READY IN 1 hr

Pesto Stuffed Pork Chops

Read Reviews (23)

"Sharkey Family recipe. This goes great served with fresh steamed broccoli and a Caesar salad." — SDaisy2

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Mix feta cheese, basil pesto, and pine nuts in a bowl. Use the tip of a sharp boning or paring knife to cut a 3-inch slit in the side of each pork chop, 2 inches deep and 1/4-inch away from the bone, to make a pocket for stuffing. Stuff pork chops with pesto filling and secure with toothpicks.
Mix black pepper, oregano, garlic, red pepper flakes, and thyme in a small bowl; rub both sides of each chop with the spice mix. Place chops into a shallow baking dish.
Bake in the preheated oven until chops are browned and stuffing is hot, about 40 minutes. An instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the center of the stuffing should read 145 degrees F (63 degrees C). Brush chops with balsamic vinegar and bake until vinegar forms a glaze, another 5 minutes.

Kitchen-Friendly View

PREP 15 mins
COOK 45 mins
READY IN 1 hr

Reviews More Reviews

Most Helpful Positive Review

Oct 09, 2012

delicious!

—deaversm

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Most Helpful Critical Review

Jan 17, 2013

Just finished eating these pork chops. The pesto/feta stuffing was great! But I saw other reviews and only used a 1/4 tsp of red pepper flakes in the rub. The rub was STILL very hot! I love spicy foods but the heat on the outside of the chop just overpowered the delicious stuffing inside. All I tasted was the spicy rub. It would be better as 2 separate recipes. If I make these again I would either use a thinner chop with just the rub and no stuffing if i'm in the mood for spicy; or omit the rub and just stuff it with the stuffing recipe and brush the outside with some of the pesto. I'd also substitute something for the pine nuts. They didnt seem to add much to the flavor for the amount of money it costs for them.

—whatscookin

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26 Ratings

Nov 19, 2012

This was great. I used walnut instead of pine nut. Turned out great. The cook time was a little off for me, but my chops were a little small. Over all a great recipe. I'll make it again.

—nom^_^nom

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Aug 10, 2012

These pork chops are awesome! Different than the same old boring breaded chop.

—SDaisy2

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Jan 02, 2013

This was wonderful! I used a boneless pork chop, flattened it with a meat mallet, rolled it around stuffing and then secured with toothpicks. I should have reduced the baking time going this route, but everyone still loved it. I served it with the Gourmet Mushroom Risotto and some asparagus. I look forward to making it again.

—Kelly Griffin Rhodes

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Feb 05, 2013

I made this for guests the other day and it was a huge hit. I omitted the pine nuts because I didn't want to go to the store and these were still amazing. Pesto and feta were made for pork. You will not be disappointed.

—wongsk

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Jan 02, 2013

My hubby and I enjoyed this. He said it was a "home run." The only change we both agreed to was 1/4 instead of 1/2t. red pepper. I also forgot to put the balsamic vinegar on and then back in oven so I just used a spash on the chops and mixed it with some of the warm stuffing that oozed out.

—Barb

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Oct 25, 2012

While the stuffing was a great tasting combination, the seasoning was way too hot and really over-powered the stuffing. The other thing is, the vinegar left no taste, seeing it just ran right off. I'm going to try this again another time with half the pepper and red peppers, and use a balsamic "glaze".

—breggae

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Nutrition

Calories
335 kcal
17%

Carbohydrates
3.3 g
1%

Cholesterol
94 mg
31%

Fat
22.2 g
34%

Fiber
0.7 g
3%

Protein
29.4 g
59%

Sodium
208 mg
8%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Pesto Stuffed Pork Chops

Serving Size: 1/4 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 4
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 335
Calories from Fat: 199

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 22.2g 34 %
** Saturated Fat 8.1g 40 %
Cholesterol 94mg 31 %
Sodium 208mg 8 %
Potassium 445mg 12 %
Total Carbohydrates 3.3g 1 %
Dietary Fiber 0.7g 3 %
Protein 29.4g 59 %
** Sugars 1.5g
Vitamin A 5 %
Vitamin C 4 %
Calcium 15 %
Iron 20 %
** Thiamin 97 %
** Niacin 80 %
** Vitamin B6 38 %
** Magnesium 15 %
** Folate 7 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.