Pork Chops with Rice

This is a set-it-and-forget-it pork chop dinner where everything cooks together in one dish. Browned chops sit on a bed of uncooked rice that absorbs beef bouillon, cream of mushroom soup, and onion soup mix as it bakes. One hour later, the rice is tender, the chops are cooked through, and the whole thing tastes like it took far more effort than it did.

Browning the chops first builds a crust and adds flavor to the pan. Don’t skip this step. Chops that go straight into the oven without searing taste steamed and pale.

The onion soup mix does double duty as both seasoning and an extra layer of savory depth. It settles into the rice and creates pockets of concentrated onion flavor throughout.

Kitchen Tips

• Grease the baking dish well. The rice sticks aggressively without it.
• Use a tight foil seal over the dish. Steam needs to stay trapped for the rice to cook properly. Loose foil means crunchy, undercooked grains.
• Don’t peek during the first 45 minutes. Every time you lift the foil, you release steam and extend the cooking time.
• Let the dish rest 5 minutes after removing from the oven. The rice finishes absorbing liquid and fluffs up.

Variations

• Use cream of celery soup instead of mushroom for a lighter, less earthy flavor.
• Add a sliced bell pepper on top of the chops before covering for a pop of color and sweetness.
• Swap white rice for brown rice and increase water by ½ cup and baking time by 15 minutes.