Healthy Oven-Fried Pork Chops

Breading is a three-part process that creates a crust on the pork chops. You will need three shallow dishes: one for flour, one for the beaten egg and mustard and another one for the panko and black pepper.

Dredge each pork chop in flour. This step will help the egg mixture stick to the pork chops. Then coat in the egg mixture, which will help the panko to stick. Finally, dredge them in the panko mixture, pressing to adhere.

Oven-frying saves you fat and calories while producing chops that are crispy on the outside, yet juicy inside. The key to crispy oven-fried pork chops is using a wire rack placed over a large rimmed baking sheet. If you bake the pork chops directly on the baking sheet, you'll get soggy crusts where moisture is trapped. Using a wire rack allows the air to circulate, ensuring that the pork chops are browned and crispy on all sides.

For perfectly cooked, juicy pork chops, use an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness. When using an instant-read thermometer, insert it into the thickest part of the pork chop. It should register at 145°F at the center.

Additional reporting by Jan Valdez