Pork chops or Chicken Breasts with Onion Sauce

I have been craving meat lately, and my husband is over the moon because it’s his favorite food group. He only needs potatoes and maybe a small side of veggies. I’m more of a veggie, potato, and gravy kind of person, with less meat. While searching for dinner ideas, I found some delicious pork loin chops at Whole Foods. I love their pork. When I was a kid, my grandpa raised pigs on our family farm in Germany. The pigs had huge stalls and spent their days outside foraging in the garden. Nowadays, they’d be called heritage pigs. I wish I could find that quality of pig meat here; it’s incredible.

Once I got home with my pork chops, I looked for a new recipe and found a good one on a German website. It had all my favorite ingredients, including a light, nicely flavored gravy. Let me tell you, it was a hit! The meat was moist and tender, and the sauce went perfectly. It was so good that I tried the same boneless chicken breast recipe. The chicken breasts turned my salad into a meal and were great on a sandwich. 

I served my pork chops with mashed celeriac root and potatoes. I will share the recipe the next time I prepare them. The reason is that I did not measure the ingredients. I still have Swiss chard in my garden, and I prepared my Swiss chard with raisins; I did not add the pine nuts to the Swiss chard. The Swiss chard with raisins made this meal complete. 
The original recipe called for Caraway seeds. You will find them quite often in German dishes like sauerkraut and sauces. I left them out, but feel free to add them. Toast 1 TBS of caraway seeds in a dry pan until they change color. Then, grind them with a mortar and pestle or coffee grinder. Germans believe that caraway seeds help you digest your food. 

There are a few things to consider for this recipe. You'll need a meat thermometer to measure the temperature. The pork is done when it reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove from the oven, cover it, and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes. The chicken breasts must reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit on the thermometer. Again, allow the meat to rest for 5 to 10 minutes, and cover it to keep it warm. This recipe can be easily doubled.

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Ingredients:
Recipe for two
2 boneless pork loin chops 
or 2 boneless skin-on chicken breasts
1 large red onion 
2 TBS dried marjoram
4 TBS olive oil
2 TBS butter  
1 TBS tomato paste 
½ to 1 tsp. sugar 
½ tsp. sweet paprika 
2 bay leaves 
1 ½ cup vegetable broth
Directions:
Remove pork chops from the refrigerator 30 minutes before roasting. Cut the onion into quarters and then into thin strips. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat an oven-proof dish in the oven.
Slightly slice the fat edges of the pork chops and season the meat with salt, pepper, and one teaspoon of dried marjoram. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and sauté the meat on all sides for 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to the heated ovenproof dish. Add one teaspoon each of butter on top of the two pork chops and finish cooking in the hot oven on the middle rack for 10 minutes or until the meat reaches the internal temperature of 145 degrees. Cover the meat and let it rest for 5-10 minutes. 
I used two boneless skin-on chicken breasts and cooked them the same way I cooked the pork chops. I took them out of the oven when the internal temperature reached 165 degrees. I covered them and let them rest for another 10 minutes. These succulent chicken breasts will turn your favorite salad into a meal or make a great sandwich or snack.  I like eating them with my Romesco sauce.  
For the sauce, add 2 tbsp olive oil and 2 tsp butter to the pan, add the onions, and sauté for 5 minutes over medium heat. Add 1⁄2 tsp sugar and 1 tbsp tomato paste; roast briefly. Season with salt, pepper, and a little hot paprika. Deglaze with 1½ cup of vegetable stock, add 1⁄2 tsp dried marjoram and two bay leaves, and let it cook uncovered for 5 minutes., reducing the liquid. Season the sauce with salt and pepper. If you prefer a thinner sauce, add more broth. 
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This is a recipe from Essen und Trinken
Adapted by Sonnycovechef.com

 If you prefer Schnitzel ( breaded pork chop) with or without a tasty mushroom sauce, this recipe is for you.  Click here!