Sheet Pan Pork Chops & Apples
Thick-cut bone-in pork chops roasted alongside sweet Honeycrisp apples, red onions, and fresh thyme on one sheet pan in 22 minutes.
sheet-pan Timer
Set for 22 mins @ 400°F (204°C)
Ingredients
Base recipe calibrated for 4 adults.
Get to the Point Execution
Toss 2 sliced Honeycrisp apples and 1 sliced red onion on a sheet pan with 1 tbsp oil, maple syrup, and thyme.
Rub 4 thick-cut bone-in pork chops with oil, garlic, brown sugar, salt, and pepper.
Nestle chops onto sheet pan surrounded by apples and onions.
Roast at 400°F for 20–22 minutes until pork reaches 145°F internal.
Step-by-Step Guided Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°F. Core and slice 2 Honeycrisp apples into 1/2-inch wedges. Slice 1 red onion into 1/2-inch wedges. On a parchment-lined sheet pan, toss apples and onions with 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp pure maple syrup, 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper.
Use firm apples like Honeycrisp, Gala, or Granny Smith so they hold their shape during roasting without turning to mush.
Pat 4 bone-in pork chops (1-inch thick) completely dry. Rub each chop with 1 tsp olive oil, 1 tsp brown sugar, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp kosher salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Nestle chops onto the baking sheet, clearing apples from directly beneath them.
Bone-in pork chops insulate the meat during roasting, keeping them far juicier than boneless loin chops.
Roast at 400°F for 20 to 22 minutes. Insert a digital probe into the thickest center of the pork away from bone — pull when it reads exactly 145°F.
Pork is safe and at peak tenderness at 145°F with a faint pink center; cooking past 155°F dries out the meat.
Transfer pork chops to a platter and rest 5 minutes. Spoon warm roasted apples, caramelized onions, and sweet pan drippings generously over each chop.
Resting allows the pork muscle fibers to relax and reabsorb moisture.
Pork and apples are a legendary combination. The natural pectin and juices from the roasting apples caramelize on the hot pan with the pork fat, creating an instant sweet-savory glaze that requires zero reduction pan sauce.
Kids love the warm tender cinnamon-maple roasted apple slices next to their pork.
- Mashed potatoes
- Steamed green beans
- Warm dinner rolls
Reheat on a sheet pan in oven at 350°F for 6 minutes or in skillet over medium heat.