I love turning ordinary pork chops into something extraordinary, like these boneless pork chops with balsamic fig sauce. The quick and easy balsamic reduction highlights the rich flavors of the shallots and the natural sweetness of the dried figs – my secret weapon, when it comes to jazzing up a midweek meal.
I love making this simplistic, tasty, somewhat-savory, somewhat-sweet pork chops with balsamic fig sauce. Over the years I’ve relied on boneless pork chops when I needed to make an effortless weeknight meal.
The quick cooking time, paired with this sauce, keeps the pork moist and delicious. Ready in just twenty minutes, including prep time, it’s a meal I can whip up no matter how busy my day was.
If you love flavorful boneless, pork chop recipes, make sure to also check out my sheet pan pork chops and my popular orange glazed pork chops.
Why I Love These Pork Chops with Balsamic Fig Sauce
- Delicious: It tastes like I picked this up from a restaurant, it’s so flavorful and perfectly flavored!
- Flavor packed: Just like my pork marsala, the sauce is rich and delicious, with lots of depth.
- Inexpensive: I love how this budget-friendly meal tastes expensive! Try it for yourself to see.
- Super simple and quick to make: This pork chop recipe is foolproof to make and ready in 20 minutes.
Ingredients Needed (with Substitutions)
- Salt and pepper: For seasoning your pork chops before sautéing.
- Olive oil: For sautéing, you only need a couple of tablespoons. May sub with any neutral cooking oil you prefer.
- Beef broth: This makes up the base of the balsamic fig sauce. You can also use beef stock, if that’s what you have available
- Dried figs: You can find dried figs next to the raisins in the grocery aisle. Dried figs are not the same as prunes, which are actually dried plums. However, if you can’t find dried figs, prunes would be the closest substitute. I do have a link to dried figs in my recipe card below.
- Cornstarch: Use this to thicken your sauce at the end.
- Boneless pork loin, thin sliced chops: These pork chops are readily available at the grocery store. You could substitute with boneless, skinless chicken thighs for a different flavor.
- Shallot: One large bulb or two small ones that add a savory flavor to the whole dish.
How to Make Pork Chops with Balsamic Fig Sauce
Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Sauté
Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season both sides of your pork chops well, with salt and pepper.
Add your olive oil to the skillet and fry pork chops in batches (you don’t want to overcrowd the pan), about two minutes per side and remove them from the pan onto a plate. Cover and keep warm.
Add your diced shallot to the skillet you fried the pork chops in (don’t wipe it out) and sauté the shallot until softened, about three minutes.
Make the Balsamic Fig Sauce
First, add the beef broth, balsamic vinegar and diced figs to the softened, sautéed shallots.
Secondly, bring the broth mixture to a boil and simmer until reduced by half, about seven minutes.
Meanwhile, in a separate small bowl, make a slurry with cornstarch and one tablespoon of water, make sure cornstarch is completely dissolved and not lumpy.
Slowly add the cornstarch slurry to the broth mixture and whisk for one minute.
Finish the Pork Chops
Add pork chops back to the pan and cover. Simmer them in the sauce for two to three or until meat is cooked through.
Remove the pork chops from the pan and pour the balsamic fig sauce all over the top. Serve them immediately.
Serving Suggestions
There is nothing better than a big, buttery serving of mashed potatoes sitting alongside these pork chops with balsamic fig sauce. In keeping with the spirit of this being a weeknight meal, my Instant Pot mashed potatoes take about the same amount of time as this pork recipe and are amazing! Rice pilaf and a side of vegetables would also be a winning combination, with a slice of cheesy bread.
Recipe Tips
- Let your pork chops warm up on the counter, while you prepare all your other ingredients. This will help with even cooking.
- Add your cornstarch slurry slowly to the pan so it doesn’t clump. Whisking while pouring is helpful.
- Don’t overcook at the end, these thinly-sliced pork chops cook quickly.
Storing Leftover Pork and Reheating
- I place any leftover pork and sauce in a dish tightly covered and store in the refrigerator for up to three days.
- To warm up any leftovers, place them in a microwave safe dish and reheat in the microwave. I find the pork stays juicier when it’s reheated this way as opposed to on the stove top.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is this sauce the same as a balsamic deduction? Technically this is a reduction, since I’m taking the balsamic vinegar and reducing it by half. What makes this reduction a little different is that I add shallots to the balsamic, so it’s not exactly a classic reduction, but still a reduction, if that makes sense.
- Can I switch out the protein? I’ve made it with skinless, boneless chicken thigh cutlets and it was good swap.
Want More Recipes Featuring Pork Chops
- Pork Chops with Sweet and Sour Apples
- Juicy Grilled Pork Chops
- Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops
- Apricot Glazed Grilled Pork Chops
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Pork Chops with Balsamic Fig Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1.5-2 lbs. boneless pork loin, thin sliced chops
- salt and pepper
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 1 large shallot, finely chopped
- 2 cups beef broth or stock
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 9 dried figs diced
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
Instructions
- Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat. Season both sides of your pork chops with salt and pepper.1.5-2 lbs. boneless pork loin, thin sliced chops, salt and pepper
- Add olive oil and fry pork chops in batches, 2 minutes per side and remove from pan; keep warm. Add shallot to the pan and cook until softened, 3 minutes. Add beef broth, balsamic vinegar and figs. Bring to a boil and simmer until reduced by half, about 7 minutes. In a separate small bowl, make a slurry with cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of water, until cornstarch is completely dissolved. Slowly add the cornstarch slurry to the broth mixture and whisk for 1 minute.2 tbsps olive oil, 1 large shallot, finely chopped, 2 cups beef broth, 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 9 dried figs, 1 tbsp cornstarch
- Add chops back to the pan and cover. Simmer 2-3 minutes or until meat is cooked through. Remove the chops from the pan and pour sauce all over. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.