Stuffed pork chops with pesto and feta cheese pack a ton of flavor with very little effort. The pork chops are seared in a pan for maximum browning then brushed with balsamic vinegar and finished in the oven. Such a tasty way to make pork chops!
Apparently I have taken to stuffing my pork recently. 😂
I shared stuffed pork tenderloin recently that has a Parmesan and breadcrumb filling. Scrumptious.
Today, we're making stuffed pork chops with a pesto and feta cheese filling.
These are seasoned on the outside, seared in a pan for a good crust and then finished in the oven.
The pork chops are so flavorful - pesto is an easy shortcut to bump up the taste without much effort - and really easy and even fun to make.
So let's jump right in and get cooking.
Ingredient Notes:
Pork chops: You'll want the thicker cut kind so that you can make a cut in the center for stuffing. Go for ones that are about 1 ¼ inches thick - and ideally, evenly sized for even cooking.
Pesto: You can make your own basil pesto or just pick up a jar from the store. Tip: Cover the top of the container with plastic wrap and press it down onto the remaining pesto before refrigerating. This helps it last longer.
Cheese: I love the tang and creaminess from the feta cheese. You could try substituting goat cheese but that would alter the flavor a bit and I haven't tested it that way myself.
Balsamic vinegar: This gets brushed on the pork chops before they finish cooking in the oven. It adds some good sweetness and balance and depth of flavor. I haven't tried it, but I think you could also serve it with balsamic glaze drizzled on top instead if you prefer.
(Oh and if you need more ways to use pesto, I've got tons of ideas and recipes in that post to help you use up what you've got left.)
Also, be SUPER careful when you remove the skillet from the oven. I like to keep an oven mitt resting on top of the handle even when it's out cause it's still screaming hot and I don't want someone to brush it by accident.
(And I mostly mean me. 😩 I still have a mark on my forearm from a recent burn when my wrist dropped slightly and the handle lightly touched and singed my arm.)
Finally, the recipe is written for 4 people, but you could also halve the recipe if you just need pork chops for 2 people.
Tip: There is a 0.5 button in the recipe card that will automatically halve all of the ingredients so you don't have to do the math in your head. 👍
And if you want to round out your meal, this goes great with rice or potatoes and a side salad. Or add a simple steamed veggie like green beans or broccoli or asparagus for the vegetable.
I hope you love these stuffed pork chops as much as we do.
Happy cooking and enjoy!
XO,
Kathryn
Pesto Stuffed Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons prepared basil pesto
- 3 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 (6 oz) boneless pork loin chops, about 1 ¼ inches thick
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground thyme
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- In a small bowl, combine the pesto, feta cheese and salt.
- Use a sharp paring knife to cut a slit into the sides of each pork chop to create a pocket, leaving at least a ½ inch gap on the ends and inside so you don't cut through. (See the step by step photos above for reference if needed.)
- Divide and stuff the pesto mixture into the pork chops, filling each cavity.
- In a small bowl, combine the pepper, oregano, garlic powder and thyme. Season both sides of the pork chops with the seasoning mixture.
- Heat a large oven-safe skillet over medium high heat and add canola oil.
- Sear the pork chops in the skillet for 2-3 minutes, until well browned. Flip over and sear for another 2-3 minutes on the other side.
- Brush the tops of the pork chops with the balsamic vinegar.
- Transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes, until the pork reaches 135 degrees F.
- Carefully remove the skillet from the oven and let the pork chops rest for 5 minutes before serving. (I like to keep the handle covered with an oven mitt because it's screaming hot.) Enjoy!
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Notes
Nutrition
Need more recipes with pork chops? I've got you covered.
Honey garlic pork chops and honey mustard pork chops are some easy go-tos with on-hand ingredients. They're really versatile too.
Same goes for crunchy baked pork chops with a breadcrumb coating. Or keep it simple with spice rubbed pork chops.
And this skillet pork chops with gravy recipe is one of my all-time most popular pork recipes. It's so cozy and delicious!
If you need a complete meal, try this sheet pan pork chops with broccoli and potatoes for an all-in-one dinner that's hands off once you get it prepped.
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