Memorable Quotes:

“A Bearnaise sauce is simply an egg yolk, a shallot, a little tarragon vinegar and butter, but it takes years of practice for the result to be perfect.” — Fernand Point

Pork Chops Stuffed with Sundried Tomatoes and Spinach

Tender pork chops stuffed with a creamy mixture of spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, goat cheese and cream cheese, then pan-seared until golden. A light lemon-Dijon pan sauce brings everything together, making this an impressive but surprisingly easy dinner.

Stuffed Pork Chops

Servings: 4
Prep Time: About 20 minutes
Cook Time: About 20 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 6 sun-dried tomatoes, diced
  • 1 (10-ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
  • ½ teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
  • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ¼ cup (2 ounces) goat cheese
  • ⅓ cup reduced-fat cream cheese
  • 4 (4-ounce) center-cut pork chops
  • 1½ cups chicken broth
  • Zest of ½ lemon
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Instructions:

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  2. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper and thyme. Cook until combined, about 2 minutes.
  3. Transfer the spinach mixture to a medium bowl. Add the goat cheese and cream cheese and stir until combined. Set aside.
  4. Using a sharp knife, cut a pocket into the thickest portion of each pork chop. Divide the spinach and cheese mixture evenly among the chops, stuffing it into the pockets. Press the pork around the filling to enclose it. Season the outside of the chops with salt and pepper.
  5. In a small bowl, combine the chicken broth, lemon zest, lemon juice and Dijon mustard. Set aside.
  6. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the stuffed pork chops and cook until golden and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.
  7. Transfer the pork chops to a plate and tent loosely with foil to keep warm.
  8. Add the chicken broth mixture to the skillet. Bring to a simmer, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
  9. Simmer until the liquid has reduced by about half and forms a light sauce, about 8 minutes.
  10. Spoon the lemon-Dijon pan sauce over the stuffed pork chops and serve.

Tip: Squeeze as much moisture as possible from the thawed spinach before making the filling. This helps keep the filling creamy rather than watery.

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