Lightly dust pork chops with cornstarch before adding them to the slow cooker. The result is divine

This slow cooker 5-ingredient pork chop recipe is one of those cozy, no-fuss meals that feels like a hug at the end of a long day. The light cornstarch coating gives the pork chops a delicate crust and helps thicken the simple sauce as they cook low and slow. It’s the kind of dish that reminds me of the easy, comforting suppers I grew up with in the Midwest—nothing fancy, just good, honest food that fills the house with a warm, savory smell.

This is perfect for busy nights when you still want to put a home-cooked meal on the table without hovering over the stove, and it’s mild enough that even picky eaters usually come back for seconds.

These pork chops are wonderful served over a bed of creamy mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or steamed white rice so that every drop of the sauce has somewhere to go. A simple veggie on the side—like buttered green beans, roasted carrots, or a quick salad—balances out the richness of the meat.

If you like a more old-fashioned, meat-and-potatoes plate, add some warm dinner rolls or cornbread to soak up the juices. For a lighter meal, pair the pork chops with roasted vegetables and a crisp coleslaw. This is a flexible dish, so use whatever you have on hand and what your family loves most.

Slow Cooker 5-Ingredient Cornstarch-Coated Pork Chops

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

4 boneless pork chops (about 1 inch thick)
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup chicken broth

Directions

1. Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels so the coating will stick nicely.

2. In a shallow bowl or plate, stir together the cornstarch, salt, and black pepper.

3. Lightly coat each pork chop in the cornstarch mixture, shaking off any extra so there’s just a thin, even layer.

4. Place the coated pork chops in the bottom of the slow cooker, arranging them in a single layer as much as possible.

5. Pour the chicken broth gently around the pork chops, trying not to wash off the coating too much. It’s fine if a little comes off; it will help thicken the cooking liquid into a light sauce.

6. Cover and cook on LOW for 5–6 hours or on HIGH for 2½–3 hours, until the pork chops are tender and cooked through (internal temperature reaches 145°F).

7. Once done, carefully remove the pork chops to a plate. Give the sauce in the slow cooker a quick stir; it should be slightly thickened from the cornstarch. If you’d like it thicker, you can turn the slow cooker to HIGH and let it bubble with the lid off for about 5–10 minutes.

8. Spoon the warm sauce over the pork chops before serving, and taste to see if you’d like a pinch more salt or pepper at the table.


Variations & Tips

For picky eaters, you can keep the seasonings very simple—just salt and pepper—and let everyone add their own favorite sauces at the table, like a little ketchup, barbecue sauce, or even ranch. If your family enjoys more flavor, try adding 1 teaspoon of garlic powder or onion powder to the cornstarch mixture.

To make it creamier, stir in 1/4–1/2 cup of sour cream or a splash of heavy cream into the sauce during the last 15 minutes of cooking. For a slightly sweeter version, you can replace half of the chicken broth with apple juice or add a tablespoon of brown sugar.

If you prefer bone-in pork chops, those work too—just add about 30 minutes to the cooking time on LOW. And if you’d like a complete one-pot meal, tuck a few baby potatoes and carrot chunks around the pork chops before cooking; just be sure they’re cut small enough so they become tender by the time the meat is done.