You don't ever microwave lean meat.....I prefer to never EVER microwave any meat.
Next time put that pork chop in the oven after browning it in a fry pan....or cook it on the grill. But don't over cook ti.

Barb, pork chops are almost always overcooked. If you cooked them until browned on each side, unless they were pretty thick, they were most likely done. I use just a tablespoon or so of oil and butter to cook the chops in. Normal pork chops take about three minutes on one side and then only two on the other. If you have thicker chops you can always throw the fry pan in the oven for a few minutes, but really, most chops only take about five minutes tops to cook all the way. Ten minutes total for a nice thick chop, five in pan, another five or so in the oven.

Pork chops are "well done" in a microwave after 2-3 minutes, potatoes take 2X that long, so the chop was cooked to death.

I wouldn't worry about the oil used in pan frying. 1/2 tbsp of oil has only 50 calories. You need some amount of fat, anyway.

Sausage and hamburger are about the only meats I can think of that go well in a microwave, probably because of the fat content that works as moisture which a microwave needs to work effectively. I'd agree to just pan fry it or fry/bake the chop. Personally I'd also put the potato in the oven after microwaving to crisp it up a bit too.

Microwave for cooking meat is not too bad, and very good for some recipes.

The problem of cooking meat by any other way is that you can never overcome water boiling point (212 F) on the surface and thermal conductivity of the meat inside. In other words, you can put a roast in a 1,000 F oven, and the internal temperature will be reached no faster than a 300 F oven. The higher temperature will only make the outside burnt faster.

Microwave cooking is very different, depending on the power, the energy can actually penetrate the meat and cook the meat from deeper inside, giving you better margin to overcome thermal conductivity of the meat.

If you set your microwave power at very low, change the position of the meat inside the microwave frequently even in a rotating platter, and check with a thermometer to make sure that you take it out once internal temperature is reached. You will have a very nicely cooked meat. Not much resting time will be needed. Microwave oven cannot brown the outside of meat, as you know.

You do have to cook your potatoes separate. They require very different timing and power setting.

dcarch

When you're pan frying something and need to cook it more, one easy thing to do is add sauce, stock, or water, cover the pan, and simmer it. You might also like a temperature probe with an alarm. For skinless, lean meats, I find it indispensable.

You could also cook the pork chop in a grill pan or under the broiler w/o adding any fat. Or in a non stick skillet. Or cast iron skillet with just a glaze of fat on the pan.

There are pork chops and there are PORK CHOPS.
A little skinny 1/3 inch thick breakfast chop will cook in the time it takes to brown it in a skillet. An Iowa chop, a 1 1/2 inch thick loin chop will have to be cooked longer, it will become like a wad of old string if over cooked but when seared and grilled to just 150 interior temp....food for the Gods!.

Here is a link that might be useful: Iowa chop

Another thing about microwaving--it's never a good idea to put several different foods in the microwave at the same time. The microwaves are more attracted to some foods than others--so one food is almost always over cooked, while another is undercooked if you try to do a couple of things at the same time. I find it works better (and faster) to cook foods one after another in the microwave.

That being said, I'm another who wouldn't ever microwave a slab of meat (steak, chop, roast, etc)--just not the best cooking method IMO.