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Apple Baked Stuffed Pork Chops

Apple stuffed pork chop in meal container

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Apple stuffed pork chop in meal container

These Apple Baked Stuffed Pork Chops are guaranteed to remind you of Thanksgiving Stuffing, but high in protein and without all the carbs. I was pleasantly surprised with how easy it was to put together and how delicious the flavor was.

It’s easy to get tired of chicken after bariatric surgery, and pork is a great way to mix things up. It’s high in protein and contains thiamine, B12, zinc and iron which are all important nutrients to the post-bariatric patient.

What Do You Stuff the Pork Chops With?

You can stuff a pork chop with a lot of different kinds of foods but traditionally I see it stuffed with an herb stuffing, apple, spinach, cheese, mushrooms and potatoes. For the purposes of this recipe I used onions, ground sage, apple and dried cranberries. The sage spice gave it a traditional stuffing flavor.

I sautéd the onions for five minutes to give the stuffing more of a savory-sweet flavor. Then I added fresh apple, sage and a small amount of dried cranberries (Please see modifications below of you are not eating dried fruit).

Ingredients of apple stuffed pork chops

How to Stuff Pork Chops

I honestly was intimidated the first time I made stuffed pork chops. In fact, I bought the wrong kind of pork chop. I bought the thin bone-in pork chops and not the thick. YOU NEED to buy the thick bone-in pork chops, about 1 ½ inches thick so you can cut a pocket in the middle to stuff them. Like this…

Showing how to cut a pocket in pork chops to fill with filling.

If you end up buying the thin one on accident, don’t worry. Just prepare the filling as is and layer it on top of the thin cooked pork chop.

When you prepare stuffed pork chops, I suggest cutting a slit in the pork chop first. Then prepare your stuffing on the stovetop. Once the filling is cooked, stuff the pork chop with the filling and place on baking dish.

It is super easy yet seems fancy!

Showing how to fill pocket with stuffing

What to Serve With Apple Stuffed Pork Chops

There are a variety of side options to choose from when you cook these Apple Stuffed Pork Chops. I personally like to see a little “green” on my plate so I would serve this with broccoli, brussel sprouts, green beans, sautéed spinach or salad for my veggies.

There are a small amount of carbs (~ 6 g per serving) in the stuffing from the apples and cranberries. However, if you want to add more carbs then sweet potatoes or roasted butternut squash would also taste good on the side.

How to Cook for One

If you are cooking for one, then I would suggest using 1-2 pork chops instead of four. If you are not much of a leftover fan, then cook one in the toaster oven. You’ll likely not be able to eat more than a half of a pork chop, so you could use it for one meal the next day.

If you’re meal prepping for a couple days then cook no more than two pork chops in the toaster oven.

Apple stuffed pork chop in meal container

How to Meal Prep This Dish

If you are meal prepping, there are two different ways you can meal prep this meal.

First, if you are planning on eating this meal with your family for dinner, you could prepare the stuffing mixture on the weekend and stuff the raw pork chops. Then place in 13×9 pan and cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge to eat later during the week. On the night you are ready to eat, take out of fridge, remove plastic wrap and bake in oven as directed.

Raw pork chops on baking dish
Apple stuffed pork chops divided into two containers

Second, if you want this to be a “grab and go” meal out of your fridge, then prepare as is. Next, store in individual containers and add a cooked veggie to it. Reheat in the microwave for about 2 minutes when you want to eat it.

Bariatric Diet Modifications:

Pureed: Not recommended for this stage

Soft: Peel apples and omit cranberries. Make sure apples are cooked until soft.

Regular: Serve as is

Steps to cooking apple stuffed pork chops
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Apple Baked Stuffed Pork Chops

These Apple Baked Stuffed Pork Chops are the perfect blend of savory and sweet that is sure to satisfy you and your family.

  • Author: Kristin Willard, RDN
  • Total Time: 45
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: Comfort

Ingredients

Scale

For Stuffing:

  • 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
  • 1/2 sweet onion, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon dried sage
  • 1/2 apple, chopped (skins removed if soft diet phase)
  • 1/4 cranberries, dried
  • salt and pepper to taste

For Pork Chops:

  • 4, bone-in thick cut pork chops

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 F

For filling:

  1. Heat butter in skillet over medium heat. Add onions and saute for about 5 minutes or until softened and slightly browned. Next, add sage, apples, and cranberries. Saute for another 8-10 minutes or until apples are softened.  Salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and set aside.

For Pork Chops:

  1. Cut slits in the pork chops from the meat side to the bone to create a pocket. Fill the pocket with the prepared apple stuffing mixture.
  2. Place in baking dish and put in the pre-heated oven and cook for 30 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 145 F.

Notes

Pureed:

  • Not recommended for this stage

Soft:

  • Peel apples and omit cranberries. Make sure apples are cooked until soft.

Regular:

  • Serve as is

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/2 pork chop
  • Calories: 250
  • Fat: 13
  • Carbohydrates: 5.7
  • Protein: 26.3

Keywords: Apple Stuffed Pork Chops