced thin. Thin, even slices are the key to tender scalloped potatoes; thick ones stay firm in the middle of the dish.
Milk, chicken broth and flour: They make the base of the sauce. The broth adds savory flavor, and the flour, cooked with butter and onion, thickens it smoothly.
Cheddar: Two cups, divided. One cup melts into the sauce and one cup goes on top. I shred my own from a block, because it melts smoother than bagged shreds.
Thyme and paprika: Dried thyme is lovely with pork, and paprika gives the sauce a warm color.
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Ingredients
- 6 boneless pork chops
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cups thinly sliced potatoes
- 1 small onion, thinly sliced
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 2 tbsp butter
- Fresh parsley, chopped, optional, for garnish
How to Make Pork Chop Scalloped Potato Casserole
1. Heat the oven. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Season. Season the pork chops with the salt, black pepper, garlic powder and onion powder.
3. Brown the chops. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown the pork chops for about 3-4 minutes on each side until golden. Set them aside.
4. Cook the onion. In the same skillet, melt the butter. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
5. Add the flour. Sprinkle the flour over the onion and stir continuously until lightly browned and well mixed, about 2 minutes.
6. Make the sauce. Gradually whisk in the milk and chicken broth so there are no lumps. Keep whisking until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.
7. Add the cheese. Stir in the thyme, paprika and 1 cup of the cheddar until the cheese melts and the sauce is smooth. Remove from the heat.
8. First layer. Grease a large baking dish. Layer half of the potatoes on the bottom, overlapping slightly, and pour half of the cheese sauce over them.
9. Add the chops. Place the browned pork chops over the potatoes, then layer the remaining potatoes on top.
10. Top. Pour the remaining sauce over the top layer and sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of cheddar.
11. Bake covered. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
12. Bake uncovered. Remove the foil and bake for 15 minutes more, until the potatoes are tender, the top is golden and bubbly, and the pork chops reach at least 145°F on a food thermometer.
13. Rest. Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley if you like.
How to Keep the Pork Chops Juicy
Boneless chops can dry out, so this recipe protects them. The quick browning is only for color; they should still be pink inside when they come out of the skillet, because they finish cooking in the oven.
In the dish, they sit between two layers of potatoes and sauce, and the foil traps steam for the first 45 minutes. That gentle, moist heat keeps them tender while the potatoes soften.
The 10-minute rest at the end matters too. It lets the juices settle back into the meat and the sauce thicken, so each serving holds together. I check one chop in the center of the dish with a thermometer before the rest; it should read at least 145°F.
Tips for Success
Why are the potatoes still firm?
The slices were too thick or the foil came off early. Slice them thin and keep the dish covered for the full 45 minutes before uncovering.
Why is the cheese sauce grainy?
It was too hot when the cheese went in. Stir the cheddar in over low heat, or take the skillet off the heat first, and stir until smooth.
Why did the sauce curdle in the oven?
Very thin sauce and very high heat can split. Let the sauce thicken fully in the skillet before layering, and bake at 375°F, not hotter.
Variations
- Add mushrooms or bacon: scatter sautéed mushrooms or cooked bacon bits between the potato layers.
- Add heat: a pinch of red pepper flakes in the cheese sauce gives a gentle kick.
- Sweet potatoes: swap some or all of the potatoes for thin-sliced sweet potatoes.
For a dinner that serves four, Sheet Pan Pork Chops and Potatoes pairs thick chops with Parmesan baby potatoes and broccoli.
Storage & Reheating
USDA FSIS says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow, covered containers and use them within 3 to 4 days, or freeze them for 3 to 4 months. Reheat covered in the oven or microwave until a food thermometer reads 165°F. The sauce can separate a little after freezing, but stirring brings it back.
What to Serve With It
Green beans, a crisp salad or roasted broccoli balance the rich, cheesy potatoes. For more pork chop dinners, try smothered baked pork chops, pork chop supreme with potatoes or French onion pork chops. If you like potatoes and pork together, garlic butter pork chops with cheesy potato bake is another favorite, and classic scalloped potatoes make a great side for any roast. For a sweeter chop, try honey garlic pork chops.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the ingredients for a pork chop and scalloped potato casserole?
Boneless pork chops, thin-sliced potatoes, onion and cheddar, plus a sauce of butter, flour, milk, chicken broth, thyme and paprika. The chops are seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder.
Can I use bone-in pork chops?
Yes. Bone-in chops take a little longer to cook through, so check one with a thermometer before serving; it should read at least 145°F.
Can I use boxed scalloped potatoes?
You can, following the box directions for the potatoes and sauce and laying the browned chops on top. The homemade cheese sauce here tastes richer and less salty.
Pork Chops and Scalloped Potatoes at a Glance
This pork chop and scalloped potato recipe bakes browned pork chops between layers of sliced potatoes in a homemade cheddar cheese sauce. It serves six.
- Pork chops: six boneless chops seasoned and browned in a skillet.
- Cheese sauce: onion, butter, flour, milk, chicken broth, thyme, paprika and cheddar.
- Layers: potatoes and sauce, then the chops, then more potatoes, sauce and cheddar.
- Bake: covered for 45 minutes at 375°F, then uncovered for 15 more until golden.
It is made from scratch, so you do not need a box of scalloped potatoes.
Final Notes
Slice the potatoes thin and keep the foil on for the first bake, and the rest takes care of itself. If you have a question or make it for dinner, tell me how it turned out in the comments.
Smothered Pork Chop Scalloped Potato Casserole
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Ingredients
- 6 boneless pork chops
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cups thinly sliced potatoes
- 1 small onion thinly sliced
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 2 tbsp butter
- Fresh parsley chopped optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Season the pork chops with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown the pork chops for about 3-4 minutes on each side until golden. Remove and set aside.
- In the same skillet, melt the butter. Add the onions and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir continuously until lightly browned and well incorporated, about 2 minutes.
- Gradually whisk in the milk and chicken broth, ensuring there are no lumps. Continue to whisk until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the dried thyme, paprika, and 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese. Mix until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce is smooth. Remove from heat.
- Grease a large baking dish. Layer half of the sliced potatoes on the bottom, overlapping slightly. Pour half of the cheese sauce over the potatoes.
- Place the browned pork chops over the potatoes. Layer the remaining potatoes on top of the pork chops.
- Pour the remaining cheese sauce over the top layer of potatoes. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of cheddar cheese on top.
- Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes.
- Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender, the top is golden and bubbly, and the pork chops reach at least 145°F on a food thermometer.
- Allow the casserole to rest for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates based on the listed ingredients and serving count. Actual values vary with brands, cuts and portion sizes.
