The Fried Pork Tenderloin Sandwich features a crispy, golden-brown pork tenderloin served on a soft bun. It's a hearty and flavorful classic that's perfect for a satisfying meal.

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You’re not going to believe this pork chop recipe! The pork tenderloin sandwich is synonymous with the mid-west. Go to Iowa and you’ll see this sandwich one in almost every diner.

A chicken sandwich with lettuce, tomato, cheese, and red onion on a plate. Another sandwich and fresh lettuce are in the background.

Take a pork loin chop, butterfly it, pound it out thin, and pan-fry it to absolute crispy golden perfection. It looks almost ridiculous on the plate but the taste?? The taste is out of this world: crunchy fried pork tucked into a soft sandwich roll and layered with all your favorite toppings, how can it go wrong?

How the heck do you eat a sandwich this big?

That is a great question! This ridiculous yet delicious sandwich is so big you look silly trying to pick it up. When I’ve had a pork tenderloin sandwich, I’ve always just cut the edges off and enjoyed them with the fork and knife. Once then, once the size is contained a bit, it’s easier to pick up.

Can I serve this As A crispy fried pork chop?

Instead of making a sandwich, you can absolutely make these as crispy fried pork chops. Serve them with creamy whipped potatoes and your favorite gravy, brown or chicken gravy.

A top view of raw pork chops on a blue-rimmed plate surrounded by small bowls containing flour, breadcrumbs, an egg yolk, milk, and assorted spices on a marble surface.

What You Need To Make Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches

There’s nothing special in these crispy pork chops, most of the ingredients are pantry or freezer staples. Remember you can make these as just fried pork chops if you don’t have buns!

boneless pork chops, about ¾-1 inch thick
egg
milk
all-purpose flour
panko bread crumbs
salt
pepper
paprika
onion powder
Italian seasoning
4 lettuce leaves
4 tomato slices
pickle chips
sliced red onion
4 sandwich rolls
cooking oil

You can use any cooking oil you like to use. Lard works, vegetable oils, or peanut oil, or whatever oil you like to fry in. One tip on frying: be sure the oil when adding chops to be fried so the oil doesn’t soak in but rather fries.

A plate with a crispy breaded fried chicken cutlet, lettuce, tomato slices, red onion rings, pickle, and lemon wedge. Utensils are placed on the plate. A stripped cloth is underneath.

How to Butterfly a Pork Chop

To butterfly a pork chop, it’s best to start with boneless chops. Lay one chop flat on a cutting board, place your hand on top of the chop, and place a very sharp knife parallel to the board and your hand. Slice the pork almost all the way through to the chop. Open the chop and cut a little more if you need to.

If you need more information, you can read up on cutting chicken cutlets. It’s almost the same method, except when making cutlets, you slice them all the way through.

Three breaded and fried schnitzels on a black plate, garnished with a lemon wedge, surrounded by sliced pickles, lettuce, tomato, and onion on a striped cloth.

To Pound a pork chop thin

Once the chop has been butterflied, lay it between plastic wrap or parchment paper. Use a meat mallet or rolling pin to pound the meat even thinner. Don’t go wild here; you don’t want to cut the meat accidentally.

A crispy chicken sandwich with cheese, red onion slices, and lettuce on a sesame seed bun, served on a black plate. Additional ingredients are visible in the background.

Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches

4 from 1 vote

The Fried Pork Tenderloin Sandwich features a crispy, golden-brown pork tenderloin served on a soft bun. It's a hearty and flavorful classic that's perfect for a satisfying meal.

Course: Dinner Recipes, Lunch Recipes

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 25

Total Time: 40

Servings: Servings

Calories: 542kcal

Author: Laura

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Equipment

heavy bottom dutch oven
cooking oil
thermometer for the oil

Ingredients

1 lb boneless loin pork chops about ¾-1 inch thick
1 egg
2 Tablespoons milk
¾ cup + 2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
¾ cup bread crumbs
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
4 lettuce leaves
4 tomato slices
pickle chips
sliced red onion
4 sandwich rolls
4 cheese slices as desired

Instructions

Butterfly pork loin chops by slicing them down the middle, across the grain, stopping about ½ an inch short of cutting them completely in half.
Open up butterflied pork loin chops, and sandwich between two pieces of parchment paper
Use a meat mallet to pound chops down to about ¼ inch thick
Heat about ½ inch of oil in a deep skillet or dutch oven over medium-high heat to about 350º (you can test the oil by dipping the end of a wooden spoon or chopstick in the oil – if it bubbles up, the oil is ready)
Meanwhile, In a wide, shallow bowl, place the two tablespoons of flour
In another bowl, whisk egg and milk together
In a third bowl, combine ¾ cup flour, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder, and Italian seasoning
Dredge chops in flour
Dip in egg, and fully coat in breadcrumb mixture, set on parchment
Fry each pork cutlet 3-5 minutes on each side – until golden brown, and done through
Remove from hot oil, and place on a rack to drain, or paper towels to absorb the oil (you can put them in a warm oven while you make the remaining pork loins)
Assemble sandwiches as desired

Video

Notes

Note:
To keep these hot pre-heat your oven to 250º
When you take your chops out of the skillet, place them on a cooling rack over a cookie sheet to catch drips, and keep them in the oven until ready to serve.