Pecan Crusted Pork with Apple Chutney

Combine salty, savory, and sweet with this Pecan Crusted Pork with Apple Chutney recipe. This delicious meal is made with loads of spices and even a bit of maple syrup for maximum flavor.

The most delicious autumn meal

In my opinion, fall is the perfect excuse to load up on apple everything. Desserts? Check? Breakfasts? Check. Pecan-crusted pork with apple chutney? Check.

Today I'm giving you the lowdown on how to make this delicious recipe of perfectly crusted pork chops complete with a delicious apple topping. So what is apple chutney, you ask?

Apple chutney is essentially a mix or blend of chopped apples combined with ingredients like shallots, maple syrup, and seasonings. It can be made a few different ways, but we're adding to the taste with thyme, salt, and allspice to create a robust but sweet flavor. You can essentially think of it as a thick apple sauce with a few extra flavors! It makes for the perfect pork chop pairing, that's for sure.

Ingredients in pecan crusted pork with apple chutney

You'll need two sets of ingredients for this recipe: those for the pork chops, and those for the chutney. A few ingredients, like dijon mustard and maple syrup, are used in both.

Pork Chops

• Pecans: First up — 2 cups of pecans. This will be the perfect amount to crust 6-7 chops.
• Spices: To add flavor, use 2 tablespoon of fresh thyme, ½ teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon of pepper, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, and ¼ teaspoon of allspice.
• Eggs: Next, 2 eggs will help to "bread" the pork chops with the pecans.
• Dijon mustard: Use ¼ cup of Dijon mustard for flavor.
• Maple syrup: Next, add a dash of sweet flavor by including 1 tablespoon of maple syrup.
• Pork chops: As for the pork chops themselves, you will need 6-7 boneless.
• Avocado oil: Finally, 2 tablespoon of avocado oil will be used to brown the pork chops.

Chutney

• Apples: The base of the chutney is made with 3 large peeled, cored, and diced apples.
• Shallot: 1 small, finely diced shallot will add a great taste to the chutney.
• Dijon mustard: Next, add 2 tablespoon of Dijon mustard.
• Maple syrup: Like with the pork chops, add a bit of extra sweet flavor with 2 tablespoon of maple syrup.
• Red wine vinegar: Follow the maple syrup with 3 tablespoon of red wine vinegar.
• Seasonings: Then, add 3 thyme sprigs, ½ teaspoon of salt, and ¼ teaspoon of allspice.
• Water: Last but not least, you'll need about ½ cup of water.

Tools needed to make this recipe

To prepare pecan crusted pork chops, you will need the following kitchen tools and measuring cups:

• Large baking dish
• Food processor
• Small mixing bowl
• Whisk
• Sauté pan
• Saucepan
• Stirring utensil

For measuring, you will need the following sized measuring cup: ¼ tsp, ½ tsp, 1 tsp, 1 tbsp, ¼ cup, and ½ cup.

How to make pecan-crusted pork with apple chutney

Nut-crusted pork chops are made by breading the chops with nuts like you would with flour or anything else. Then, we make the apple chutney by simply heating everything up in a saucepan! This easy but delicious recipe yields 7 servings.

To begin, preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a large baking dish.

Then, use a food processor to blend together the pecans, thyme, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and allspice. Process until it reaches a fine texture, and then transfer the mix to a small plate.

In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, dijon mustard, and maple syrup.

Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoon of avocado oil.

Dip the pork chops into the egg wash mixture, and then into the pecan mixture. Repeat until fully coated on both sides.

Place the pork in a sauté pan and brown on each side for two minutes. Then, add to the baking dish. Repeat until all of the pork chops are browned.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 140°F. Let rest for 10 minutes.

While the pork chops bake, prepare the apple chutney recipe.

Begin by adding all of the prepared chutney ingredients (except the water) to a saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat.

Let the apples cook for 10 minutes, adding ½ cup of water when they become dry. Reduce the heat to medium and let cook for another 5-10 minutes.

Once the apples are ready, pour them over the pork chops and serve!

Storing leftovers

If you wind up with an extra chop or two, store by refrigerating for up to 2-3 days. Lock in fresh flavors by sealing the pork chops in a freezer bag (remove any extra air), wrapping them in foil, or placing them in an airtight container.

As for the chutney, that should also be refrigerated and can be stored in a similar air-tight container. I recommend storing it in a separate container from the pork chops. Enjoy within 2-3 days.

If you liked this recipe, you'll want to try these!

If you find yourself craving all of the apple recipes this fall, try these ideas!

• Apple Cider Pulled Pork
• Healthy Apple Crisp
• Gluten-Free Apple Pie
• Bourbon Apple Cider Cocktail

Photos by Moriah Sawtelle and recipe by Erin Antoniak.