These Pork Chop Sandwiches are made with crispy, thin cut pork chops that are perfectly pan fried on a potato bun and topped with saucy, caramelized onions and crisp cooked bacon. The onions are cooked until they are beautifully caramelized and are tossed with a honey mustard sauce. This pork sandwich is packed full of flavor and texture!
The honey mustard sauced onions, crunchy bacon, perfectly crisp pork chop, and the soft potato bun work so well together. You will find yourself craving this combination on the regular!
If you are looking for more main dish recipes, try one of these: Mini Dutch Oven Chicken Pot Pies, BBQ Chicken Pizza or Italian Dunkers.
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Why You Will Love This
- The pork chop. The thin cut boneless pork chops are lightly breaded and pan fried. They are crispy and flavorful!
- The onions. The onions are cooked slowly in the rendered bacon fat until they are caramelized and a beautiful golden brown. Then they are tossed in a delicious honey mustard sauce which makes them perfect for spooning on your sandwich.
- The bacon. The bacon gives this sandwich an added crunch and a boost of flavor!
Ingredients Needed
Here are notes about some of the ingredients needed to make this pork chop sandwich. You can find all of the ingredients at your local grocery store or at an online retailer, like Amazon.
- Bacon: I prefer to use thick cut bacon for this, as it adds that extra texture element.
- Yellow onion: Yellow onions are great for this because they are a bit sweeter and caramelize up so nicely.
- Garlic: I like to use minced garlic in a jar for convenience, but 2 cloves from a head of garlic would be equivalent to the 1 teaspoon of minced that the recipe calls for.
- Dijon mustard: Dijon mustard gives this mustard sauce the perfect flavor.
- Mayonnaise: Full fat or light mayonnaise would work for this.
- Honey
- Red wine vinegar
- Flour
- Egg
- Breadcrumbs: I like to use plain breadcrumbs for this recipe.
- Ranch seasoning mix: I always use this ranch seasoning mix, but any brand would work.
- Pork chops: At my grocery store, the pork chops I like to get are called "wafer thin boneless pork chops". If your grocery store doesn't carry something like that on the shelves, you can ask the butcher to cut them ⅛ to ¼ inch thick. We have also cut our own thin pork chops from a pork loin. Alternatively, you could pound boneless pork loin chops with a meat mallet to ⅛ to ¼ inch thickness.
- Olive oil
- Butter
- Potato buns: You can use regular sized buns or slider buns for this. We like to make these on the slider buns which means the pork chops hang off the edges. It just depends on the look you are going for, or how much bread you are wanting to eat! A hamburger bun would work great too.
- Leafy green lettuce: Use your favorite lettuce for this. Any kind will work great!
Ingredient Substitutions
- Yellow onion: A white onion, vidalia or sweet onions could be substituted if that's what you have on hand. You can also try shallots for a milder flavor.
- Dijon mustard: If Dijon is not your favorite, you could use whole grain, spicy brown or regular yellow mustard in its place.
- Honey: You could try using maple syrup or agave nectar instead of honey.
- Breadcrumbs: Panko breadcrumbs or seasoned breadcrumbs would work fine.
- Pork chops: Try using thin cut boneless chicken or turkey breast.
This recipe has not been tested with these substitutions or variations. If you give any of these a try, please let me know how it worked out in the comments below!
Equipment Needed
- Large frying pan or large skillet: Having a large frying pan comes in handy for so many things. I use my large cast iron skillet almost exclusively these days and recommend adding a similar one to your kitchen if you don’t already have one.
- Shallow dishes: Use shallow dishes to dredge the pork chops in the flour, egg and breadcrumbs. If you don’t have shallow dishes, pie plates work great!
Step by Step Instructions for the Onions
STEP 1: In a medium bowl, combine the Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, honey, and red wine vinegar. Stir with a whisk to combine. Set this aside.
STEP 2: Cook bacon in a large saute pan over medium heat until crisp. Transfer bacon to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Set this aside.
STEP 3: With the stove off, spoon all but 1 tablespoon of the rendered bacon fat from the skillet into a heat proof container.
STEP 4: Return the pan to medium heat and add the onions. Cook for about 15 minutes or until golden brown and caramelized, stirring frequently.
STEP 5: Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
STEP 6: Add onions to Dijon mixture and stir to combine. Set this aside while you prepare the pork chops.
Step by Step Instructions for the Pork Chops
STEP 1: Place the flour in a shallow bowl.
STEP 2: Place egg and 1 tablespoon water in another shallow bowl. Lightly beat with a fork until combined.
STEP 3: Combine breadcrumbs, ranch seasoning, salt, and pepper in a separate shallow bowl.
STEP 4: Working with one pork chop at a time, use a fork to place pork in the flour. Be sure to coat on each side and shake off excess flour.
STEP 5: Using the fork, transfer the pork chop to the egg mixture, making sure to coat on both sides. Allow excess to drip off.
STEP 6: Using the fork, transfer the pork chop to the breadcrumb mixture, making sure to coat both sides. Lightly press the the pork chop into the breadcrumb mixture with your fork.
STEP 7: Transfer to a clean plate. Repeat with remaining pork chops.
STEP 8: Wipe out the skillet you used for the onions with paper towel.
STEP 9: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter over medium high heat until melted.
STEP 10: Add 4 pork shops to the skillet. Allow them to cook, without disturbing them, for 3 minutes or until they are golden brown. Flip to the other side and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a clean plate and tent with foil to keep them warm.
STEP 11: Repeat with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, butter and 4 pork chops.
STEP 12: Assemble sandwiches in this order: bun bottom, lettuce, pork chop, bacon, saucy onions, bun top.
Expert Tips
Here are some tips and tricks for making this pork chop recipe.
- Use a fork to help you coat and transfer the pork chops in the flour, egg and breadcrumb mixtures.
- Put two pork chops on each sandwich for a heartier, meatier sandwich.
- There should be plenty of flour and breadcrumb mixture to do more pork chops. You will need to double the egg if you plan to make more than the 8 pork chops though.
- When assembling your sandwiches, put a little bit of the saucy onion mixture on the bottom bun as your first layer and then on top of everything as your top layer for added flavor.
- Serve these sandwiches with potato chips and pickle spears.
- The thin pork chops cook pretty quickly. If you are using thicker pork chops or are concerned about whether or not they are cooked properly, use a meat thermometer to check that the center has reached a temperature of 145°F.
- These sandwiches are best served fresh and hot, so assemble the right before serving to ensure they are at their best!
FAQ
Yes. If Dijon mustard is too strong, you could use whole grain or yellow mustard in its place.
You could serve them with potato chips and a pickle spear. Coleslaw, potato salad and/or fresh fruit would be good too!
Yes. You could use any kind of soft bun you prefer.
Recipe Variations
- Toasted buns: For a bit of added flavor and texture, you can toast the buns prior to assembling the sandwiches.
- Added toppings: Add extra lettuce, tomato slices, avocado, or pickles for additional freshness and flavor.
Storing and Freezing
Assembled sandwiches can be stored in an airtight container or zip top bag in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, wrap in a paper towel and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds or until heated through.
For unassembled sandwich components, pork chops, saucy onions and bacon could be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds or until heated through.
Freezing leftover sandwich components or assembled sandwiches is not recommended.
Other Recipes to Try
If you are looking for more delicious recipes, try one of these:
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Recipe
Pork Chop Sandwich
Ingredients
For the Onions:
- 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 ½ tablespoons honey
- 1 ½ tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 8 bacon slices
- 2 yellow onions, sliced
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
For the Pork Chop:
- ½ cup flour
- 1 egg, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 package Ranch seasoning mix
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 8 wafer thin cut boneless pork chops
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 8 potato buns
- leafy green lettuce
Instructions
For the Onions:
- In a medium sized bowl, combine the Dijon, mayo, honey and red wine vinegar. Stir with a whisk until fully combined. Set aside.3 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, 1 ½ tablespoons honey, 1 ½ tablespoons red wine vinegar
- In a large frying pan, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan and place on a paper towel lined plate. Set aside.8 bacon slices
- Turn off the stove. Using a spoon, remove all but 1 tablespoon of the rendered bacon fat from the pan to a heat proof bowl or container. Return heat to medium.
- Add onion to the drippings in the pan and cook 15 minutes or until golden brown and caramelized, stirring frequently. Add the garlic to the pan and cook for an additional 30 seconds.2 yellow onions, sliced, 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- Add onion mixture to the bowl with the Dijon mixture and stir to combine. Set aside while you prepare pork chops.
For the Pork Chops:
- Place the flour in one shallow dish and the egg in a second shallow dish. Combine the breadcrumbs, ranch seasoning, salt and pepper in a third shallow dish.½ cup flour, 1 egg, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water, 1 cup breadcrumbs, 1 package Ranch seasoning mix, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper
- Working with one pork chop at a time, dredge first in the flour, then in the egg and last in the breadcrumbs. Transfer to a clean plate and repeat with remaining pork chops.8 wafer thin cut boneless pork chops
- Wipe out your frying pan with a paper towel. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Heat over medium-high heat until melted.2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons butter
- Add 4 pork chops to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. Flip and cook an additional 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
- Repeat previous procedure by adding the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter to the pan and cooking the remaining 4 pork chops.
- Take each of the 8 bun halves, place a piece of lettuce, pork chop, 1 slice of bacon and a heaping spoonful of the saucy onions on top. Top with bun remaining bun halves and serve.
Joy Rodgers says
Cooked this tonight for supper and it came out crispy and delicious!
Ashlyn Meredith says
Oh, I'm so glad! Thanks, Joy!
Jean Davis says
Made these for a small group and they were loved by everyone. The crunch on the pork chops was perfect.
Jennifer says
Added Monterey Jack cheese, it was an awesome meal. Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Ashlyn Meredith says
Now, that sounds delicious! Glad you enjoyed it!
Lana Reed says
I made the Pork Chop Sandwich for dinner tonight. I’m not a big fan of pork chops, but my husband loves them and when I saw this recipe and read it, well I knew he would love it and guess what? So did I! Oh my goodness! This is so good and the caramelized onion sauce is delicious! I did use regular mustard though.
I actually live across the street from your grandmother Deborah. She told me about your blog because I’m always looking for new recipes! I’m so glad she told me about you!
I also made your Buttermilk Cake with Blueberries today and it’s a definite 10 out of 10!
Ashlyn Meredith says
Thanks, Lana! I'm so glad you enjoyed both of these recipes! I can't wait to hear what you make next!