Keto Fried Pork Chops

Crushed pork rinds make a crispy, keto-approved coating when frying thin, boneless pork chops. This easy recipe is ready in 20 minutes!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Servings servings

Calories 495kcal

2 ounces plain pork rinds
8 boneless pork chops thin-cut, ½-inch thick
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or ¼ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
Olive oil spray

Place the pork rinds in a 1-gallon Ziploc bag. Use a meat pounder or a rolling pin to crush them into tiny crumbs, similar to Panko. You can also crush the pork rinds in a food processor or use store-bought pork panko. Set the crushed pork rinds aside.
Use a pastry brush to coat both sides of the pork chops with mustard. Sprinkle them with kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
Sprinkle the pork chops with half the pork panko on one side, press to adhere, then turn them to the other side (place them on a new, clean plate) and repeat with the remaining pork panko.
Generously spray a nonstick double burner griddle with olive oil and heat it over medium heat. Add the pork chops.
Cook the chops until golden brown on the bottom, for about 5 minutes (see notes below). Flip them to the other side and gently press on them with a clean spatula to flatten them against the pan.
Cook the chops on the second side until golden brown and cooked through, for about 5 more minutes. Serve immediately.

Pork chops are lean and should not be overcooked, or they'll become dry and tough. I find that cooking them over medium heat for 4-5 minutes per side is perfect. But you'll need to adjust my instructions based on what's going on in your own kitchen. For example, electric stoves tend to get hotter than gas ones, so you might need to lower the heat to medium-low if the pan gets overheated.
The recommended internal temperature for fresh pork (except for ground pork) is 145°F with a rest time of three minutes. That's medium, not well done.
In the video and photos shown here, I made half the recipe and used a 12-inch nonstick skillet to cook four pork chops.
The pork rind breading is delicious, but it's not as crispy as breadcrumbs, and it becomes soggy quickly. It's one of those keto substitutions that are not quite as good as the original version but are still very, very good.
I don't recommend keeping leftovers. As they rest, accumulated juices can make the pork rind crust soggy, especially on the bottom. When I do end up with leftovers, I keep them for a day or two in a sealed container in the fridge. I place them on layers of paper towels to absorb any moisture and replace the paper towels daily. When it's time to reheat them, I do so in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes or until heated to 165°F.