Hot Honey Pork Chops with Paprika-Dusted Zucchini Recipe
- by Chef David Rose
- Last updated Jan 5, 2023
If you’re looking to add some heat to your dinner menu and searching for a healthy alternative to carb-heavy sides, this hot honey pork chops with paprika-dusted zucchini recipe is about to become one of your all-time dinner faves! Starring juicy, bursting-with-flavor pork chops glazed in umami-packed spicy honey and perfectly complemented by smoky grilled zucchini, this meal is exactly what your dinner table has been missing!
Why We Love This Pork Chop Recipe
A dish this unique would be a welcome delight on a special occasion or at any dinner party, but it’s the fact it can go from fridge to table in less than 30 minutes that makes it ideal for a satisfying and simple weekday meal! Ready to lick your (pork) chops? Let’s get started!
Tools You’ll Need Before You Start
- 1 Large Cast-Iron Pan
- 1 Large Pan
- 1 Whisk
How to Make Hot Honey Pork Chops with Paprika-Dusted Zucchini
The main attraction of this dish is the pork chop, so it’s vital that you select the right one when crafting this mouthwatering recipe. Luckily for you, we’re using Omaha Steaks Boneless Pork Chops! These center-cut beauties are extra-thick and -meaty and boast next-level flavor while remaining a lean, low-fat protein for a healthier dining experience. They’re also the perfect base for the uniquely hot and sweet honey pepper glaze and an ideal companion for your zucchini side dish.
1. Prep the Most Savory Pork Chops of Your Life
Start by thawing your Omaha Steaks Boneless Pork Chops in your refrigerator overnight and then bringing them to room temperature 20 minutes before you’re ready to start cooking. Next, pat them dry on all sides with a paper towel and then season them on all sides with salt, pepper, onion powder, and smoked paprika to enhance the natural flavors and introduce complementary ones.
Now add low-smoke-point grapeseed oil (your smoke detectors will thank you!) to a large pan and bring it to a medium-high heat. Add your perfectly seasoned pork chops and sear until you achieve a nice browning, which should take about two minutes on each side, and then sear the actual side of the chops for about 30 seconds each. Once fully cooked and expertly seared, set your pork chops aside while we create a next-level glaze worthy of this entrée.
2. Craft an Exquisite Glaze
Now that your pork chops are cooked, it’s time to start your glaze. Using the same cast-iron pan we cooked the chops in, add your flavor-packed minced garlic and lightly sauté for about 10 seconds before adding the rich and nutty sherry vinegar, which you’ll reduce for another 10 seconds.
Next, add your savory chicken stock, sweet honey, spicy minced Calabrian chili peppers, and tangy – yet sweet – Worcestershire sauce. Can’t hunt down any Calabrian peppers? No worries! Serrano and Fresno peppers or red pepper flakes will deliver the heat you’re looking for!
Whisk all the ingredients together and bring it to a boil, then reduce until you’ve achieved a syrupy consistency, which should take about two to three minutes. Once your glaze is ready, add the pork chops directly to the pan and baste with your delicious glaze until they’re lacquered and sticky. Save any leftover sauce for topping!
3. Spice Up a Classic Zucchini Side Dish
This delicious side is as easy to whip up as it is to devour! Add your rich and complex duck fat to a large pan over medium-high heat. Next, add your sliced zucchini to the pan and enhance its mild flavor with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika on both sides. Then simply sear your seasoned zucchini on both sides until it’s golden-brown, which should only take about two minutes per side. And that’s it! Serve with your sweet-and-spicy pork chops and dig in!
Hot Honey Pork Chops with Paprika-Dusted Zucchini
Ingredients
Hot Honey Pork Chops
- 4 6 oz. Omaha Steaks Boneless Pork Chops
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 6 Calabrian chili peppers, seeded and finely minced
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3/4 cup chicken stock
- 1/3 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 oz. grapeseed oil
Paprika-Dusted Zucchini
- 2 large zucchinis, sliced into 1” medallions
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 oz. duck fat or ghee
Instructions
Hot Honey Pork Chops
- Remove fully thawed pork chops from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature, about 20 minutes. Pat dry on all sides with paper towels.
- Season pork chops on all sides with salt, pepper, onion powder, and smoked paprika.
- In a large cast iron pan, add grapeseed oil and bring to medium-high heat.
- Add pork chops to pan and sear until nicely browned, about 2 minutes on each side, then sear the sides, about 30 seconds each.
- Remove pork chops from pan and set aside.
- Add minced garlic to pan and lightly sauté for about 10 seconds. Add sherry vinegar and reduce for 10 seconds.
- Add chicken stock, honey, minced Calabrian chili peppers, and Worcestershire sauce to pan. Whisk all ingredients together and bring to a boil. Reduce until syrupy and glaze-like, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Once pan sauce is reduced, add pork chops back into pan and baste with glaze until lacquered and sticky.
- Remove pork chops from pan, and top with additional sauce as desired.
Paprika-Dusted Zucchini
- In a large pan, add duck fat and bring to medium-high heat.
- Add zucchini to pan, and season with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika on both sides.
- Sear zucchini on both sides until golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Serve hot with pork chops.
More Pork Chop Recipes
Boneless Pork Chops
Extra thick, extra meaty, center-cut and perfectly sized.
