Curried Pork Chops With Apples & Leeks

In this healthy oven-baked pork chop recipe, roasted apples and leeks lend a sweet-and-tart note. If you always chop the dark green tops off your leeks, don’t discard them this time — they have a delicious flavor and become meltingly tender when roasted.

Clean leeks well to be sure they’re grit-free: After slicing, place in a bowl filled with water and swish around to release any sand or soil trapped between the layers. Scoop the leeks out of the bowl with a slotted spoon, leaving any sand or soil behind in the bowl. Drain well. Repeat as needed.

Prep/Cook Time: 40 Minutes, Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 3 large, crisp red apples, cut into ½-inch pieces
• 1 large or 2 medium leeks, halved lengthwise and sliced, including white and green parts
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• ½ teaspoon salt, divided
• ½ teaspoon ground pepper, divided
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 4 bone-in pork chops, ½- to ¾-inch thick (about 2 pounds), trimmed
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

Directions

1. Position racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 425°F. Coat 2 large rimmed baking sheets with cooking spray.
2. Combine apples, leeks, 2 tablespoons oil and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper in a large bowl. Spread onto one prepared baking sheet. (Reserve the bowl.) Roast on the lower rack, stirring once or twice, until the apples are tender and the leeks are wilted, 20 to 25 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, combine curry powder, the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and remaining ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper in a small bowl. Spread the mixture on both sides of pork chops and let stand until the apple mixture is almost done.
4. Leaving the apple mixture in the oven, turn the broiler on high. Place the pork chops on the second baking sheet and broil on the upper rack until an instant-read thermometer inserted horizontally into a chop without touching bone registers 145°F, 4 to 6 minutes.
5. Combine vinegar and brown sugar in the large bowl. Add the apple mixture and toss to combine. Serve with the pork chops.

Nutritional Information

Per Serving: 429 calories; 20 g fat (4 g sat); 5 g fiber; 31 g carbohydrates; 33 g protein; 20 mcg folate; 100 mg cholesterol; 22 g sugars; 3 g added sugars; 463 IU vitamin A; 10 mg vitamin C; 63 mg calcium; 2 mg iron; 365 mg sodium; 672 mg potassium

© Dotdash Meredith. All rights reserved. Used with permission.