Pork Chops with Cherry Peppers, Onions, and Potatoes

This sheet pan pork chops with peppers and potatoes recipe is a lifesaver on busy weeknights. With minimal prep and a short cook time, it's a winner in my book. Plus cleanup is a breeze since it bakes all on one sheet pan. Do I see you doing a happy dance like me?

this recipe

Skillet dinners and one pan meals are my jam. They take the guesswork out of trying to figure out side pairings. And oh yeah...did I mention less dishes? We recently were without a dishwasher for a couple of weeks (during the holidays, no less) and let me tell you one thing I'm thankful for: Dishwashers.

We had A LOT of one-pan meals (as well as, yes...takeout), but those all-in-one meals were a must. If you want to serve a little something extra with these pork chops and potatoes, a simple green salad or steamed green beans are perfect. You could also throw some broccoli florets on the sheet pan during the last 10 minutes of cooking.

Either way, this recipe is super easy to customize according to what your family likes. The vinegar from the pickled peppers adds just the right amount of tang to the veggies. And, for added oomph, drizzle some of the pickling liquid from the pepper jar onto the pork chops after they've cooked. It's delish.

Want to check out more one-pan and skillet meals while you're at it? You'll love my skillet chicken pot pie with Red Lobster Cheddar biscuits on top. My Lebanese chicken thighs with freekeh and apricots is another popular one-skillet wonder. Finally, I know everyone will rave about my chicken and shrimp fried rice. It's a fan favorite.

Enough about that though--let's get to cooking this sheet pan pork supper!

Ingredients

Before we get started, let's gather the ingredients we need for this recipe:

• bone-in pork chops
• baby potatoes
• red onion
• pickled sweet cherry peppers (or hot cherry peppers if you prefer)
• olive oil
• Italian seasoning
• kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• garlic powder
• paprika
• fresh flat-leaf parsley

(See recipe card for quantities.)

Instructions

Now that we've got our ingredients, it's time to get cooking!

1. First, rub the pork chops with oil and season pork chops with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.

2. Next, cut the potatoes and onion into bite-size wedges. Coarsely chop the peppers.

3. Then, combine the potatoes, onion, and peppers in a large bowl and season with the remainder of the oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.

4. Finally, place the pork chops on the preheated pan and surround with the vegetables, spreading out into as thin of a layer as possible. Bake at 425°F for 18 minutes or until the potatoes are tenderand golden brown. Increase the oven temperature to broil and cook until the pork chops are browned and the vegetables are blistered.

Hint: You'll want to be sure to get pork chops that are at least 1 ½ to 2 inches thick. That way they cook in the same amount of time as the vegetables.

Any thinner, and the pork chops will end up dry and overcooked; thicker, and you'd probably be okay, depending on the thickness, but the potatoes have the potential to burn since thicker chops will require a longer cooking time.

Substitutions

Need to make some ingredient swaps? I've got you covered:

• Bone-In Pork Chops - I love to use bone-in pork chops because they help retain moisture and tend to be more tender. If you go for boneless chops, make sure they're on the thicker side.
• Potatoes - Use any type of potato you'd like--just make sure to cut them into equal bite-size wedges.
• Red onion - Instead of a red onion, use a white onion, yellow onion, or sweet onion.
• Pickled cherry peppers - I love the tangy, briny flavor of sweet cherry peppers, but if you can't find them you can use fresh sweet peppers, cut into bite-size pieces or another favorite pickled pepper. Peppadew peppers are a delicious, slightly spicier choice. Pepperoncini peppers are also a great option.
• Fresh parsley - Instead of sprinkling with parsley, top with other fresh herbs like fresh basil or oregano.

Variations

Here are some suggestions on how to change up this recipe:

• Spicy - Since the peppers in this recipe are on the sweet side, I recommend adding a little cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes along with the garlic powder and paprika to give the veggies a kick.
• Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner - Swap out 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs for the 4 pork chops.
• Vegetarian - Use tofu instead of pork. Cut the tofu into 1-inch planks and cook just like you would the pork chops.
• Pork Tenderloin Sheet Pan Dinner - Instead of pork chops, use a 1 ½-pound pork tenderloin and cook until the internal temperature of the thickest part registers 145°F on an instant-read thermometer.

Equipment

Here's the equipment you'll need to make this pork chops with vinegar peppers recipe:

• measuring spoons
• chef's knife
• dry measuring cup
• rimmed baking sheet
• large bowl

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Freeze any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 months. To reheat, add a little broth to the pork and vegetables in a pan. Note: the texture of the veggies may be a little on the mushy side.

Frequently asked questions

Recipe guidelines and test kitchen tips

When developing and testing recipes, here are some key things that I do for more success in the kitchen:

• Be sure to use dry measuring cups for things like flour, sugar, and mayonnaise and a liquid measuring cup for things like water, milk, and broth.
• When measuring dry ingredients like flour and powdered sugar that can pack down, spoon the ingredient into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife as opposed to scooping the measuring cup into the ingredient.
• I test and develop recipes using a standard electric oven and standard gas stovetop. Be aware that if you use an electric stovetop or convection oven, your bake times will be different.
• When recipes call for kosher salt, I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt.

Food safety

Keep these few food safety things in mind when making this recipe

• Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat or eggs.
• Wash hands after touching raw meat or eggs.
• Don't leave leftovers sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.
• Never leave cooking food unattended.
• Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove.

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.