Sometimes life comes together in simple, beautiful ways…not often, but sometimes. Times like when you walk outside and the sun is at a perfect angle and there is just a slight breeze and the warmth of the day is just right and the neighborhood is unaccountably quiet and you feel at complete peace. Or maybe like times when you walk into church one Sunday and you just know that God is happy because you can ‘feel’ the joy in the building and you find yourself truly loving the people around you, even the ones that are new to you. Or maybe even sometimes with making a simple dinner for your family, which they love, and which didn’t take any special effort on your part.
Mixing the church comment and the simple dinner comment in the same paragraph may seem odd, but when I made this particular dinner, I felt so peaceful. I think that the peace came because there was no frantic hurry involved with its preparation. For four whole hours I didn’t have to worry about dinner. It did help, I’ll admit, that I have two slow cookers, a very old one that I have had for many years and a relatively new one with a bell and whistle or two.
In one slow cooker I made Pork Chops with Dressing and Gravy and in the other slow cooker I made some delicious Savory Mashed Potatoes (recipe and how-to in tomorrow’s post). Just FYI, the cheesy mashed potatoes are really and truly done all in the slow cooker–a one pot wonder.
Before I go any further, you need to know that this recipe for the pork chops has cream of chicken soup in it. If you have a problem with using ‘cream of’ soups, then perhaps this is not a good recipe for you. Like I have already said, though, this recipe is simple, easy, and stress free. Sometimes stress-free = using cream of chicken soup in a recipe.
I do use Campbell’s Healthy Request brand of cream of chicken soup and I stand by it as the most flavorful brand of soup. I have tried other store brands of ‘cream of’ soups and they just don’t have what I am looking for in flavor and texture. The addition of the cream of chicken soup to this meal provides a no-fuss gravy. A box of stuffing mix and some fresh onions bring lots of flavor to the meal. Because of the nature of a slow cooker, the pork chops end up being fork tender.
Add a simple tossed salad with some of those delicious garden vegetables that are available at this time of year and the meal is complete. The pork chops provide your meat and bread, the savory mashed potatoes provide the starch/carb that makes us all so happy, and the salad brings fresh vegetables to round out the meal. Happiness on a dinner plate.
Update 1/23/14: A commentor, RGoss2010, used frozen pork chops to make this. Here are her changes: “I heated it (the slow cooker) for 2 hours on high, then turned it to low for 4 and a half hours. I did put a little olive oil in the crock pot first and used a paper towel to coat the sides and bottom with a thin layer to help later with cleaning. I also used a can full of chicken broth (instead of the water).”
Pork Chops with Dressing and Creamy Gravy {Slow Cooker}
Ingredients
- 4 pork chops, 3/4-inch thick (I used bone-in chops)
- 1 onion, cut into rings about 1/4-inch thick
- 1 box stuffing or dressing mix (I used Stove-Top brand, pork flavored. Chicken flavored would also be great)
- 2 (10.75 ounces) cans cream of chicken soup (I used Campbell's Healthy Request Cream of Chicken soup)
- 1 soup can water
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted (optional, but recommended if your pork chops are very lean)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
To Double Pork Chops with Dressing and Creamy Gravy (not every ingredient gets doubled)
- 8-9 pork chops, about 3/4-inch thick, bone-in
- 2 medium onions, cut into rings a generous 1/4" thick
- 2 packages stuffing mix, 6-8 ounces depending on brand stuffing mix
- 3 (10.75 ounces) cans cream of chicken soup (I used Campbell's Healthy Request)
- 1 1/2 soup cans water
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted, optional (I accidentally left this out and everything tasted great. If your pork chops are very lean, I think that it may be helpful to use the butter, but of course it is up to you.)
- Salt and pepper, to taste (or use seasoning salt)
Instructions
Single Recipe Directions:
- Season each pork chop with salt and pepper. Place in the bottom of a slow cooker.
- Scatter the onion rings over the pork chops.
- Sprinkle the dry stuffing mix over the onions.
- In a bowl, mix together the cream of chicken soup, one soup can full of water, and the melted butter. Pour over the dry stuffing mix.
- Cover. Cook on high for 4 hours. Serve with mashed potatoes and a side salad. Say, "Oh my goodness; this tastes amazing!"
Directions for Doubling Recipe:
- Mix together the soup, water, and melted butter (if using). Set aside.
- Season the pork chops with salt and pepper or seasoning salt.
- Put 4 pork chops on the bottom of the crock. It's okay if they overlap.
- Layer half of the onion rings on top of the pork chops.
- Sprinkle one of the packages of stuffing mix over the onions.
- Pour half of the soup mixture over the stuffing.
- Place the remaining pork chops on top of the soup mixture.
- Layer in order on top of the pork chops: onions, stuffing, soup. NOTE: If things look a little too tall prior to adding the final layer of soup, use your hands to kind of press everything down somewhat and then pour the soup over it all. Things will cook down a bit, so not to worry.
- Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours until hot and bubbly and pork chops are fork tender.
Notes
This post has been linked to:
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I think I will be giving this a try. Thanks for sharing!
Diane, you’re welcome. I hope that this works out well for you. Drop back by and let me know if you try it.
After seeing your recipe I couldn’t get it out of my head, so guess what’s for dinner tonight??? Yep! Can’t wait to sink my teeth into it!
Woohoo! Let me know how it works.
This looks amazing!! I love your slow cooker recipes. I can’t wait to see the mash potatoes tomorrow. 🙂
PS… I know exactly what you mean about that “feeling” you get of peace sometimes. I get it more in the spring and fall… when the weather is just right. 🙂
I’m working on the mashed potatoes right now. I had to re-make them because I had lost the daylight before I got them ready to photograph. I was trying to do too many things at once and ran out of time. Anyway, the post will be up in a few hours. ~Terri
Okay, stupid question time. How, exactly would I go about doubling this recipe? Or can I even double it? Can I just stack the pork chops on top of each other,or should I separate them with the onions? What do you think?
Norma, it’s not a stupid question at all. As I was working on the recipe I started thinking about how to double it. “Oh drat,” I thought. “I ought to have played around with doubling this thing before posting it.”
So, long story short, I haven’t doubled it yet. I will work on that today because I am sure that others will have the same question. I even have the same question! Just off hand, I am gong to go with a layering option–chops, onions, stuffing, maybe increase the soup to three cans and add half of that on top of the stuffing, then repeat the layers. I’m sure that the cooking time will increase. I’ll have to get back to you to let you know how that works. It just so happens that I am in the mood to have this for dinner again tonight! ~Terri
Hi Norma. I wanted to follow up with you regarding doubling this recipe. It worked well tonight even though the slow cooker was filled to the brim! I cooked a total of 9 pork chops because that is what I had in the freezer awaiting my attention. Here is how I did everything.
8-9 pork chops, about 3/4-inch thick, bone-in
2 medium onions, cut into rings a generous 1/4″ thick
2 packages (6-8 ounces depending on brand) stuffing mix
3 cans (10 3/4 ounces) cream of chicken soup (I used Campbell’s Healthy Request)
1 1/2 soup cans water
4 tablespoons butter, melted (I accidentally left this out tonight and everything tasted great)
Salt and pepper, to taste (or use seasoning salt)
1. Mix together the soup, water, and melted butter (if using). Set aside.
2. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper or seasoning salt.
3. Put 4 pork chops on the bottom of the crock. It’s okay if they overlap.
4. Layer half of the onion rings on top of the pork chops.
5. Sprinkle one of the packages of stuffing mix over the onions.
6. Pour half of the soup mixture over the stuffing.
7. Place the remaining pork chops on top of the soup mixture.
8. Layer in order on top of the pork chops: onions, stuffing, soup. NOTE: If things look a little too tall prior to adding the final layer of soup, use your hands to kind of press everything down somewhat and then pour the soup over it all. Things will cook down a bit, so not to worry.
9. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours until hot and bubbly and pork chops are fork tender.
Have fun! Let me know how things work out for you.
Thanks for the update, Terri. I’ll let you know how turns out.
WOW that looks good! Definitely putting on my list for next week
Shica–Thank you. Let me know how it works out for you. It’s always scary to send my little recipes out into the world for someone else to try! What if they don’t work out!? ~Terri
Terri, I love your recipes so please know they are going to a good home…a great home! All of us need to stick together and share recipes so we can all enjoy them. Over the years I have met several people that will not share their secret recipe and it’s sad they hoard them. Please know how very much I enjoy your site and stories and recipes. Keep them coming.
Leahtbug, you are always so sweet. Thanks for being such a good supporter.
I’ve met those same kind of “my recipe is too sacred to share” kind of people, too. It’s funny, but I read a recipe on the internet recently that was supposed to be the first revelation of someone’s big family secret recipe for a snack item. When I read the recipe I had to laugh because I’ve been making an identical recipe for the past 30 years.
Great Chefs? Sure, go ahead and have secret recipes. Everybody else? Come on, share the love and let other people enjoy making memories with their friends and loved ones. Gosh.
Isn’t healthy request soup the best? I like it too. I can never find it for sale by the case at case lot sales but I don’t even mind. I’ll buy it one at a time, full price! These pork chops sound so good!! Can’t wait for the potato recipe too. I do have a thing for the crock pot! 🙂
Yes, I really like using it! As for it going on sale…only once have I ever found the Healthy Request soups on sale. Last year at Smith’s they sold it for $1.00 per can, which is a good price for this costly little gem. It wasn’t on sale during a case lot sale; just on sale one random week. I stocked up on a bunch of them, but have finally used the last one of the cream of chicken. I still have a few cans of the cream of mushroom and cream of celery.
I know a lot of people are dead set against using these soups, but they do have their place and purpose. I’ve seen a lot of ‘cream of’ soup replacement recipes and I’d like to offer one thought on the matter–if you are making your own homemade version because you are afraid of the ‘scary’ ingredient list on the label, then I’d like to ask you this: what’s in the bouillon frequently used for flavoring the homemade ‘cream of’ soup substitutes? Hmmmmm…can you say MSG, disodium guanylate, and disodium inosinate? Seriously, if I am going to get essentially the same ingredients in a can of cream of whatever soup as I would in a homemade substitute, I’d rather save myself some time and just use the ready-to-go stuff. HOWEVER, the homemade mixes are a cost saver (I think. I really need to do the math), plus they are relatively shelf stable and can be made from ingredients most people already have hanging out in their kitchens. I think I need to do a post on this one. Sorry for the long response. 😉
Just found you and glad I did. As we head into Fall I’m looking for some new crockpot recipes. I’ll try this one for sure.
okay to cook on low for 8 hours or so? what about the mashed potatoes?
Amber, yes it should be okay to cook the chops on low for 8 hours. They might fall apart, howver they will taste good! The potatoes might work if you left them whole instead of cutting them. Otherwise they will most likely get too mushy. If you do decide to try either of these for the 8 hours on low, please dr back by and let me know how things worked for you. –Terri
Is the consistency supposed to truly resemble a separate gravy and stuffing, or will they cook up together to make just a really moist dressing?
Hi Amber. Good question. Mostly the gravy and stuffing tend to cook together. When you first dip in to the slow cooker for a serving, you will see a layer of gravy with the stuffing sandwiched between the gravy and pork chop. It may appear to be simply dry, intact stuffing. However, it is very moist. On your plate, the gravy will cover and mix with the stuffing. There will be portions of the mixture which will be mostly stuffing with gravy and other portions where there is simply a super moist stuffing/gravy combination, more like a savory bread pudding. Because this is a slow cooker meal, you will most likely not get a separate gravy and stuffing per se as you would if each item was cooked individually.
It’s cooking at home right now! It will have been cooking on low for 10 hours by the time I can dig into it. I will let you know how the experiment turns out. 🙂
going to make this for Sunday night dinner and put up the christmas tree tonight. Can’t wait!! Perfect end to the weekend.
Decorating the tree! That sounds like so much fun.
All I have on hand is 1 can of cream of mushroom and 1 can of cream of chicken. Also. I have to make my own stuffing. My bread cubes are plain. Ugh. Would the soup be ok. Or should I just head to the store? I don’t wanna put clothes on. Lol.
Dang. I just saw your comment, Jasmine, when I got home from work. (Looooooong day). I’m guessing you figured out a dinner plan, even though I didn’t get to respond to your query until now. However, in the future: mix and match the soups to whatever taste you prefer or whatever you have on hand. As for the plain bread cubes, just toss them with some dried herbs such as thyme, sage, parsley, rosemary or good ol’ poultry seasoning, salt and pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder, and maybe a crushed chicken bouillon cube or two . I don’t know how much total–I’m one of those “’til it looks right” people. Hmm, now that I think about it, that would make a good blog post–how to make your own dried stuffing mix.
Great recipe! I made this for dinner tonight and my family loved it. Served it with mashed potatoes and a salad. Yummy!
Yippy skippy! I’m so glad that you and your family enjoyed the recipe. I’m in the mood to have it for dinner again, too!
Terri,
Can you use frozen pork chops or do they have to be thawed? I want to make this today!!
Good question. Frozen should work fine, but you may need to add an extra hour of cooking time. Let me know how things turn out for you. ~Terri
Terri,
I used frozen and it came out wonderful! I needed to cook it a bit different though. I heated it for 2 hours on high, then turned it to low for 4 and a half hours. I did put a little olive oil in the crock pot first and used a paper towel to coat the sides and bottom with a thin layer to help later with cleaning. I also used a can full on chicken broth rather than water because I was afraid the pork chop would put out more water from being frozen.
I was asked by my entire crew (some picky eaters) when I could make it again! Thank you so much for posting this awesome recipe!!
Woohoooo! Score! You rocked it! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out. Great idea about coating the crock pot with olive oil to help prevent sticking and reduce clean-up time. The chicken broth was also a great idea instead of water. I’m going to add your suggestions in an update on the recipe.
I cooked the single size recipe and liked it very much. The pork chops were tender, full of flavor and did not fall apart. However, it makes a lot of dressing/gravy. I would make this recipe again, but cut the soup and dressing in half. I particularly liked the 4 hour cooking time. Thanks for the great recipe.
Hi, Rose. Thank you for leaving a comment. I’m glad that you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for the suggestion regarding the dressing and gravy. ~Terri
can you cook the pork chops and gravy on low for 8 hours instead of on high for 4 hours?
Hi Susan. I have not cooked this meal on low, personally, but I have had other people tell me that they have done it and that it worked for them. Best wishes and please let me know how things work out for you with cooking it on low. ~Terri
I had pork chops thawing and didn’t get home in time to stuff and cook them. I plan to try this tomorrow. Sounds heavenly. I will let you know how it turns out. I plan to substitute cream of celery for one of the cream of chicken cans, as I have found that combination to be wonderful. Have you ever varied this by adding chopped veggies to the stuffing mix? Such as onions, celery, apples, cranberries? I am wondering how they would do in the crock pot?
Hi Barb. I also like to use cream of celery and cream of chicken soups together; so delicious. I have not added veggies to the stuffing mix, but that sounds like a great idea. The recipe does call for sliced onions to be layered with the pork chops, so it would probably be best to go with the celery, apples or cranberries. The onion slices cook very well in the crock pot, so I am sure that other veggies or fruit would work well, also. Let me know about the changes you make and how they work for you. ~Terri
I was looking for a stuffed pork chop recipe to do in the crock pot last week that was a little different. I have done pork chops and stuffing before in the crock pot and similar to this recipe. The main difference was that the meat was always on top. Plus, the addition of the layer of onions. So, I decided to give this a try and oh my!!! Yummy in our tummies! No need to look for another recipe. And I think I will try it with boneless chicken sometime soon too. Thanks for sharing your wonderful recipes.
Terry, thank YOU! I am so glad that this recipe worked well for you. Chicken sounds like a great idea. I’m going to give that one a try probably tomorrow or Saturday. Yum! ~Terri
I loved the idea of cooking the whole meal in the crock pot but it not being a soup or stew! I seasoned the pork chops and put them in first as the recipe instructed. I then put all the onion rings and about a pound of fresh carrots fit in 1/2 inch long pieces. I didn’t have enough dressing mix so I added seasoned croutons. I used one can of cream of mushroom soup and one can of cream of chicken soup each mixed with1/2 can of water and added the soups to the top. It was yummy and the carrots and onions were cooked in 5 hours on high. Thanks for the ideas.
Amy, it sounds as though you made some tasty adaptations to this recipe! I’m glad that it all worked out so well for you. I’ll give carrots a try in this dish the next time I make it. ~Terri
I found this recipe today and made it for our Sunday supper.Came out great!cant wait to try more of your recipes. Thank you for the tasty supper tonight!
Thanks, Stefan. I’m so glad that the recipe worked well for you.
I just happen to come across your site by accident and decided to try this for supper tonight..after I threw everything in the crock pot I realized I didnt scroll down far enough to see the pictures and the comments..when I mixed my butter, soup and i did use broth it was not as thick and creamy as what the picture shows..I did use healthy request cream of chicken bc thats what was on sale at the time it was rather thin and runny out of the can instead of a thicker glob. As i look in the top of my crock pot all i see is bare stuffing everything soaked thru or down to the chops. Jw if i should throw another can of soup on top to keep the stuffing from getting hard and dry? I will also be trying other recipes from your site as i try 2-3 new meals a wk.
Roxie, the stuffing will not be hard and dry. The moisture from the chops, onions and gravy will make things very moist. Let it all cook together and it should work out just fine. 🙂 ~Terri
Add 8 oz of sour cream. Wonderful.
This knocked my husbands and my socks off. Ssssoooooooo much flavor. Will be making this again.
Has anyone browned the chops before
adding to the crockpot? Or is it
unnecessary?
Also, just made as directed. For some reason
it was way to soupy. I think one can of soup
and one can of water would have worked.
Added more stuffing, it was quite tasty.
Making this now. Since it’s just for me I cut it in half w 2 thick pork chops, 1/2 box stuffing, 1/2 onion and 1 can soup…..can’t wait!
🙂
This recipe looks so good. I am anxious to give it a try. Has anyone responded about cooking this on low with their Crockpot?
It sounds wonderful! But was wondering will I need potatoes since there is stuffing?