There are some dishes that come from fancy cookbooks, and then there are the ones born out of making do with what was in the pantry. These oven baked 3-ingredient pork chops with canned cream of shrimp soup belong to that second, treasured kind. It is the sort of humble supper many Midwestern kitchens have leaned on for generations, turning a simple pack of pork chops and a can of soup into something warm, filling, and downright comforting. The creamy sauce bakes right into the meat, making a supper that feels especially welcome when the weather turns cool and everybody wants something hearty on the table.
Serve these pork chops with mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles, or plain white rice so none of that creamy shrimp gravy goes to waste. A side of green beans, sweet corn, or cooked carrots fits right in, and a pan of warm biscuits or a slice of sandwich bread is always handy for sopping up the sauce. If you like a little brightness with a rich main dish, a simple cucumber salad or applesauce makes a fine old-fashioned pairing.
Oven Baked 3-Ingredient Pork Chops with Cream of Shrimp Soup
Servings: 4
Ingredients
4 bone-in or boneless pork chops, about 3/4 to 1 inch thick
2 cans cream of shrimp soup, undiluted
1/2 cup water
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a medium baking dish or casserole dish large enough to hold the pork chops in a single layer.
2. Arrange the pork chops in the prepared baking dish. In a bowl, stir together the cream of shrimp soup and water until smooth, then pour the mixture evenly over the pork chops.
3. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for 20 to 25 minutes more, or until the pork chops are tender and cooked through and the sauce is hot and bubbling.
4. Let the pork chops rest for 5 minutes before serving. Spoon plenty of the creamy gravy over each chop when plating.
Variations & Tips
For extra flavor: If you are willing to stretch beyond the three-ingredient version, a light sprinkle of black pepper, paprika, or garlic powder over the chops before adding the soup gives the dish a little more depth without changing its old-fashioned charm.
Use the right pork chops: Chops that are about 3/4 to 1 inch thick work best here. Very thin chops can dry out before the sauce has a chance to do its work, while extra-thick chops may need more oven time.
Make the sauce richer: For a thicker, richer gravy, replace part of the water with a splash of milk or a few spoonfuls of sour cream stirred into the soup before pouring it over the meat.
Try it with rice or noodles: If your family enjoys a little more to stretch the meal, spoon the finished pork chops and gravy over cooked rice, buttered noodles, or even toasted bread. That creamy sauce was made for soaking into something.
Check for doneness: Pork chops are done when they reach 145°F in the center, then rest a few minutes before serving. If the sauce starts to brown too quickly after uncovering, lay the foil back over the dish loosely for the remainder of the baking time.