Paleo Pork Chops with Mushroom Sauce (Whole30)

a pork chop covered in a mushroom sauce, riced cauliflower and broccoli florets in a shallow white bowl

5 from 5 votes

Paleo Pork Chops with Mushroom Sauce (Whole30)

This easy recipe is a healthy weeknight dinner! Juicy chops are coated in a creamy, garlicky sauce packed with mushrooms. And it's gluten-free, dairy-free, Paleo and Whole30 friendly!

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 302kcal

Author: Don Baiocchi

Ingredients

4 boneless, thick-cut pork chops, room temperature
fine sea salt, plus ½ teaspoon for the sauce
freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil
8 oz. sliced or chopped mushrooms, such as button, portobellos, cremini or a mix
1 large shallot, peeled and diced
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon anchovy paste or tomato paste
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried rosemary
1 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon arrowroot flour/starch
¼ cup full-fat coconut milk
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

Instructions

Pat the pork chops dry. Trim any excess fat - you don't need or want to trim all the fat, just any large chunks or loose bits.
Season both sides with salt (roughly1/4 teaspoon total) and freshly ground black pepper.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the chops so they're not touching each other. Try to have the fat side toward the middle of the pan where it's hotter. Let them cook for about 4-6 minutes per side, until they reach 145°, then remove the chops to a plate.
Add the shallot, mushrooms and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes. Try to get the mushrooms in a single layer - the pan might be too crowded at first but they'll shrink as they cook. Then stir them only occasionally. You really want them to brown so you don't want them to stir too often.
Meanwhile, whisk together the chicken broth and arrowroot.
Once the mushrooms are browned and the shallot is soft, stir in the garlic, anchovy paste or tomato paste, thyme and rosemary.
Then stir in the broth/arrowroot mixture and use a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan. (This will add flavor and also make the pan easier to clean.) Let the sauce simmer for 2-3minutes, until somewhat thickened.
Stir in the coconut milk and vinegar.
Add the chops back in the sauce, along with any juices accumulated on the plate. Turn the chops in the sauce to coat them evenly, taste the sauce to adjust any seasonings, then serve!

Notes

Substitutions and variations

you can use boneless, skinless chicken breasts instead of pork chops
a quarter yellow onion also works instead of the shallot
you can use 1.5 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme instead of dried
you can also 3/4 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary - use a little less than fresh thyme because fresh rosemary can be very overpowering)
you can use tapioca starch instead of arrowroot
almond milk would work in place of coconut milk but the sauce won't be as thick and might have a subtle sweetness to it
sherry, red wine or white wine vinegar would all be good here instead of balsamic

Make ahead

The chops and sauce can refrigerated for up to 5 days.

You can also freeze them: wrap the chops in plastic wrap, then store the chops and sauce separately in airtight containers or baggies.

Thaw overnight in the fridge.

Reheat the chops in a low oven and the sauce over low heat on the stove.

What to serve with Paleo Pork Chops with Mushroom Sauce

These are great with mashed potatoes, mashed parsnips or other mashed vegetables.

I also love them with riced vegetables like cauliflower rice, sweet potato rice or parsnip rice.

With either option, you don't need another vegetable, but I often add something green on the side anyway, like broccoli, green beans, Brussels sprouts or a simple salad.

Is this recipe keto?

Yep! Each serving has 5 grams of carbs and .4 grams of fiber, so there are 4.6 grams net carbs in each serving.

So these keto pork chops with mushroom sauce are great option for a low carb, keto dinner.

Recipe adapted from Roast Chicken with Mushroom Pan Sauce in Paleo Perfected by America's Test Kitchen.

Nutrition