Low-Carb Keto Fried Pork Chops Smothered With Gravy

· · · ·

These Low Carb Keto Fried Pork Chops are a delicious keto-friendly meal that is easy to throw together! Coated with pork rinds instead of flour, these chops come out extra crispy while staying moist and juicy inside. Smothered in a quick homemade gravy sauce, you’ll be licking your plate clean!

Keto Fried Pork Chops on a white plate

Low-Carb Pan-Fried Boneless Pork Chops

This keto pork chop recipe with gravy is a popular one in our house! Coating the chops in seasoned pork rinds gives them a deep flavor with a deliciously crispy crust. Paired with a rich and creamy gravy sauce, you get so many different flavors and textures in one perfect bite.

How To Make Crispy Fried Pork Chops Keto Friendly

This meal can be cooked using ONE pan! How awesome is that? Along with the pork panko, I added some spices to make a “seasoned flour” that kicks up the flavor of the crust. Plus, using the pan drippings from frying your pork chops adds another layer of flavor to your gravy! See my tips for tenderizing and cooking your boneless pork chops below.

pork panko, paprika, garlic and onion powder in a dish

Step 1: Add the pork panko and seasonings together on a plate.

Tip: If you aren’t familiar with pork panko, I’ve included all the details below the process pictures in this post. You can easily make your own, or buy pork panko already made.

dredging station with keto breadcrumbs and egg washStep 2: In a shallow bowl, add eggs and heavy whipping cream. Whisk until combined. Coat your pork chops in the egg wash.

pork chops dredged in pork panko

Step 3: Then dredge both sides in the pork panko. It is important to set your pork chops aside for 20 minutes before frying for the crispiest coating!

boneless pork chops in a cast iron skillet

Step 4: You’ll start by heating the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When your avocado oil is hot (approximately 350 degrees F), add pork chops to the skillet then fry for 3-5 min on each side. Use a digital cooking thermometer to test for doneness. You want the internal temperature to reach 145 degrees F and the outside to be golden brown. (To deep fry, add more oil to your skillet.)

*Tip Do not overcrowd your skillet, or the oil temperature will drop, causing the crust to be soggy.

fried pork chops on a wire rack

Step 5: Set the pork chops on a wire rack with paper towels underneath. Allow to rest for 2-3 min before serving.

fried keto pork chops on a white plate

Step 6: Garnish pork chops with parsley or top with gravy. (See below.)

How To Make A Creamy Homemade Gravy For Your Pork Chops

This keto gravy is everything. It adds a ton of flavor and a creaminess fried food seems to need. Thickened with cream cheese and heavy cream, you definitely don’t want to leave this gravy out!

Creamy white gravy with cream cheese heavy cream and spices

Step 1: Discard most of the oil from the same pan you fried your pork chops, leaving 3 tbsp of oil. While the skillet is still hot, de-glaze with 3/4 cup chicken broth, then add the heavy whipping cream, cream cheese, garlic powder, and pepper whisk until combined. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium and simmer until the gravy thickens.

pork chops smothered in white gravy on a white plate

Step 2: Pour the creamy gravy over your warm pork chops and serve with parsley sprinkled on top!

What is “Pork Panko”?

Pork Panko is pork rinds that have been ground into a panko breading like consistency without the added carbs. There is no seasoning added unless you add some, so it can be used in many different recipes to form a crispy breading when following a keto diet. I purchased a bag of Pork Panko from Amazon. It lasts a long time, and I use it often in my recipes! Feel free to add Parmesan cheese to the coating if you prefer.

Pork Panko is:

    • Keto and Paleo-friendly
    • gluten-free – factory only produces products with two ingredients pork skins and salt
    • carb-free
    • Subs 1:1 for bread crumbs
    • A high heat tolerance so it can be used in place of flour in many different recipes

How to Make Pork Panko:

You can also make homemade pork panko. Simply throw pork rinds in a food processor and grind them down into panko. I recently made it homemade, and it was pretty simple, although purchasing is more convenient. Here are detailed instructions for how to make pork panko.

How To Prepare and Tenderize Your Pork Chops

Cooking pork chops can be tricky. They are very easy to overcook and can be dry and tough if not prepared properly. Here are some tips for ensuring your pork chops come out tender, juicy, and full of flavor!

      • Purchase quality fresh pork chops that are bright pink in color
      • Choose bone-in pork chops if you want a more tender chop
      • Use a quick brine for extra juicy pork chops 
      • Use a meat mallet to tenderize your pork chops even more
      • Use a digital meat thermometer when frying so you cook your chops no more than 145 degrees F.

Tips For Making Your Pork Chops Extra Crispy

  1. After dipping pork chops in breading, letting them sit for 20 min or so before frying helps the “breading” to stick.
  2. Make sure the oil is good and hot before adding it to the pan, or the “breading” will get soggy.
  3. Set pork chops on a wire rack after frying for 2-3 minutes to allow the crust to cool off and air out without trapping moisture.
  4. Do not overcrowd your pan when you fry your pork chops. Try frying in 2-3 batches.
  5. Fry in a cast-iron skillet. Cast iron holds heat better and will maintain the oil temperature better.

Can you Make This Recipe Ahead?

Yes. You just have to be careful that you do not overcook your pork chops. If you know you will be preparing these ahead, I suggest undercooking your pork a little by taking them out of the oil before they reach 145 degrees. Then store in the fridge.

The moisture from the fridge will make them soggy, but that’s okay. You will just need to re-crisp them! To do this, heat your skillet and re-fry them with some more oil until they reach the desired internal temp. Doing this in a skillet will ensure they crisp back up after being in the fridge. Plus, it is quick to do.

The gravy can be made ahead, too, but it will thicken up in the fridge. You can reheat the gravy in the microwave while the pork chops are resting. You may need to add some more chicken broth to loosen the gravy a bit. Serve as stated above.

What To Serve With Your Keto Fried Pork Chops and Gravy:

More Keto Pork Chops Recipes:

    •  

      Low-Carb Keto Fried Pork Chops Smothered With Gravy

      Keto Fried Pork Chops on a white plate
      Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe
      4.74 from 26 votes

      Low Carb Keto Fried Pork Chops Smothered in Gravy

      These Low Carb Keto Fried Pork Chops are a delicious keto-friendly meal that is easy to throw together! Coated with pork rinds instead of flour, these chops come out extra crispy while staying moist and juicy inside. Smothered in a quick homemade gravy sauce, you'll be licking your plate clean!
      Prep Time15 minutes
      Cook Time20 minutes
      Total Time30 minutes
      Course: Dinner
      Cuisine: American
      Keyword: Keto Fried Pork Chops with Gravy
      Servings: 6 people
      Calories: 577kcal
      Author: Kasey Trenum

      Ingredients

      • 6 boneless pork chops (approx 3/4" thick)
      • avocado oil for frying
      • 1/2-3/4 tsp parsley, for garnishing

      Breading

      Egg Wash

      • 2 eggs
      • 1 cup heavy whipping cream

      Gravy

      • 3 tbsp reserved grease/drippings from pan
      • 3/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth
      • 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp heavy whipping cream
      • 3 oz cream cheese
      • 1/2 tsp pepper
      • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
      • 3/4 tsp parsley, for garnishing

      Instructions

      How To Fry Pork Chops

      • Add enough avocado oil to a skillet so that it coats 1/2 the way up to the pork chops. Turn heat to medium-high.
      • Mix pork panko and seasonings together on a plate.
      • In a shallow bowl, add eggs and heavy cream whisking until combined.
      • Dredge your pork chops in the egg wash and then coat both sides with the pork panko. Set aside for 20 minutes before frying for the crispiest result!
      • When the oil reaches approximately 350°F, carefully add your pork chops. Let fry for 3-5 minutes per side. Use a digital cooking thermometer to test for doneness. The internal temperature should reach 145°F.
        *Do not overcrowd your skillet, or the oil temp will drop, causing your pork chops to be soggy instead of crispy! Fry in multiple batches if needed.
      • Place cooked pork chops onto a wire rack with paper towels underneath to absorb the oil. Let them rest for 2-3 minutes before cutting/serving. Garnish with parsley.

      How To Make Creamy Gravy

      • Discard most of the oil from the same skillet leaving 3 tbsp left.
      • Keeping your heat on medium-high, deglaze the pan with 3/4 cup chicken broth.
      • Add heavy cream, cream cheese, garlic powder, and pepper and whisk until combined.
      • Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium (a low boil) for approximately 5 minutes so the gravy can reduce and thicken. Whisk every minute or so.
      • Remove from heat once it starts to thicken. Note that it will thicken more as it cools. If it gets too thick, add a touch more of broth.
      • Pour gravy over pork chops and garnish with more parsley!

      Video

      Notes

      The nutritional information provided in this recipe is only an estimate as it is impossible to properly calculate exactly how much avocado oil, heavy whipping cream, and eggs to include since much is left behind in the breading and frying process. 

      How To Prepare and Tenderize Your Pork Chops

      Cooking pork chops can be tricky. They are very easy to overcook and can be dry and tough if not prepared properly. Here are some tips for ensuring your pork chops come out tender, juicy, and full of flavor!
          • Purchase quality fresh pork chops that are bright pink in color
          • Choose bone-in pork chops if you want a more tender chop
          • Use a quick brine for extra juicy pork chops 
          • Use a meat mallet to tenderize your pork chops even more
          • Use a digital meat thermometer when frying, so you cook your chops no more than 145 degrees F.

      Tips For Making Your Pork Chops Extra Crispy

      1. After dipping pork chops in breading, letting them sit for 20 min or so before frying helps the "breading" to stick.
      2. Make sure oil is good and hot before adding to the pan, or the "breading" will get soggy.
      3. Set pork chops on a wire rack after frying for 2-3 minutes to allow the crust to cool off and air out without trapping moisture.
      4. Do not overcrowd your pan when you fry your pork chops. Try frying in 2-3 batches.
      5. Fry in a cast-iron skillet. Cast iron holds heat better and will maintain the oil temperature better.

      Nutrition

      Serving: 1pork chop | Calories: 577kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 50g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 217mg | Sodium: 769mg | Potassium: 599mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 893IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 1mg
      Tried this recipe?Mention @kaseytrenumblogger or tag #kaseytrenumblogger!

      fried pork chops with gravy

30 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I made this for dinner tonight and even though I slightly burnt the pork rind breading, they were delicious! The gravy turned out great and had a lot of flavor. I’m not a huge fan of pork rinds, but I couldn’t even tell that that’s what the breading was made of. I will definitely make this again! I might try it in the air fryer next time.

    1. Hi Courtney, the post also gives detailed information on how to make it homemade with pork rinds.

    1. Almond flour will not work for thickening like regular flour. You could use corn starch slurry or xantham gum. I like to just let it simmer down.

  2. I modified this recipe w thin pork chops w a bone. I fried the chops w/o any dredging, s&p, paprika & a little cayenne. I made the gravy w/o chicken broth just a little water w hwc! Delish!

  3. 5 stars
    I don’t write many reviews but I had on these. These are delicious! The whole family said this recipe is a keeper! I made these exactly as the recipe states.
    Thank you for sharing your recipe ❤️

    1. Awesome! Thank you so much for the kind words and the review! It means so much. Glad the whole family loved this dish!

    1. You simply need to continue simmering the sauce until it thickens. Each stove varies in temperature so the time it takes to reduce the sauce can be more or less.

  4. 5 stars
    We loved it! I made my own pork panko. We served with riced cauliflower and Omg the gravy over both was so delish!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating