Slow Cooker Smothered Pork Chops

If you’ve been looking for an easy and delicious way to cook pork chops, this one is for you. Slow cooker smothered pork chops with a creamy mushroom and onion gravy.

I love this recipe because it’s simple, uses basic ingredients, and the result tastes like real comfort food. The kind of meal that makes the whole house smell amazing.

The slow cooker keeps the pork chops moist and tender while the gravy builds up all that flavor on its own. No need to babysit anything.

You can prep everything in about 10 minutes, set it, and come back to a fully cooked dinner that the whole family will enjoy.

It pairs perfectly with mashed potatoes, rice, or even just some crusty bread to soak up all that gravy. Here’s how I make it.

What Makes This Recipe So Good

Incredibly Tender Pork Chops – Slow cooking bone-in pork chops for hours in that creamy mushroom gravy makes them so tender they practically fall off the bone, which is hard to achieve with any other cooking method.

The Gravy Makes Itself – The cream of mushroom soup, chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, and all those onion and mushroom juices combine as they cook down into a rich, savory gravy without you having to stand at the stove stirring anything.

Minimal Hands-On Time – You spend about 10 minutes seasoning the chops, slicing the onion and mushrooms, and whisking the sauce together, then the slow cooker does all the real work for you while you go about your day.

Ingredients

• 6 Bone-In Pork Chops, about 1 inch thick
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 tsp Onion Powder
• 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
• 1 large Yellow Onion, sliced into rings
• 8 oz Cremini Mushrooms, sliced
• 10.5 oz Cream of Mushroom Soup (1 can)
• 1 cup Chicken Broth
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 2 tbsp Fresh Parsley, chopped

Directions

Step 1

Season the pork chops on both sides with garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper.

Step 2

Spread the sliced onion rings and mushrooms in the bottom of the slow cooker.

Step 3

In a bowl, whisk together cream of mushroom soup, chicken broth, and worcestershire sauce until smooth.

Step 4

Arrange the seasoned pork chops over the onions and mushrooms in the slow cooker, overlapping slightly if needed. Pour the mushroom soup mixture evenly over the top.

Step 5

Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours, until the pork chops are tender and cooked through.

Step 6

Carefully transfer the pork chops to a serving platter. Stir the gravy, onions, and mushrooms together in the slow cooker, then spoon the smothered gravy generously over the pork chops. Garnish with fresh parsley.

Pro Tips

Sear the Pork Chops First

This step isn’t in the recipe but it makes a big difference. Before you put the pork chops in the slow cooker, get a hot skillet with a little oil and sear each chop for about 2 minutes per side until they get a nice golden-brown crust.

Slow cookers don’t brown meat, so without this step the pork chops can look pale and taste a little flat. That quick sear locks in flavor and gives the meat a deeper, more savory taste that carries through the whole dish.

You don’t need to cook them through – just get some color on the outside and then lay them right into the slow cooker as the recipe says.

Use Bone-In Chops and Don’t Go Thin

Bone-in pork chops around 1 inch thick are important here. Thin or boneless chops will dry out and turn rubbery after hours in the slow cooker, even with all that gravy on top.

The bone helps keep the meat moist and adds flavor to the gravy as everything cooks together. Thick chops hold up much better during the long cook time and stay tender and juicy.

If you can only find thinner chops, cut your cook time down. Check them around 4 to 5 hours on low or 2.5 hours on high so they don’t overcook.

Layer Everything in the Right Order

Keeping the onions and mushrooms on the bottom is key. They release a lot of moisture as they cook, which builds up from the bottom and helps create that rich smothered gravy.

When you place the pork chops on top of the vegetables, try to keep them in a single layer as much as possible. A little overlap is fine, but stacking them directly on top of each other means the ones in the middle won’t cook evenly and the gravy won’t reach them.

Related Recipes

• Instant Pot Beef Stew
• Instant Pot Creamy Tuscan Chicken
• Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken
• Instant Pot Mississippi Pot Roast
• Instant Pot Salsa Chicken

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use boneless pork chops instead of bone-in?

You can, but bone-in chops are really the better choice here. The bone helps the meat stay juicy and adds more flavor to the gravy as it slow cooks for hours.

If you go with boneless, reduce the cook time by about an hour since they’re thinner and can dry out faster. Check them around the 5-hour mark on low or 2.5 hours on high.