Start by preheating your oven to 425°F (220°C). This means the moment you’re ready to pop your dish inside, it’ll be all set for perfect cooking.

Grab a reliable 9x13-inch baking dish and give it a light spray with nonstick cooking spray. This ensures that your rice and pork won’t stick and makes cleanup a breeze.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, toss in your salted butter. Once it begins to melt and bubble, add the rice, followed by chopped onions and celery. Stir this mixture frequently, watching for that lovely golden hue on the rice while the onions and celery soften. We're aiming for a lovely fragrance that says, “Dinner is on the way!”

Once the rice has achieved that light browning, transfer the mixture directly into your prepared baking dish. Spread it out evenly so everything cooks beautifully.

Next, pour 3 ½ cups of beef stock over the rice in the dish. This will infuse all those delicious flavors. If you’re feeling adventurous, add in the Worcestershire sauce now for an extra kick.

Using the same skillet, heat up the vegetable oil over high heat—don’t skip this step! We want that pan smoking hot. It’s time to brown those pork chops.

Season both sides of your bone-in pork chops generously with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and dried thyme. You want each bite to burst with flavor.

Add the pork chops to the hot skillet, working in batches if necessary. Sear them for about two minutes on each side. You’re not cooking them through yet; just build that beautiful brown crust.

Once the pork chops are nicely browned, place them on top of the rice in your baking dish. Make sure they are nestled snugly; they’ll cook to perfection while everything bakes together.

Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil. This helps trap all that flavor. Place it in your preheated oven and bake for about 35-40 minutes. The rice should be tender and absorb all that liquid by the end, while the pork chops need to reach an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C).