Lay the seasoned pork chops on the foil-lined pan, leaving a little space between each one so hot air can circulate. If any oil and seasoning is left in the bowl, drizzle or rub it over the tops of the chops.
Bake the pork chops in the preheated oven for 18–25 minutes, depending on thickness, until the edges are sizzling and the tops are a deep golden brown. The internal temperature should reach 140–145°F (60–63°C) when checked with an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part, away from the bone.
Once done, remove the pan from the oven and loosely tent the chops with another piece of foil. Let them rest in their own juices for 5–10 minutes. This rest time lets the meat relax and reabsorb its juices, giving you incredibly tender, moist pork with a beautiful savory crust.
To serve, spoon some of the rich, seasoned pan juices from the foil-lined tray over each chop and finish with a little extra cracked black pepper on top if you like. Serve hot straight from the pan for that cozy, family-style feel.
Variations & Tips
If you want to keep the 4-ingredient simplicity but tweak the flavor, you can swap the olive oil for melted butter or ghee for a slightly richer, more old-fashioned taste—just keep the same amount. For a bit more savory depth while staying low carb, you can replace the plain salt with seasoned salt or a low-sugar steak seasoning blend, counting it as your single seasoning ingredient instead of separate salt and pepper. To stretch this into more of a one-pan meal, tuck a few handfuls of sturdy low-carb veggies—like sliced zucchini, halved Brussels sprouts, or cauliflower florets—around the chops on the foil before baking; just know this technically adds more ingredients, even though the cooking method stays the same. If your chops are thinner than 1 inch, lower the baking time to 12–15 minutes and keep a close eye so they don’t dry out. For meal prep, cook the chops just to 140°F, rest, then cool and refrigerate; reheat gently in a covered dish at 300°F with a splash of the pan juices so they stay tender for lunches later in the week.








