Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Pork Chops

Step 1

Preheat an iron skillet over a medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and minced garlic, stir and let it sizzle for a minute to open up the aroma. Add boiled spinach, squeezed from the excess liquid, and stir it together with the garlic. Remove to a bowl and let it cool off for about 5 minutes.

Step 2

Meanwhile, wipe out the skillet with a paper towel for the next step.

Step 3

Add ricotta cheese to the spinach and mix well. Then season with salt and pepper and add a teaspoon of fresh thyme leaves. Mix well.

Step 4

Rinse and pat dry the pork chops. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Using a sharp knife, cut out the pockets in the pork chops. Make sure you don’t cut them through, but just enough to fill them out with spinach and ricotta filling.

Step 5

Using a small spoon, stuff the pork chops pockets with the spinach and ricotta mixture. Do not overfill them, as the filling will leak out while it is cooking.

Step 6

Preheat an oven to 375°F.

Step 7

Preheat the iron skillet over a medium/high heat. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the stuffed pork chops and sear them for a few minutes on both sides until they get a beautiful golden color.

Step 8

Remove the pan from the stove to the preheated oven and bake for about 15-20 minutes until the pork is cooked through. The amount of baking time will depend on the thickness of your pork chops.