I’m always on the lookout for dishes to add to my potluck repertoire. My criteria: delicious and hearty, pretty and practical. I already have a few savory dishes and baked goods in my list, and I’m always happy to add more.

Recently, I made one of my go-to recipes for chicken and pork. I love to make it because it ticks all the boxes. It’s filling, flexible with different carbs (rice, pasta, potatoes, or bread) and flavor profiles (earthy, garlicky, peppery, or oniony), and easily scalable if I need to feed more than a couple of people.

Once you understand the basics of this recipe, which is essentially a roux, it will be easy to adjust according to your mood and preference. You can easily swap ingredients and adjust measurements to achieve the flavor and consistency you prefer. For example, in this recipe, I chose pork for my protein and canned mushrooms for my sauce. I’ve made this dish with chicken many times, and I’ve experimented with different ingredients for my sauce including white onion, garlic, and dried mushrooms. In addition, you can swap water with milk, or use stock instead of water and bouillon cubes. It’s amazing how much a dish can change with just a few small tweaks!

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 pieces pork chops
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 small canned mushrooms (drained and rinsed)
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 cup water
• 1 chicken bouillon cube
• salt and pepper to season and taste

Instructions:

1. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. Half the butter and melt it on a wide pan over medium heat.
3. Give the pork chops a good sear and cook them about 75% through.
4. Take the pork chops out of the pan and set aside. Melt the remaining butter.
5. Add the garlic and sauté until lightly brown and fragrant.
6. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 2–3 minutes.
7. Add the flour and stir using a whisk to prevent lumps. Also scrape the sides of the pan using a spatula to make sure you catch all the good bits.
8. Start adding water in small amounts while stirring. The mixture will first be thick. Keep adding water until you reach your desired consistency.
9. Add the chicken bouillon cube and stir until dissolved. Taste and season as needed.
10. Add the pork chops and simmer for 10–15 minutes.
11. Take the pork chops out of the pan and place on a serving plate. Pour the sauce, top with freshly cracked pepper or garnish with parsley, serve, and enjoy!

Dinner was an absolute success that night, thanks to this easy and ever-reliable recipe. I hope you won’t need much convincing to try it out. You might just find a new potluck specialty to bring to the next party.