Oven Baked Honey Garlic Pork Chops
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Oven Baked Honey Garlic Pork Chops – Bone-in pork chops, baked then broiled with a sticky honey garlic glaze. The broil at the end is what gives you that caramelized, slightly charred top that tastes like it came off a grill. 8 chops, one pan, almost no effort.
Oven Baked Honey Garlic Pork Chops
This is one of my go to recipes for Thursday nights at our house, which means a full kitchen and a hungry crowd. It makes 8 chops at once and the glaze does most of the work, so I’m not standing over a stove the whole night while everyone else is having fun without me.
Bone-in here, not boneless. The bone holds moisture, the meat stays juicy, end of discussion.
Why This Recipe Works
- Bake then broil gives you 2 different jobs done properly. The oven cooks the chops evenly and gently. The broiler at the end caramelizes the glaze fast, the kind of color you can’t get from baking alone.
- The glaze is simple and it should be. Butter, garlic, honey, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar. Sweet, savory, a little tang. Nothing fancy, nothing unnecessary.
- Pull these at 145°F. Pork does not need to be cooked to death the way it did decades ago. That rule is outdated and your chops have been paying the price ever since.
Ingredients in Oven Baked Honey Garlic Pork Chops
- Bone-in pork chops (8, about 1 inch thick): Bone in is not negotiable here, it’s what keeps the meat juicy through baking and broiling. If you only have boneless, see the FAQ below, but bone-in is the better chop for this job. Go for chops that are evenly thick so they all finish cooking at the same time, a thin edge on one side will overcook before the rest catches up.
- Olive oil: Just enough to help the seasoning stick to the meat. Nothing fancy needed, your everyday cooking oil works.
- Salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika: The dry rub. This goes on before the glaze and builds a base layer of flavor so the chops aren’t relying on the glaze alone. Don’t skip seasoning both sides.
- Unsalted butter: The foundation of the glaze. I use unsalted so the soy sauce controls the salt level, not the butter.
- Garlic (8 cloves, minced): Yes, 8. This glaze is meant to be garlic forward. If you’re someone who measures garlic with caution, this might not be the recipe for you, and that’s fine, we can still be friends.
- Honey: Brings the sweetness and is what makes the glaze caramelize so well under the broiler. Don’t sub with a sugar syrup, you lose that floral depth honey brings.
- Soy sauce: Balances the honey with savory depth. Regular soy sauce is fine here, you don’t need anything special.
- Apple cider vinegar: A small amount of acidity so the glaze doesn’t read as one note sweet. White vinegar works in a pinch but apple cider vinegar has a rounder flavor that fits better here.
How to Make Oven Baked Honey Garlic Pork Chops
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
Pat the chops dry, rub with olive oil, season both sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Arrange on the sheet with space between them. Crowd the pan and they steam instead of brown, and nobody wants a steamed pork chop.
Bake 20 to 25 minutes until they hit about 140°F.
While they bake, make the glaze. Melt butter, add garlic, cook 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in honey, soy sauce, and vinegar. Simmer 3 to 4 minutes until slightly thickened.
Brush the chops generously with glaze. Switch the oven to broil. 2 to 3 minutes, until the tops are caramelized and sticky and the chops hit 145°F. Stay close to the oven here. Broilers move fast and the gap between caramelized and ruined is small.
Rest 5 minutes. Brush with any remaining glaze. Serve.
Tips and Tricks
- 145°F, not a degree more. Use a thermometer. This is the difference between juicy and chalky.
- Give the chops room on the pan. Crowding equals steaming equals sad pork chops.
- Don’t walk away during the broil. 2 to 3 minutes feels short until you’re scraping burnt glaze off a pan.
- Let them rest. 5 minutes keeps the juices where they belong instead of all over your cutting board.
- Hold back a little glaze for the end. A final brush right before serving makes them look as good as they taste.
What to Serve With This
I served mine with Melting Potatoes, I’ll post the recipe later this week. This recipe makes a big batch so it’s an easy one to build a spread around if people are coming over. Here are some other great options.
Mashed Potatoes
Parmesan Garlic Roasted Potatoes
Arugula Salad
Tomato Basil Salad
Try These Recipes Next
- Creamy Dijon Mushroom Pork Chops
- Pork Schnitzel
- Rosemary Garlic Pork Roast
- Smothered Pork Chops
- French Onion Pork Chops
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Oven Baked Honey Garlic Pork Chops
Ingredients
For the pork chops
- 8 bone-in pork chops (about 1 inch thick)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
For the honey garlic glaze
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 8 cloves garlic (minced)
- ½ cup honey
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line 1 large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Pat the 8 pork chops dry and rub them all over with the 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season both sides with the 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1 teaspoon paprika.
- Arrange the chops on the baking sheets so they are not touching, which lets them brown instead of steam. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until they are nearly cooked through and reach about 140°F (60°C).
- While they bake, make the glaze. Melt the ½ cup butter in a saucepan over medium heat, add the 8 cloves minced garlic, and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in the ½ cup honey, ¼ cup soy sauce, and 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, then simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Brush the chops generously with the glaze and switch the oven to broil. Broil for 2 to 3 minutes, until the tops are caramelized and sticky and the chops reach 145°F (63°C).
- Let the chops rest for 5 minutes, then brush with any remaining glaze and serve.
Equipment
Notes
- Pork chops: Bone-in, about 1 inch thick. Bone in keeps the meat juicy and forgiving, boneless will cook faster and dry out more easily if you’re not watching the clock closely.
- Internal temperature: Pull at 140°F before broiling, then 145°F after the rest. Carryover cooking handles the last few degrees for you. A meat thermometer is the only way to know for sure, don’t guess.
- Don’t crowd the pan: Give the chops space on the baking sheet. Too close together and they steam instead of brown, and a steamed pork chop is not what we’re going for here.
- The broil is fast: 2 to 3 minutes is all it takes to go from caramelized to burnt. Stay by the oven, this is not the step to wander off during.
- Glaze ahead: Make it up to a week in advance and store in the fridge. Reheat gently before brushing onto the chops.
- Boneless substitution: Works, but reduce the bake time and watch the temperature closely since boneless chops cook faster and have less margin for error.
- Leftovers: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat gently, high heat will dry them out further.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use boneless pork chops?
Yes, but they cook faster and dry out more easily. Watch the temperature closely and pull at 145°F.
Why 140°F in the oven but 145°F after broiling?
Carryover cooking. The chops keep cooking slightly during the broil and rest. Pulling at 140°F before broiling gets you to a perfect 145°F by the time you serve.
Can I make the glaze ahead?
Yes. Keeps in the fridge for up to a week. Reheat gently before using.
Can I grill these instead?
Yes. Grill over medium heat to about 140°F, then brush with glaze and grill another minute or two per side. Watch for flare ups, honey burns fast.
Can I freeze leftovers?
Yes, up to 3 months in an airtight container. Reheat gently so they don’t dry out further.
