Dry-pat the pork chops and sprinkle both sides with salt.

In a big, deep skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the pork chops to the heated, but not smoking, oil.

Allow them to cook for 4–5 minutes without stirring, or until the underside has developed a golden-brown crust. Additionally, the chops ought to have come loose from the pan and been rather simple to turn over with little effort.

To brown the opposite side, flip each chop and cook for a further two to three minutes.

Switch off the flame and remove the skillet from the heat.

After removing the chops, arrange them on a platter or pan. To ensure their warmth, wrap them with foil, pop them in the oven or microwave, and keep them out of the drafts.

To determine how long the chops will need to cook in the sauce, take the thickest chop's internal temperature before covering.

Don't clean the skillet. In order to avoid overheating while adding the butter, let it to cool for a few minutes.

Add the butter to the skillet and turn the heat down to medium.

Add the garlic, thyme, and black pepper to the melted and foaming butter. Cook until the garlic is aromatic and softly sizzling, about 2 minutes. Stir often.

Stir the flour in and cook for 1 minute, stirring nearly all the while.

Carefully scrape off any pieces from the bottom of the pan before adding the chicken broth. Make tiny circular motions all around the skillet. Stir the sauce continuously until it becomes smooth.

It will take two to three minutes to bring the sauce to a simmer, stirring continuously.

After adding the half-and-half, give it a quick toss and allow it to boil.

Reintroduce the pork chops and any fluids that have accumulated on the platter, and give it a good toss. (That is, if they're already warmed up.)

When the thickest pork chop reaches an internal temperature of at least 145°F, cook it covered for 7 to 10 minutes.

Maintain a low simmer for the sauce. Flip the chops once or twice and stir from time to time. Reduce the heat by one or two degrees and check again if the sauce is boiling too quickly.