Delicious, moist, and tender grilled stuffed pork chops in less than 30 minutes, stuffed with sautéed spinach, garlic, and feta cheese. I use a butterfly technique and tenderize each half of the pork chop so that every bite is filled with stuffing and a tender piece of pork chop.
Loving grilled Mediterranean recipes? Check out our Greek Chicken Burger or Mediterranean Chicken Wrap!
Looking for more recipes for the grill? Try our Chicken Spiedini or Grilled Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs.
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Why This Recipe
I had a recipe similar to this in a Greek restaurant called Taverna Agora. Still to this day, I claim their grilled stuffed pork chop was the best meal I've ever had at a restaurant. It was so tender and moist, stuffed with spinach and feta. I had to recreate it.
This is a simple Mediterranean recipe that utilizes a few high-quality ingredients to make an easy but tasty dish. This recipe focuses on ingredient quality and technique, like using a high-quality block of feta cheese, butterflying and tenderizing the pork chop, and using a bone-in pork chop to give you somewhere to press the stuffing against!
I love Mediterranean food. Simple recipes like our Summer Farro Salad with Cannellini Beans or Busiate with Pesto Trapanese go great with this Grilled Stuffed Pork Chop.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Feta. Block feta is best because it is naturally more creamy and moist than pre-crumbled feta. I've tested both, and while crumbled feta can get the job done, block feta in a brine results in a creamier stuffing that doesn't dry out. Feta is also the perfect cheese for grilling because while it might ooze slightly, it won't melt right out of your pork chop.
- Pork Chops. Use 1-1.5-inch-thick Bone-in pork chops for this recipe because I find that thicker pork chops, 1-inch thick or larger, are better to stuff because they are less likely to be accidentally overcooked. If you use something different, be sure to adjust your cook time.
*Please see the recipe card below for more information about the ingredients.
How to Make Grilled Stuffed Pork Chops with Spinach and Feta
This is a 30-minute recipe perfect for summer weeknight grilling. The steps below outline the best way to make a tender and delicious grilled stuffed pork chop.
Step 1: Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a saucepan over medium-low heat. Once hot, add garlic and sauté for one minute.
Step 2: Stir in chopped spinach. Sauté the spinach until wilted, then season with ½ teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper. Then remove from the heat.
Step 3: Preheat the grill to high heat, about 600℉. Butterfly your pork chops by slicing in half from the outside of the pork chop in toward the bone. Don't slice all the way through. Use a meat tenderizer to pound out the pork chop gently.
Step 4: Stuff the pork chops by evenly distributing the sautéed spinach and feta between each. Close the pork chops, drizzle with olive oil, and season with the remaining salt and pepper.
Technique Tip: I butterfly the pork chops instead of cutting a pocket because I can pound (tenderize) each side of the pork chop to make it larger and hold a substantial amount of stuffing.
Step 5: Place the pork chops on the grill and immediately lower the heat to medium. Grill for 4-5 minutes and then turn. Grill for another 4-5 minutes or until the pork chops reach 145℉ and the stuffing reaches 165℉.
Step 6: Test the center of the actual pork chop and not the stuffing. You can do this by the bone or test the center of the top or bottom half of the pork chop. Rest the pork chops for 5 minutes before serving.
Technique Tip: Use tongs to grab the pork chop at the opening to flip without losing the stuffing.
This pork chop is tender and delicious. I love a unique grilling recipe instead of the same old grilled chicken or burger. Try grilling it along with Italian Ring Sausage (Chevalatta).
If you want more inspiration, try Garlic Parm Chicken Skewers or Goat Cheese Burgers with Fig Jam.
Pro-Tips
- Pounding the meat with a tenderizer makes it more tender, even, and creates more surface area for stuffing. If you don't have a mallet, use a pan. Always cover the pork chop with plastic wrap before tenderizing.
- When grilling stuffed meats, remember that you created 2 parts that need to reach the internal temperature of 145℉, both sides of the meat, and 1 part, the stuffing, which needs to reach 165℉ to be considered safe. Make sure to temperature-check both sides of the pork chop before removing it.
- Always use an instant-read thermometer to decide when your meat is done. It will guarantee the juiciest and most tender meat. If you guess when it's finished, you're more likely to pull it off when the pork chop is already overcooked.
Recipe FAQs
Make sure that your grill has preheated for at least 10 minutes. Oil the grates before you place your pork chops. Cook your pork chops at medium to medium-high heat for 4 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness, before flipping. Remove the pork chops once they reach an internal temperature of 145℉.
Tenderize your meat with a meat tenderizer and use an instant-read thermometer to tell you when the meat is cooked through. If you overcook a pork chop, there is no saving it.
Yes. As long as the temperature of the pork has reached 145℉, it is okay if there is a little pink in the pork chop.
I've tested my butterfly technique on both bone-in and boneless, and bone-in always holds the stuffing more securely, and it's easier to butterfly because you can cut right to the bone.
It depends on the thickness and amount of stuffing, but typically, anywhere from 9-13 minutes.
What to Serve Stuffed Pork Chops With
- Serve pork chops with a side of warm vegetables, such as Sauteed Rapini with Garlic or Creamy Mushroom Mascarpone Soup, or make something in advance, like a cold Italian Green Bean Salad or Mediterranean Lentil Salad with Goat Cheese.
- A cold pasta salad like Italian Pasta Salad, Orzo and Garbanzo Bean Salad, or Caprese Tortellini Salad is perfect for summer grilling.
- Try it alongside some summer appetizers like Grilled Polenta with Marinara and Pesto, Easy Italian Fried Green Tomatoes, or Baked Italian Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms.
- Use one of our sauces to dip in, like Chipotle BBQ Sauce or Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing.
More Delicious Grilling Recipes
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Grilled Stuffed Pork Chops with Spinach and Feta
Equipment
- 1 gas grill
- 1 large saucepan
Ingredients
- 4 Bone-in Pork Chops, 1-1.5 inch thick
- 2 cups Spinach, chopped
- ½ cup feta cheese
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a saucepan over medium-low heat. Once hot, add garlic and sauté for one minute. Stir in chopped spinach. Saute the spinach until wilted, then season with ½ teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper. Then remove from the heat.
- Preheat the grill to high heat, 550-600℉. Butterfly your pork chops by slicing in half from the outside of the pork chop into the bone. Don't slice all the way through. Use a meat tenderizer to pound out the pork chop gently on both sides.
- Stuff the pork chops by evenly distributing the sautéed spinach and feta between each. Close the pork chops, drizzle with olive oil, and season with the remaining salt and pepper.
- Place the pork chops on the grill and immediately lower the heat to medium, 450℉. Cook each side for about 4-5 minutes or until the pork chops reach 145℉ and the stuffing reaches 165℉.
- Remove the pork chops from the grill and rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve over more sautéed spinach!
Video
Notes
- Pounding the meat out with a tenderizer will make it all the more tender and is worth doing. If you don't have a mallet, use a pan. Always cover the pork chop with plastic wrap before tenderizing.
- When grilling stuffed meats, remember that you created 2 parts that need to reach the internal temperature of 145℉, both sides of the meat, and 1 part, the stuffing, which needs to reach 165℉ to be considered safe. Make sure to temperature-check both sides of the pork chop before removing it.
- Always use an instant-read thermometer to decide when your meat is done. It will guarantee the juiciest and most tender meat. If you guess when it's finished, you're more likely to pull it off when the pork chop is already overcooked.
Carol Mirto says
This recipe looks delicious, I would like to use a gas oven; what would be the oven setting and approximate length of time to start checking for the 145 degree setting ?
Vincent DelGiudice says
Hmm best bet would be to sear in a cast iron or stainless steel pan on both sides. Preheat oven to 425. Finish in the oven. I'd start checking the temperature after about 7-10 minutes.
Vincent DelGiudice says
I created this recipe based on one of my favorite restaurants' specials. These Pork chops are so delicious!