Keto Smothered Pork Chops

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Pan-seared pork chops served in a creamy mushroom garlic sauce.

Prep: 15

Cook: 30

Total: 45

Recipe makes approximately 4 servings

Get Recipe Ingredients

Preheat oven to 400° Fahrenheit. Place 4 medium bone-in pork chops on cutting board and generously season all sides of each pork chop with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
Line large plate with 2 to 3 layers paper towels. Set plate aside.
Place large cast-iron skillet on stovetop over medium-high heat. When skillet is warm, add 5 strips bacon (chopped) to skillet. Fry bacon 6 to 7 minutes, or until bacon is crispy but not burnt, flipping bacon as needed.
Once bacon is crispy, use slotted spoon to transfer bacon to plate lined with paper towels. Set plate aside. Do not drain skillet.
Place seasoned pork chops in skillet. Sear pork chops 4 to 6 minutes or until golden, then flip each pork chop over. Sear other side of pork chops 4 to 6 minutes or until golden.
Transfer skillet to preheated oven. Bake pork chops 8 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 140° to 142° Fahrenheit according to internal meat thermometer inserted into pork chops next to bone.
Use pot holder or other protection to carefully remove skillet from oven and to handle skillet for remainder of recipe. Transfer pork chops to plate and set aside to rest.

Return skillet to stovetop and set heat beneath skillet to medium. Add 8 ounces mushrooms and 1 medium leek to pan and sauté, stirring occasionally, 5 to 6 minutes or until mushrooms and leeks have softened.
Once softened, add 1 tablespoon salted butter and 3-4 cloves garlic to skillet. Stir to incorporate then sauté 1 to 2 minutes until butter is melted and garlic is just fragrant.
Pour ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth into skillet and stir to incorporate, scraping up any browned bits of food that may have stuck to bottom of pan.
Once skillet is deglazed, remove skillet from heat and let cool slightly. Pour ½ cup heavy cream into skillet and gently stir to incorporate.
When cream is fully incorporated, return skillet to heat and increase heat to medium-high. Bring mixture gentle boil, then immediately reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer mixture over medium-low heat 2 to 3 minutes or until slightly reduced.
Remove skillet from heat and let cool slightly. Add 2 ounces full-fat cream cheese, 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh parsley, and ½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme. Stir to incorporate. Continue stirring until cream cheese begins to melt.
Once cream cheese begins to melt, return skillet to heat. Continue stirring until cream cheese is completely melted.
Simmer mixture 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.

Return cooked bacon to skillet and stir to incorporate, then return pork chops to skillet. Flip pork chops 2 to 3 times, then spoon mushroom cream sauce over top of each pork chop.
Cook pork chops in sauce of medium-low heat 3 to 5 minutes or until pork chops reach 145° Fahrenheit internally. Transfer pork chops to serving plates and serve immediately with desired sides.

Pork Chops: Boneless pork chops will also work. They'll cook faster than bone-in pork chops, so adjust your times accordingly.
Cream Cheese: Use a full-fat cream cheese without added sugars and with the lowest carb count you can find. Philadelphia Original cream cheese has been the best option I've found at my grocery stores.
Make it Lower Carb: Omit the leek. For even fewer carbs, omit both the leek and the mushrooms.