Apple Chutney-Stuffed Pork Chops Recipe

Some of the absolute best meals are surprisingly simple to make. While you may need to set aside a little less than two hours to prep and bake this apple chutney-stuffed pork chop recipe, the actual hands-on work only takes about 10 minutes. And the results? Well, they look, smell, and taste like you spent quite a bit of time on the dish. This makes it the perfect holiday-season entree to serve up something seasonal and special (thanks to those fresh apples) without requiring much energy or effort. 

But don't limit yourself to serving this dish during the fall season. Whenever you find high-quality pork chops at the grocery store is a good excuse to make this meal. It's just important to know what to look for in a good chop. "The best pork chops are reddish pink in color with a bit of marbling," says recipe developer Petar Marshall. That, along with the garam masala spice blend, is what truly makes this meal stand out. If you're unfamiliar with garam masala, Marshall explains it's an Indian spice you can buy at the store (look in the international section if you don't see it with the standard spices), or you can easily mix it at home. The end result is a sweet, savory, and spicy dish that pairs perfectly with rice or mashed potatoes, and makes a great date night option.

Before getting started, make sure you gather all your ingredients. You'll need a white onion, garlic cloves, apples, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, course salt, pepper, ginger powder, cinnamon, cumin, garam masala, and bay leaves to make the chutney. Luckily, Marshall says that any apple works, so simply choose your favorite type of apple. 

You'll also need boneless pork chops and olive oil. Marshall suggests picking up pork chops that are about 1 ½ inches thick and weigh between 6-8 ounces each.

The most "strenuous" part of this recipe is simply prepping the produce to make your chutney. Go ahead and dice your onion, mince the garlic, and chop up your apples into small cubes.

With the produce prepped, you can now make your chutney. Add the apples, onion, and garlic into a medium-sized saucepan with the brown sugar, vinegar, salt, epper, and spices. Stir the ingredients together and allow them to simmer for about an hour. The chutney is ready when the liquid is reduced and the apples are soft and cooked through. 

Remove from the heat and take the bay leaves out of the pan.

With the chutney ready to go, you can now prep your pork chops. Preheat the oven to 450 F. Slice into the side of each pork chop to create a cavity for stuffing the chops. "It's important to cut deep into the pork chop to allow for plenty of room for stuffing," says Marshall. Just be careful not to cut all the way through. 

Add as much of the chutney as you can to the interior of each pork chop, then season the outside of the meat with salt and pepper, to taste. Chances are you'll have some of the chutney left over. If so, you can store it in the fridge for up to a week in an airtight container. 

With the oven hot and the pork chops stuffed, place the pieces of meat in a baking dish and drizzle them with olive oil before popping them in the oven. Allow them to cook for 20 minutes, then turn off the oven and leave the pork chops inside to continue cooking for 10 more minutes. 

Pull the finished pork chops from the oven and serve them immediately. Marshall suggests serving them with rice or mashed potatoes and garnishing them with fresh thyme. He adds they "would be lovely paired with a glass of Chardonnay or Riesling, or a sparkling pinot noir."