Combine all the ingredients into a saucepan over high heat.
Cook until the salt and sugar are dissolved. Then remove from the heat.
Add about 1 pound of ice to cool the brine down. Give it a good stir and set it aside. Now take your chops and place it in a gallon sized plastic bag and dump the brine into the bag.
Seal the bag well, place it in a container just in case the bag leaks, and place it into the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, 6 if you can.
How to Bread the Pork Chops
Remove pork chops from the brine and pat dry with a towel
Then pour some flour and Panko into separate containers. Take another container and crack your egg into, beating the egg to combine the yolk and white.
Now starting with 1 chop at a time, place it into the flour, and coat both sides. Then into the egg, coat both sides. And finally into the Panko and coat both sides. It is important you go in this order.
Set aside when finished and do all the chops the same way. When you are all done with breading, sprinkle the paprika and dried thyme onto both sides of each chop.
How to Bake the Pork Chops
Set your oven to 350 degrees.
Line a sheet pan with Parchment paper or non-stick spray. Place each pork chop down so they do not touch each other.
If you have one insert a probe therometer. You are looking for 160 degrees.
Bake for about 45-55 minutes. The crust should be browned and the pork should feel firm, but not hard to the touch.
Allow to cool for 5 minutes before cutting into or removing the probe.
Notes
How to Butterfly a Pork Chop
Set pork chop up on it's side and make an incision along the length of it.
Using your fingers spread the halves of the pork chop apart and continue cutting downward
Be careful not to cut all the way through!
You want to stop cutting with about an inch left in tact.
Start to lay the pork chop flat as you cut to help determine when to stop.