Should you cover pork chops when you re baking them in the oven?

Some baked pork chop recipes do require that the pan is covered with either foil or a lid . It creates steam and ensures that the meat is tender and juicy. Those recipes typically require a long cook time and may add vegetables to the pan, and some uncover the chops to finish browning them at a higher temperature.

Do pork chops have to be browned before baking?

To bake pork chops without breading, sear them in a cast iron skillet before baking . The brown crust that develops when searing is where the great flavor comes from. Sear on each side for 2 to 3 minutes. For easy clean-up you can bake your chops right in the pan you used for searing.

How do you cook pork chops so they aren't tough and dry?

Braising takes pan-fried pork chops one delicious step further. Braising is also a forgiving cooking method. Because the chops finish by simmering in liquids , they won't dry out as easily. Just give them a quick high-heat sear in the skillet first.

How do you keep pork chops from drying out in the oven?

Brine the pork to maintain moisture by soaking it in a mixture of salt and water, baking soda, vinegar or even milk . You can also pour hot water over the loin to shrink the rind, which can enable better absorption of brine, milk, oil or marinade.

Is it better to bake pork chops at 350 or 400?

Is It Better to Bake Pork Chops at 350 or 400? The best temperature for baking pork chops depends on how thick they are, how you've prepared them and your personal preferences. Baking pork chops at 350 degrees F will result in more gently cooked and tender pork chops, but it will take more time .

How long does it take to cook a pork chop in the oven at 350?

Bake pork chops that are about 1¼-inch thick at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 14 to 17 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer registers 145 degrees Fahrenheit. If you're concerned about the bake time varying because the chops are boneless or bone-in, stop worrying.

Why do you rinse pork chops before cooking?

We call this cross-contamination. While washing meat and poultry to remove dirt, slime, fat or blood may have been appropriate decades ago when many slaughtered and prepared their own food, the modern food safety system doesn't require it.

Are pork chops better in the oven or on the stove?

Cooking pork chops in the oven can yield to a tender and juicy meat. Brine bone-in pork chops then sear them first before finishing them off in the oven. To learn more, here's our recipe for perfectly cooked, perfectly juicy pork chops.

What is the best temperature for baking pork chops?

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Sprinkle pork chops on all sides with thyme, salt, and pepper. Place on a baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a pork chop reads 145 degrees F (63 degrees C), about 20 minutes.

How long do you cook pork chops in the oven at 400?

To ensure you have a juicy, tender piece of pork you want want to cook your bone-in pork chops to the correct temperature. The temperature for pork chops is 145 degrees F with a three minute rest which takes about 20 to 25 minutes at 400 degrees with the bone-in.

How to cook pork chops at 350?

Directions Gather all ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). ... Place pork chops in a baking pan. ... Season each chop with seasoning salt, garlic powder, and parsley. ... Bake in the preheated oven until pork is slightly pink in the center, about 35 minutes. Aug 30, 2023

What is the best method to cook pork chops?

A quick turn in a hot pan followed by a little time in the oven is another great way to cook pork chops. You build color and flavor in the skillet, then hand the cooking over to the oven, which gives you time to prep the rest of the meal.

Fiesta Pork Chops and Rice Bake Recipe (2024)

Jump to Recipe

1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

56 Comments

4.67 from 6 votes

Fiesta Pork Chops and Rice all baked together in one pan - dinner can not get any easier! This dish is flavorful and comes together in a matter of minutes, making it a perfect pork chop recipe in our book.

This Fiesta Pork Chops and Rice Bake Recipe is a One-pan dish. I love throwing everything in one big dish and dinner is done!

We have A LOT of chicken breast recipes on our blog, but I wanted to shake it up today and share one of my favorite pork chop dishes: Mexican Pork Chops and Rice.

“I have so much time!” -No mom ever

Let us give you your time back. With the Six Sisters’ Meal Plans, we do the dinner planning, grocery ordering, and then all you have to do is decide whether to pick them up or have them delivered.

Get My Meal Plans NOW!

How to make Fiesta Pork Chops and Rice:

Sprinkle pork chops with salt and pepper and brown pork chops in a skillet on the stove top (this will help to seal in the juices and keep your pork chops moist and flavorful as they bake in the oven).
Dump the rest of the ingredients into a 9 x 13″ pan: chicken broth, tomato sauce, green chilies, taco seasoning, rice, and onion. Mix all together.
Lay the pork chops on top of the rice mixture, then top chops with peppers.
Bake for 50-60 minutes then top with shredded cheese and enjoy!

Fiesta Pork Chops and Rice Bake Recipe (3)

What kind of pork chops are best?

When it comes to choosing the best pork chops for this recipe, I would recommend a boneless pork chop or a bone-in pork chop that is about 1/2″ thick. If your pork chop is thicker than that, you may need to increase the cooking time.

Thin cut pork chops (thinner than 1/2″) will most likely turn out dry; I would recommend cooking for less time if you do use this type of pork chop.

Using a thick boneless pork chop will cook a little faster than a bone-in chop, so if you do use a boneless chop, you may want to decrease the time a little bit.

When it comes to keeping the pork from drying out while baking here’s a tip: the more marbled and fatty your pork chop is, the more tender it will be after cooking.

Related Recipe: Looking for more Fiesta Recipes?! Try our Instant Pot Creamy Fiesta Chicken and our Fiesta Ranch Chicken Burritos!

Our newest cookbook:

Have you heard about our newest cookbook, Copycat Cooking? We took over 100 of our favorite restaurant recipes and simplified them so that you can make them right at home!

Fiesta Pork Chops and Rice Bake Recipe (4)

Every recipe has a beautiful mouth-watering photo and has been picky-eater approved. The directions are simple, easy to follow, and do not require any strange ingredients.

This cookbook includes copycat recipes from Wingers, Texas Roadhouse, Starbucks, Panera, Cheesecake Factory, Kneaders, and so much more. We have you covered from drinks, to dessert and everything in-between.

We are so excited to share these recipes with you. Order your copy today!

Six Sisters’ Stuff COPYCAT COOKING <—– Click here to order!

More of our favorite pork chop recipes:

Slow Cooker Pork Chops
Italian Pork Chops with Potatoes and Carrots
Perfect Fried Pork Chops
Maple Pork Chops
Baked Teriyaki Pork Chops
Brown Sugar Glazed Pork Chops
Slow Cooker Creamy Ranch Pork Chops and Potatoes
Pork Chops and Hashbrown Casserole

Serves: 6

Fiesta Pork Chops and Rice Bake Recipe

4.67 from 6 votes

Fiesta Pork Chops and Rice all baked together in one pan – dinner can not get any easier!

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

PrintPin

Ingredients

6 boneless pork chops (½ inch thick)
salt and pepper, to taste
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1¾ cups chicken broth
8 ounces tomato sauce 1 can
4 ounces diced green chilies 1 can
1.25 ounces taco seasoning 1 packet
1 cup long grain rice uncooked
½ onion diced
1 green bell pepper chopped
1 red bell pepper chopped
½ cup shredded colby jack cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Sprinkle pork chops with salt and pepper.
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat and brown pork chops (about 2-3 minutes each side, turning once).
Spray a 9 x 13" baking pan with non-stick cooking spray and pour the chicken broth, tomato sauce, green chilis, taco seasoning, uncooked rice, and onion; mix together until completely incorporated.
Place the pork chops on top of the rice mixture and top with the green and red peppers.
Cover with foil and cook for about 50-60 minutes or until the rice is tender (you will want to make sure that you don't over cook the pork chops, so check them around 50 minutes).
(If the rice needs a little more cooking time, just remove the pork chops for about 10 minutes while the rice cooks longer. Then place pork chops back on top of the rice and add the cheese.)
Turn oven off and top with cheese.
Let the cheese melt for a couple of minutes.
See Also
Keto Instant Pot Recipes! 40 Easy Keto Diet Recipes That'll Make You Adore Your Instant Pot Brunswick Stew Recipe Bottle of Wine Braised Brisket - The Defined Dish - Recipes Chinese Pepper Steak – Tnextrecipes

Notes

Pork chops tend to have a reputation of being dried out. The secret to slow cooker pork chops is tobe sure to not overcook them.

Nutrition

Calories: 445 kcal · Carbohydrates: 34 g · Protein: 35 g · Fat: 18 g · Saturated Fat: 6 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 9 g · Trans Fat: 1 g · Cholesterol: 100 mg · Sodium: 1061 mg · Potassium: 855 mg · Fiber: 3 g · Sugar: 5 g · Vitamin A: 1550 IU · Vitamin C: 54 mg · Calcium: 114 mg · Iron: 2 mg

Equipment

Large Skillet
9×13-inch Baking Pan
Non-stick Cooking Spray
Aluminum Foil

Recipe Details

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Be sure to not miss another recipe!
Follow Six Sisters’ Stuff on Instagram|Facebook|Pinterest|YouTube
Have you checked out our YouTube channel?
You will have to try this recipe for our delicious Citrus Pork Tacos!

Fiesta Pork Chops and Rice Bake Recipe (6)

Join The Discussion

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Janet R says:

This dish sounds delicious! I wonder if it should be covered with foil while baking...
Chandra@The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen says:

Oh this is right up my alley! I am pinning this to make for dinner soon!
Camille says:

Janet- thank you so much for reminding me! Yes, cover with foil. :) I changed it in the directions.
Lynn says:

Sounds delicious! I bet this woul be good with a base layer of refried beans too!
Sarah says:

Looks delish! What is the white stuff under the cheese..? Looks like sour cream but the recipe doesn't call for it. Or is it just part if the cheese ? Hehe
Cyd says:

It is just the colby jack cheese. It's white and orange. :)
Carrie says:

Is there a crockpot version ? This looks delicious!
Jenna says:

Made this last night for the family, it was AMAZING! Thanks!
Katie says:

This looks so good! If you use brown rice, do you think it would need a longer cooking time? Thanks!
Cyd says:

We don't have a crock pot version of this recipe....yet. :)
Jennie says:

I would also like to know if there's a crock pot version! Looks like I could pretty much do the recipe the same and just adjust the cooking time in the crock pot? Any recommendations for how long?
Cyd says:

Maybe slightly longer, just keep an eye on your pork.
Cyd says:

Just until the pork is cooked through and the rice is fully cooked. Could take a few hours.
Kathy says:

I made this the other night with some leftover shredded pork and organic brown rice. Excellent! It did take about twice as long as the recipe states to cook the rice, and I did not use a taco seasoning packet to avoid any yucky stuff and just used my own spices. Will make again :). Thanks!
AShley says:

I made this in the crockpot tonight. I followed the directions except put it in the crockpot. Yeah kinda a fail. I should have just thrown it in the oven.
connie says:

I made this last night for dinner and my family lived it!! I think I am gonna try with chicken next. Thanks!!
Beth says:

I made this for dinner tonight. The pork was delicious but the rice never did completely cook. I wonder what I did wrong?
Diann says:

What is the white creamy sauce that is on top??
Cyd says:

Colby Jack Cheese. It's orange and white.
Trish Melton says:

We are trying to eat healthier, so I have saved 60 recipes to make. This one is definitely a winner. The rice is a little spicy but my family liked it a lot.
Miranda says:

I made this today and it was great. I had to substite mild salsa for the tomato sauce because I didn't have any. Thank you so much for the recipe.
Heather says:

Made this last night and it was FANTASTIC! My family loved it!!!
See Also
Four Raw Beef Recipes From Around The World | Small Footprint Family™
Heather Arnold says:

I made this tonight for dinner and it was a hit. Everyone eat it and liked it. I also made your quick ambrosia salad it was also great. I made my grocery list this week from only Six Sisters recipes. So far so good. I did add and subtract some things, I left off peppers from pork chops and added sliced avocado and tomatoes. I also added strawberries and pecan to the fruit salad. I will be making it again. I'm thinking the fruit salad for a quick breakfast before my son goes to school in the mornings. Six Sisters is my new addiction.
Cyd says:

Thanks Heather! You made our day!!Cyd (mom of the Six Sisters)
Tammy says:

I have never tried one of your recipes that I didn't love and my entire family which consists of many people. Making the fiesta pork chop and rice bake tonight if it tastes as good as it looks worse so thank you so much for the recipe
Sherri says:

I made this dish exactly as written and mine is really watery. It doesn't look like your picture that looks like all the rice absorbed the liquid. Any suggestions ?
Lynne says:

I'd love to try this, but we aren't using our ovens in Phoenix during the summer heat. Would this work in an electric skillet?
Cyd says:

It should work, just be sure that the pork chops and rice are cooked through.
Suej says:

This is my go to recipe for pork chops. I have made this for my hubby and I several times. And it has never failed me. Thank you for sharing. P.S. love the leftover rice for lunch the next day.
Leslie H Bauer says:

Our rice is still crunchy after an hour of baking... Took the pork chops out and put the rice back in....
Natalie says:

Could this be made in the Instant Pot??
Cyd says:

Here is our post about converting recipes for the instant pot. https://www.sixsistersstuff.com/how-to-convert-recipes-into-instant-pot-recipes/
Kristen Hoekstra says:

Same! It was very undercooked and the water didn't get absorbed. We were so disappointed because it would have been so good! The pork was perfectly cooked. I wonder why the rice didn't cook?
Kathy Huizenga says:

Is instant rice supposed to be used in this recipe? How come nobody replies to questions about the rice being under cooked
Cyd says:

We did not have a problem with the rice being undercooked. It says cook for 50-60 minutes or until rice is tender. You could cook it a little longer for the rice. You could remove the pork chops if the rice needed more time. Then place them back on and add the cheese.
Dawn Mentzer says:

This sound delish . But we are going low carb. Can we use cauliflower rice instead of regular rice?
Lisa says:

I had the same problem as others. Great taste but cooking times all wrong. Removed 3/4 inch pork chops at 50 min and they were already overdone (175degrees). Had to cook rice for another 25Min to complete cooking/absorb liquid. Will definitely try another recipe but this one needs some work!
Byenia says:

This recipe turned out pretty good, though I did use a can of Rotel and some jarred salsa in place of the cans of green chiles and tomato sauce, plus brown rice instead of white rice and a homemade blend in place of store-bought taco seasoning. Needed to cook a little over twice as long (for both the rice and for the pork chops to be cooked fully throughout, though mine did start out partially frozen). Flavor was terrific and it's definitely a recipe I'd use again (with the changes made included). Served it with a corn & black bean salsa.
Joycekk says:

We really enjoyed this recipe! Everything about it was great! The pork was tender and rice was fully cooked. I had leftover pasta sauce so I used that instead of tomato sauce.
Allison says:

These were so delicious. The kids said it smelled and tasted like their favorite Mexican food place! My dad was coming over (and he's diabetic) so I used brown minute rice (1 3/4 c of instant rice and the same 1 3/4 c broth) and did everything else the same and it came out great! Thanks for a great recipe!
Sharon says:

I made this tonight for tea.It was delicious x x
Becky Buchholz says:

This recipe was super tasty. Do you have a trick for using brown rice instead of white? Thought I had it but my brown rice was still kinda crunchy? I did test a spoonful but i must have gotten a good spoonful.
Momma Cyd says:

Brown rice takes longer to cook than white rice and requires more water.
d4v1d says:

Nice recipe - I used crush tomatoes, which I feel is a major improvement over a processed sauce. Water instead of stock is fine, if you have adequate seasoning on the pork (and hint: mix salsa or pico de gallo in with the tomatoes).. I have made this family favorite a couple times...and will keep doing so.
Gittyupgranny@6 says:

I just made these in my electric skillet they cooked up so tender. I will definitely try them again. Delish! Thanks, Note: I used bone in chops, also precooked brown rice, an eletric skillet the only exceptions!
Pam says:

This was very flavorful. I intended to follow the recipe exactly, but forgot to add the cheese. Delicious anyway! I baked for 50 minutes and the rice was perfect-pork could have used a little less time. Next time I’ll check the pork at 45 minutes. I’ll definitely make this again and again….
Ilene Pergl says:

How can I convert this to an air fryer oven
MB says:

What type of rice did you use when you had bad results? What type of rice did people use who had success?
Cheryl says:

This was delicious! Super easy fix for a weeknight! Definitely going to be a staple in our house!
Cara says:

This was really good. I followed the recipe exactly, except I accidentally put the peppers in the rice mixture instead of on top. It was fine. Thanks!
Alina Holmes says:

I never leave reviews on recipes but this time I had to. This has been a staple in my house for a couple of years now. One of those recipes that you can tell has been made so many times that the paper is stained and work out. We love to serve it with sour cream and guacamole, yum! Even my three kids love this one. Thanks so much for the great meal!
Momma Cyd says:

You just made our whole day!! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review! We love the Fiesta Pork Chops and we are glad your family likes them too!
Jo L Parr says:

I am trying this tonight. However, I plan to use a boxed mix of Spanish Rice (Rice-a-Roni or the like) and precook the rice for a few minutes prior to placing in the oven. Too many times I have used similar recipes and the rice seems to never really get completely done.
Jo L Parr says:

I prepared tonight. As a heads up, I precook my rice using a packaged Spanish rice mix. Mixed all other ingredients as recommended in the rice. Also, as one person suggested, I spread refried beans on the bottom of the casserole pan. Otherwise, as written. It was a very good choice for my pork chops.
Beth Swaringam says:

Do you think you could add diced zucchini to the tomatoes to have some vegetable? Would that change the cooking time at all?
Momma Cyd says:

Add in any veggies that will cook during the cooking time. Zucchini sounds amazing!

About The Author:

Camille Beckstrand

Camille Beckstrand is married to Jared and they have 4 kids. She loves a good true crime podcast, a big plate of cheesy loaded nachos, and going on adventures with her family.

Slow Cooker Sweet and Tangy Pork Recipe

6 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Chicken Taco Casserole Recipe

45 minutes mins

Slow Cooker BBQ Apricot Pulled Pork Sandwiches Recipe

10 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Chicken Alfredo Gnocchi Casserole Recipe

30 minutes mins

Readers’ Favorite Recipes

Easy Baked Crack Chicken Recipe

30 minutes mins

Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Bars Recipe

40 minutes mins

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas Recipe