Flavorful But Healthy Mediterranean Pork Chops

You won’t want to miss out on this easy one-skillet recipe. The pork chops are cooked in a delicious sauce with olives, tomatoes, and onions. Packed with flavor, while still healthy, this dish is perfect for a weeknight meal or for entertaining guests.

Ingredients

• 4 pieces of 6-oz. boneless pork chops
• ½ teaspoon of garlic powder
• Sea salt and black pepper — to taste
• ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil — divided
• 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
• 1-2 cloves of fresh garlic — minced
• 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon of dried thyme
• ¼ cup of Kalamata olives — pitted and halved
• 1 cup of cherry or grape tomatoes — halved
• 3 oz. Feta cheese, crumbled
• ½ medium red onion — thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon of fresh parsley — chopped

Directions

1. Take the pork chops out of the refrigerator and pat them dry with a paper towel. Lightly season both sides of each chop with the garlic powder, plus salt and black pepper, as desired. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk two tablespoons of olive oil, fresh lemon juice, garlic, oregano, and thyme. Toss together the Kalamata olives, tomatoes, and Feta cheese. Set aside.
3. Over medium heat, add one tablespoon of olive oil to a large nonstick skillet. Sauté the red onion, stirring occasionally, for approximately 4-5 minutes, until it softens and starts to develop some color.
4. Then add the leftover olive oil and the seasoned pork chops to the skillet. Cook the chops for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown.

5. Add the seasoned tomato and Feta mixture to the skillet and nestle it in among the chops. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 2 minutes, or until the tomatoes and olives are warmed through and the Feta starts to melt.
6. Remove the skillet from heat and let rest for 5 minutes.
7. Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired, and serve immediately with your choice of sides.

Bon appetit!