Cheesy Stuffed Pork Chops - One Pan!!!!

For some reason, we don't cook pork chops that often and, come to think of it, I don't know why?? 1. Pork Chops have so much flavor! 2. They're easy to cook! 3. They absolutely go great with pretty much any side dish!

For this recipe, the pork chop is seared to perfection, stuffed with ham and cheese, then finished in the oven. This is one of my favorite dinners. This cheesy pork chop is seriously juicy and super easy to make.

Cutting the calories

We're always trying to cut every calorie possible when coming up with new recipes or re-imagined recipes. One of the best ways to cut calories is by cutting oils when they aren't needed. I mean, when watching a cooking show and the chef takes a bottle of olive oil and just drizzles a ton of it over the meat or they melt a stick of butter to cook a really nice steak or pork chop. Of course, it's going to be good, who doesn't love a piece of meat that has been pan-seared in butter and olive oil!??! We have found the trick though; by adding spices and using the olive oil more sparingly, you get an even more delicious-tasting meal that isn't overloaded with fat and calories.

Every tablespoon of olive oil is 119 calories and Butter is 102 Calories. So, if a recipe calls for 3 Tablespoons of olive oil and you cut it back to ½ Tablespoon, it saves almost 300 calories!!!. I know olive oil and butter both have health benefits, and I'm not suggesting totally cutting them out, just cut back and always measure how much is being used.

Hey, one of our favorite sayings is we didn't gain weight by adding some fresh herbs to a dish. But toss in half a stick of butter (or even olive oil) to dishes and the pounds do start to pile on.

Easy Cheesy Stuffed Pork Chops

This is such an easy way to make a creamy cheesy pork chop. The first thing to do is mix the cheese and herbs. Then roll the cheese with thinly sliced ham. Wrap it in plastic wrap and then place the rolls in the freezer for at least 30 minutes. This keeps the cheese from melting away while cooking the pork chops.

Make sure to buy the thickest pork chops possible. Two-inch pork chop will work great. I think the hardest part of this recipe is to cut the pork chop in half. Cut from the top of the bone to the center down to the bottom of the bone.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Season the pork chops with sea salt and black pepper. Then, place ½ Tablespoon of olive oil in a large oven-safe sauté pan. Heat the oil over high heat. When the oil is hot, about 30 seconds, place the pork chops in the pan and brown each side. It should take 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Get the ham/cheese mixture out of the freezer. Carefully place the ham rolls in the center of the pork chop. Use a fork to open the side of the pork chop you cut and place the ham in the middle of each pork chop. I often use a toothpick to hold the pork chops closed and the ham stays in place.

Place the oven-safe sauté pan with the pork chops in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until cooked fully through.

Serve with your favorite veggie. We had ours with broccoli and some baked potato slices. Serve these easy cheesy stuffed pork chops and ENJOY!!!!

Tips:

• Rinse the pork chops under cool water and pat dry with a paper towel. I do this because sometimes there is bone residue on the pork chops from when they are cut.
• Use 97% fat-free thin sliced ham
• Save calories by using Low Fat Whipped Cream Cheese
• To keep the cheese from melting away, freeze the Ham and Cheese rolls for at least 30 minutes before starting to cook the pork chop
• Serve with Cauliflower Rice instead of regular rice.

Other Pork recipes: Pan Fried Pork Chop, Crispy Fried Pork Chops, Grilled Stuffed Pork Chops, Pork Tonkatsu, Pork Egg Rolls, and Pork Tenderloin.