Pesto-Coated Pork Chops

You’ll go hog-wild for this speedy skillet supper.

More on:

• Family Dinner
• Heart-Healthy Food
• Fight Disease
• Healthy Recipes
• Heart Disease

Pork chops on a heart-healthy menu? You bet! Pork is about 50 percent leaner than just a few years ago, which means it’s lower in saturated fat as well. To keep these chops svelte but succulent, top them with a homemade pesto with a heady mix of basil and garlic. It uses just a smidgen of oil but seals in all the pork’s juices at the same time.

Prep time 15 min.
Cook time 8 min.
Serves 4

You Will Need
6 ounces eggless noodles
2 cups fresh basil leaves
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons plain dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 center-cut pork loin chops (1/2 inch thick, about 4 ounces each)

What to Do
1. Prepare noodles according to package directions. Drain and keep hot. Meanwhile, preheat broiler.

2. Put basil, garlic, and a pinch each of salt and pepper in food processor. Pulse until roughly chopped. Add bread crumbs and process 30 seconds until incorporated. With motor running, slowly add oil through feed tube until pureed. Set aside.

3. Coat large heavy ovenproof skillet and broiler rack with nonstick cooking spray. Set skillet over high heat until very hot but not smoking. Sprinkle both sides of chops with remaining salt and pepper. Sauté chops until browned, about 1 minute on each side. Remove from heat. Spread chops on both sides with pesto and transfer to broiler pan.

4. Broil chops until pesto is slightly darker and juices run clear, about 2 minutes on each side. Divide noodles evenly among 4 plates and top with a pork chop.

Cook’s Clue
How can you tell when a pork chop is done? Near the end of the suggested cooking time, make a slit with a small knife in the center of the chop. It’s ready to eat when the juices run clear, the meat shows just a hint of pink (about 160°F), and the chop is still juicy and tender. Thanks to new sanitary breeding methods, pork is perfectly safe to eat at this stage.

Health Hint
Some cuts of pork are much kinder to the heart than others. Loin chops rank among the lowest in total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol. Pork is a top source of thiamine, the B vitamin that helps metabolize carbohydrates and regulate the nervous system. It also supplies high-quality body-building protein-as well as iron, which is essential in carrying oxygen through the body.

Round Out the Meal
Finish the meal with a scoop of Italian gelato, available at Italian specialty stores, in many different flavors. It tastes as good as ice cream with less sugar and 1/3 the fat!

Secret to Success
Typically, pesto sauce is whirled up from basil, olive oil, pine nuts, and Parmesan cheese -- which adds up to a high percentage of fat. To slash the fat but save the flavor, substitute bread crumbs for the nuts and cheese. Blend everything with just enough olive oil to hold it together.

Per serving
468 calories / 25% from fat
3.5 g saturated fat, 13 g total fat
78 mg cholesterol
388 mg sodium
46 g total carbohydrate
2 g dietary fiber
39 g protein

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