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Smothered Skillet Pork Chops

Smothered Skillet Pork Chops marinated in Olive Garden signature salad dressing — plus, plenty of peppers & onions! Try this 30 minute weeknight dinner recipe for a change of pace.

Today’s pork chops skillet recipe is one way to stretch a small pack of pork chops to feed a family — and, to get in your veggies at the same time. Simply incorporate a bunch of onions and peppers into your skillet, both to bulk up the meal and add some juicy flavor. Round out your Smothered Skillet Pork Chops dinner with a filling side, such as the baked potatoes shown here.

plate of smothered pork chops and potato

Pork, peppers, and onions prove to be a delicious twist on more traditional sausage, peppers, & onions, perfect for a busy weeknight. You just need 30 minutes for the whole recipe, which cooks up easily on your stove top.

This 30 minute weeknight dinner recipe of course gets much of its flavor from an Olive Garden Italian dressing marinade. If you’re looking for additional recipe ideas for the rest of the bottle of dressing, also check out this simple 5 ingredient Olive Garden Dressing sheet pan chicken dinner.

Smothered Skillet Pork Chops

olive garden dressing pork chops ingredients

Ingredients

– for the pork chops

1-1.25 lbs center cut boneless pork chops (4 small chops)
Black pepper, to taste
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/3 cup Olive Garden Italian dressing

– for the veggies

1 Tbsp butter
1 medium yellow onion, sliced into half moons
2 sweet bell peppers, sliced into strips (I used red and orange)
2 tsp minced garlic (about 4 cloves)

Directions

marinate pork chops in dressing

Place the pork chops in a dish and season them with Italian seasoning and black pepper. Pour Olive Garden Italian dressing over the chops, then leave them to marinate while you cook up the vegetables.

cut peppers and onion

Cut up the onion, peppers, and garlic (if not using pre-minced).

Heat butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until melted, then swirl to coat the pan.

sauteed peppers and onion

Add the sliced onion, peppers, and garlic to the pan. Cook the veggies over medium-high heat for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.

pork chops and peppers in pan

Move the onions and peppers out to the edges of the pan, then nestle the pork chops into the middle. Pour any marinade remaining in the dish over the chops.

pork chops and peppers in pan

Cook the pork chops over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes per side, until cooked through to 135 degrees with a meat thermometer. (Meanwhile, continue to stir the veggies occasionally, so that they don’t stick to the bottom of the pan.)

Remove pork chops from the skillet and let them rest for 5-10 minutes before serving — allowing the pork to continue to rise to temperature, without drying out.

olive garden dressing pork chops and peppers

Serve your Olive Garden skillet pork chops smothered with sauteed onion and peppers.

Note: Don’t worry if some of the dressing blackens onto the bottom of the pan. If you use a nonstick skillet, it should loosen right off with hot water.

Pork chops, peppers, and onions (oh my)

Smothered skillet pork chops marinate in Olive Garden dressing!

The onions and peppers start to caramelize nicely after their sojourn in the pan, first solo and then with the chops. This adds some lovely browned flavor to this dish, so all you need is a bit of seasoning and garlic (along with the Olive Garden dressing marinade) to create a satisfying pork chops & peppers dinner.

Smothered Skillet Pork Chops, printable recipe

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5 from 2 votes

Smothered Skillet Pork Chops

Smothered Skillet Pork Chops get their flavor from Olive Garden signature salad dressing, which makes for such a lovely marinade. Try this 30 minute weeknight dinner recipe for a change of pace!
Course dinner
Cuisine pork chops
Keyword 30 minute meals, bell peppers, easy weeknight dinner, olive garden dressing, pork chops, skillet dinner
Prep Time 13 minutes
Cook Time 17 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

for the pork chops

  • 1-1.25 lbs center cut boneless pork chops 4 small chops
  • Black pepper to taste
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1/3 cup Olive Garden Italian dressing

for the veggies

  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 1 medium yellow onion sliced into half moons
  • 2 sweet bell peppers sliced into strips (I used red and orange)
  • 2 tsp minced garlic about 4 cloves

Instructions

  • Place the pork chops in a dish and season them with Italian seasoning and black pepper. Pour Olive Garden Italian dressing over the chops, then leave them to marinate while you cook up the vegetables.
  • Cut up the onion, peppers, and garlic (if not using pre-minced).
  • Heat butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until melted, then swirl to coat the pan.
  • Add the sliced onion, peppers, and garlic to the pan. Cook the veggies over medium-high heat for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
  • Move the onions and peppers out to the edges of the pan, then nestle the pork chops into the middle. Pour any marinade remaining in the dish over the chops.
  • Cook the pork chops over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes per side, until cooked through to 135 degrees with a meat thermometer. (Meanwhile, continue to stir the veggies occasionally, so that they don’t stick to the bottom of the pan.)
  • Remove pork chops from the skillet and let them rest for 5-10 minutes before serving — allowing the pork to continue to rise to temperature, without drying out.
  • Serve your Olive Garden skillet pork chops smothered with sauteed onion and peppers.

Notes

Don’t worry if some of the dressing blackens onto the bottom of the pan. If you use a nonstick skillet, it should loosen right off with hot water.

Recipes in the real world

weekly ALDI meal plans from Mashup Mom -- six complete dinners for four, $60 out the door! MashupMom.com, every Wednesday.

Be sure not to miss the free ALDI meal plans, which show you how to use these easy family recipes to meal plan affordably and realistically for your family. Or, find more recipe ideas with the Recipe Search!

Be sure not to miss the free ALDI meal plans, which show you how to use these easy family recipes to meal plan affordably and realistically for your family. Or, find more recipe ideas with the Recipe Search!

Recipe Rating




GatorGirl

Sunday 28th of November 2021

Made this tonight for a very picky 92 year old and myself. Excellent flavors. Quick and easy. Mom said this recipe is a keeper. Thank you!!

Lisa B

Saturday 28th of August 2021

Just made these tonight! They were simple, delicious and moist. Thanks for your recipes, your shopping list and menus.