Hungarian Paprika Sour Cream Pork Chops (Sertéspaprikás)

An easy and delicious Hungarian paprika sour cream pork chops recipe using traditional Hungarian sweet paprika… Essentially a pork paprikash, these juicy and tender pork chops smothered in a spicy & creamy sour cream sauce are sure to be a new family fave!

This recipe was created in partnership with the National Pork Board. Thanks for supporting me and the brands I love!

Sour Cream Pork Chops (Pork Paprikash)

Pure comfort food — that’s the only way to describe these sour cream pork chops! Inspired by my very popular Hungarian chicken paprikash recipe, this creamy pork chops recipe features a similar spicy & creamy sauce that will have you scraping the plate to get every. last. drop.

Which in my book is absolutely reason enough to make this delicious dinner recipe. But here are a few more reasons to make it for dinner tonight:

✔ juicy & tender pork chops on your stovetop
✔ make the pork chops in sour cream gravy in one skillet
✔ weeknight simple when served over egg noodles
✔ as spicy or mild as you want them to be
✔ minimal cooking time
✔ ready to eat in about 35 minutes!

These saucy pork chops are one of those easy recipes that will bring the WHOLE family to the table — which until the past few months was somewhat of a rarity around here…

Honestly? I’d have to say that our family meals are the one truly positive thing that’s come out of 2020.

We’ve cooked together and sat down to dinner as a family more this year than ever before. Having that chance to catch up and connect has resulted in some of my favorite memories!

Hungarian Pork Chops Ingredients

Did you know that pork chops are the most popular pork cut across all households worldwide? Well, aside from bacon, of course. But it totally makes sense. They’re such a versatile protein, which makes them ideal for experiencing flavor profiles used in different cultures around the world.

This creamy pork chops recipe is basically a Hungarian pork paprikash recipe (Sertéspaprikás). Only it uses whole pork chops instead of chunks of pork. So I guess that actually makes it a pork chop paprikash recipe!

For this particular pork chop recipe I chose regular cut boneless pork loin chops. But the cut of pork chops used is really a matter of preference. Feel free to choose a thicker cut of boneless pork chops or a bone-in cut. Just know that you may need to adjust your cooking times slightly.

PRO TIP: Pork chops are a very lean cut of meat, so it’s important not to overcook them. No one wants to eat a dry pork chop! For the best pork chops, use an instant read thermometer to determine when they’re done cooking. The recommended safe internal temperature of pork chops is 145 degrees F.

Additional Ingredients:

butter — real butter, please! Used to sauté the onions and garlic until the onions are translucent.

sliced yellow onions — you can also use white onions, if that’s what you have on hand! However, I would not recommend using red onions for this recipe.

minced garlic — a fresh garlic clove is always best, but I absolutely am not above pressing the easy button and using garlic from a jar.

bay leaf — bay leaves are used just for flavoring and should be removed before serving.

chicken broth — along with the butter, adds a delicious richness to this dish!

Hungarian sweet paprika — you must have good quality authentic Hungarian sweet paprika to make this recipe. Seriously, NO SUBSTITUTIONS! You can usually find it in the ethnic section of your grocery store, but if not, order some online.

sour cream — sour cream is a staple in Hungarian cooking and is essential to this sour cream sauce recipe. So choose a high quality brand!

How To Make Sour Cream Paprika Pork Chops

This paprika pork chop recipe is quick and simple enough for a weeknight dinner, yet it tastes like you put a TON more effort into it. We start by building some layers of flavor:

1| Season the pork chops on both sides with salt and pepper. Then sear them on both sides in a large skillet over medium-high heat with a little cooking oil until golden brown. You may need to do this in batches, so you don’t overcrowd the skillet. Remove the brown chops to a plate.

2| Add the butter and sauté the sliced onions until translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for about one additional minute. Then add the broth to the skillet and use a wooden spatula to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the skillet.

3| Stir the bay leaf, paprika, and salt into the onion mixture, and then place the pork chops back in the skillet. Cover tightly, reduce the heat, and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F.

4| Remove the pork chops to a plate again and cover with aluminum foil. Remove the bay leaf from the remaining hot liquid. Whisk the flour and water together well, and pour them into the broth mixture. Heat the mixture to boiling, whisking constantly.

Allow the sauce to reduce and thicken. Remove the skillet from the heat and let cool slightly. Stir the sour cream into the gravy mixture and return the pork chops to the gravy.

A Few Quick Tips For Best Results:

• Depending on the size of your skillet, you may need to brown the pork chops in 2 batches so as to not overcrowd the pan. They can be squeezed in together more tightly for the simmering portion of the recipe.
• Allow the gravy mixture to cool sufficiently before adding the sour cream so that it does not curdle. If you’re too impatient (like me!), you can temper the sour cream by stirring some of the hot liquid into it. Then stir the warmed sour cream mixture into the gravy liquid.
• Looking to add a little more heat to your sour cream pork chops? Try adding some Hungarian hot paprika! It can pack quite a punch, though, so start with adding a little and increase until you’re happy with the results.

What To Serve With Hungarian Pork Chops

As with my chicken paprikash recipe, the quick and easy way to serve these pork chops with onions and sour cream is over egg noodles.

But for a Sunday dinner or when I have a little extra time, I’d go for a side dish of Hungarian cabbage and noodles and/or our family favorite mashed potatoes with cream cheese and sour cream. And I’d FOR SURE make my Grandma’s Hungarian cucumber salad with sour cream.

Mmm, my mouth is watering just thinking about this delicious meal… I hope these creamy pork chops become your family’s new favorite recipe, too!