Diner-Style Pork Chop Sandwich with Slaw
A crisp breaded pork chop gets stacked on a toasted bun with tangy pickle slaw and a swipe of mustardy mayo.
Prep: 18 · Cook: 12 · Total: 30 · Serves: 4 · Difficulty: Medium · Rating: 4.8/5 (214 reviews)
INSPIRED BY
Classic Midwestern pork tenderloin sandwiches inspired this stacked, crispy version with a pickle-forward slaw twist.
Story
Somewhere between Des Moines and nowhere in particular, there is always a diner doing a pork chop sandwich right. Thin, fried, bigger than the bun, and begging for pickles. This one gets a crunchy slaw that tastes like the pickle jar showed up to the party. Take a bite, it snaps, it drips, it rules. Keep paper towels close and do not bother pretending you will eat it politely.
By Theo
Ingredients
- 2 cups shredded cabbage or slaw mix
- 1/2 cup dill pickle chips, chopped
- 2 tbsp pickle brine
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tsp sugar or honey
- Black pepper
- 4 thin-cut boneless pork chops (about 4 oz each)
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 large egg, beaten with 1 tbsp water
- 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- Neutral oil, for shallow frying
- 4 brioche buns, toasted
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
Instructions
- Toss cabbage with chopped pickles, pickle brine, 2 tablespoons mayo, sweetener, and black pepper, then chill while you cook the pork.
- Season pork chops with salt and garlic powder. Set up three bowls, flour, egg wash, and panko.
- Dredge each chop in flour, dip in egg, then press into panko until well coated.
- Heat a thin layer of oil in a skillet over medium-high. Fry chops 2 to 3 minutes per side until deep golden and cooked through.
- Stir Dijon and 2 tablespoons mayo together, then spread on toasted buns.
- Stack pork and a big handful of pickle slaw on each bun, press it down, then serve immediately.
Chef Tips
- For extra crunch, toast the panko in a dry pan for 2 minutes before breading.
- If your chops are thicker than 1/2 inch, pound them between parchment to even thickness.
- No brioche, no problem, any sturdy bun works.
- Add hot sauce to the mustard mayo if you want it meaner.
Cook's Notes
- **Thin is king:** If the chop is thick, pound it so it fries fast without drying out.
- **Oil temp:** If the crumbs brown too fast, drop the heat a notch and give it an extra minute.
- **Slaw shortcut:** Bagged slaw mix saves time and crunches great.