If you are looking for a delicious way to cook boneless pork loin chops using simple pantry staples, this recipe is the answer! I've taken the classic, lean loin cut and paired it with a zesty red sauce that keeps the meat tender and juicy while it bakes. This Easy Baked Tangy Boneless Pork Chop recipe is Weight Watchers friendly and proves you don't need a lot of ingredients to create a high-impact meal. These were originally called 'Lemon Pork Chops,' but that didn't quite capture the magic of the zesty red sauce. By combining ketchup, brown sugar, and fresh lemon slices, you get a spectacularly balanced meal that tastes like a high-end bistro dish but is secretly a low-point WW win!
It's the ultimate dinner for busy weeknights when you want maximum flavor with minimal effort, but also makes a great Sunday night dinner! It pairs well with rice or baked potatoes (try my Onion Soup Mix Baked Potatoes!) and vegetables such as these Healthy Glazed Carrots.
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- Recipe Overview: Easy Baked Tangy Boneless Pork Chops
- Summarize and Save this Content on:
- 🥘Ingredient Notes
- 📖 Variations & Substitutions
- 🔪Step-by-Step: How to Make Easy Baked Boneless Pork Chops
- Expert Recipe Tips
- 🌡️Storage
- 👪 Serving Size
- 🔢WW Points
- 🥗 What to serve with Tangy Baked Boneless Pork Chops
- ❔Recipe FAQs
- Didn't find the answer you're looking for?
- More Pork Recipes
- Easy Baked Tangy Boneless Pork Chops Recipe
This recipe is adapted from an old community cookbook out of Winnipeg, and it is a perfect example of why I love "Old Fashioned" cooking. It doesn't require a long list of fancy ingredients; instead, it uses clever combinations of what you already have in your pantry.
By browning the floured chops first and then letting them bake in a zesty red sauce, you ensure the meat stays incredibly moist and tender. It's a delicious meal that feels like a treat but keeps your health goals perfectly on track.
Recipe Overview: Easy Baked Tangy Boneless Pork Chops
- Ready In: 50 minutes
- Serves: 6
- Calories: 268 kcal (approximate based on lean loin)
- Main Ingredients: Lean pork loin chops, lemons, ketchup, and brown sugar.
- Dietary Info: Dairy-free, Weight Watchers Friendly, High Protein.
- Weight Watchers Points: 1 WW Point (for the sauce/flour) + your choice of pork.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Why You'll Love It: This uses simple pantry staples to create a spectacular, tangy red sauce that keeps the pork
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Looking for more easy pork recipes? Try my Plum Sauce Pork and my WW Pork with Creamy Mustard Caper Sauce!
🥘Ingredient Notes
You'll need the following ingredients for this recipe:
- Lean Pork Loin Chops: I use boneless chops because they are lean and Weight Watchers friendly. Trim any visible fat to keep the points low.
- Lemons: We use the whole slice! While the lemon flavor is subtle, the acidity is what cuts through the sweetness of the sugar and ketchup to create that spectacular "tang."
- Ketchup: This is the base of your "zesty red sauce." Use a standard ketchup; if you want to lower the sugar, you can use a reduced-sugar version.
- Brown Sugar: This provides that spectacular caramelized finish.
- All-Purpose Flour: Coating the pork in flour before browning is the "Lazy Way" to ensure the sauce has something to cling to!
*Please see recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantities
📖 Variations & Substitutions
- Spicier: If you like heat, add ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce to the ketchup mixture.
- Bone-in Chops: You can use bone-in pork chops for even more flavor. Just increase the baking time by 5-10 minutes to ensure they are cooked through.
- Sugar-Free: To lower the points even further, use a sugar-free ketchup and a brown sugar substitute like Monkfruit.
- Chicken Swap: This zesty red sauce is also delicious over boneless skinless chicken breasts!
🔪Step-by-Step: How to Make Easy Baked Boneless Pork Chops
PREP: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F/ 176 degrees C.
- Step 1: Mix flour, pepper, and salt together.
- Step 2: Coat both sides of the pork in the flour mixture.
- Step 3: Heat the oil in the frying pan over medium- high, then place floured pork in the pan.
- Step 4: Brown both sides of coated pork in oil in frying pan over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes.
- Step 5: Spray the bottom of a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and transfer pork to the dish. *Make sure you're using a large enough casserole dish or a roaster so that the pieces of pork aren't piled on top of each other. Although a little overlap is okay.
- Step 6: Add slices of lemon to the top of the pork.
- Step 7: Whisk ketchup, water, and brown sugar together in a medium bowl.
- Step 8: Pour the ketchup mixture over the pork and lemon.
- Step 9: Bake uncovered until the internal temperature of pork reaches 145 degrees F/ 63 degrees C. *This could take 25-45 minutes, depending on the thickness of the pork. Discard lemon slices.
- Step 10: If the sauce is too thin, pour it into a small pot and use the tip from my March 2026 Newsletter to get a beautiful, shiny, and thickened sauce! (Add 2 tbsps cold water and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to a bowl and mix). Then add this to your sauce and boil for 1 minute. *If you want to garnish this dish for serving, use fresh slices of lemon (it looks nicer) and add a little fresh parsley, if desired.
Expert Recipe Tips
- The Searing Secret: Don't skip browning the pork in the skillet! This step "sets" the flour coating so it doesn't wash away when you pour the sauce over it. It also locks in the juices.
- Lemon Placement: Place the lemon slices directly on top of the meat. As they bake, the heat releases the juices straight into the pork.
- Don't Overcook: Lean pork can dry out quickly. I recommend using an instant-read thermometer and pulling the pork out of the oven when it reaches 145°F-150°F. Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving for the juiciest results.
- Sauce Consistency: If the sauce is too thick for your liking after baking, whisk in a tablespoon of warm water or chicken broth before serving.
🌡️Storage
Store pork chops with sauce in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge. These pork chops freeze well for up to 3 months.
👪 Serving Size
This recipe makes 6 servings. However, you can half, double, or triple the recipe by clicking on the serving number and selecting the number of servings you'd like. The ingredient quantities will automatically adjust.
🔢WW Points
This recipe is Weight Watchers friendly @ 1 WW point!
🥗 What to serve with Tangy Baked Boneless Pork Chops
This dish is best with rice, cauliflower rice, or quinoa (shown), so you can soak up that glorious sauce!
I also like to serve it with a vegetable side, such as my Healthy Roasted Carrots (with Brown Sugar, these Easy Green Beans, and Mushrooms. or this Quick Cucumber Kimchi.
❔Recipe FAQs
Not exactly! The lemon acts as a "zesty" balancer. It prevents the ketchup and sugar from being too sweet, resulting in a spectacular, tangy, savory sauce.
No, it is very kid-friendly. If you want a kick, add a half-teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the ketchup mixture.
You can substitute 3 tablespoons of bottled lemon juice for the ketchup mixture, but it's not the same as fresh lemons.
Yes! However, you will lose the crispy texture of the floured crust. If using a slow cooker, cook on low for 4-6 hours.
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Whether you're serving this for a cozy Sunday dinner or looking for a quick weeknight win, these Baked Tangy Pork Chops are sure to be a hit. It's proof that you don't need a long grocery list to create a meal that is full of flavor and character. Give it a try tonight and see why this has been a favorite in my kitchen for years!
More Pork Recipes
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Easy Baked Tangy Boneless Pork Chops Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 lean boneless pork
- 2 teaspoon canola oil
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2 lemons, sliced
- 1 ¼ cup water
- 3 ½ tablespoon brown sugar
- ¾ cup ketchup
Sauce Thickener (optional)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- tablespoon water
Garnish (optional)
- fresh parsley
- lemon slices
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F/ 176 degrees C
- Mix flour, pepper and salt together.½ cup all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper
- Heat oil over medium-high heat in frying pan2 teaspoon canola oil
- Coat both sides of pork in flour mixture.6 lean boneless pork
- Brown both sides of coated pork in oil in frying pan over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes.
- Spray the bottom of a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and transfer pork.
- Put slices of lemon over pork pieces.2 lemons, sliced
- Whisk ketchup, water and brown sugar together in a medium bowl.1 ¼ cup water, 3 ½ tablespoon brown sugar, ¾ cup ketchup
- Pour ketchup mixture over pork and lemon.
- Bake uncovered until internal temperature of pork reaches 165 degrees F/ *This could take 30-45 minutes, depending on the thickness of the pork.
- If the sauce is too thin, pour it into a small pot and use the tip from my March 2026 Newsletter to get a beautiful, shiny, and thickened sauce! (Add 2 tbsps cold water and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to a bowl and mix). Then add this to your sauce and boil for 1 minute. *If you want to garnish this dish for serving, use fresh slices of lemon (it looks nicer) and add a little fresh parsley, if desired.
Garnish
- Garnish with additional lemon wedges and fresh parsley, if desired.
Notes
- Spicier: If you like heat, add ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce to the ketchup mixture.
- Bone-in Chops: You can use bone-in pork chops for even more flavor. Just increase the baking time by 5-10 minutes to ensure they are cooked through.
- Sugar-Free: To lower the points even further, use a sugar-free ketchup and a brown sugar substitute like Monkfruit.
- Chicken Swap: This zesty red sauce is also delicious over boneless skinless chicken breasts!
- The Searing Secret: Don't skip browning the pork in the skillet! This step "sets" the flour coating so it doesn't wash away when you pour the sauce over it. It also locks in the juices.
- Lemon Placement: Place the lemon slices directly on top of the meat. As they bake, the heat releases the juices straight into the pork.
- Don't Overcook: Lean pork can dry out quickly. I recommend using an instant-read thermometer and pulling the pork out of the oven when it reaches 145°F-150°F. Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving for the juiciest results.
- Sauce Consistency: If the sauce is too thick for your liking after baking, whisk in a tablespoon of warm water or chicken broth before serving.
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