Air Fryer Pork Chops
These Air Fryer Pork Chops are tender, juicy and perfectly seasoned! They cook quickly and are perfect for an easy weeknight dinner. Recipe includes cook times for both bone-in and boneless pork chops.
When I need a quick meal that’s easy to prepare, I often turn to pork chops. My family’s other favorite pork chop recipes include Baked Pork Chops, Crock Pot Pork Chops and Instant Pot Pork Chops.
I love using my air fryer to cook proteins like chicken, pork, salmon and steak. While cooking, the air fryer circulates hot air around the food in the basket. Food cooks quickly, and crispy foods become extra crispy while proteins cook up especially tender and juicy. That is especially true for these air fryer pork chops!
If you’ve had the unfortunate experience of sitting down to a plate of dried out pork chops, keep reading for my tips on how to make the best juicy pork chops in your air fryer. Serve them with a vegetable side dish and potatoes or bread for an easy, delicious dinner!
What a great rub. The pork chops were delicious and not dry at all. Thanks for the recipe!
Blackavar
Air Fryer Pork Chops Recipe Ingredients
You’ll need just a few ingredients to make these air fryer pork chops, and most of them are seasonings that you probably already have in your kitchen!
- Pork Chops: Both boneless pork chops and bone-in pork chops work great in this recipe. Use pork chops that are at least 1-inch thick, because thin pork chops can easily dry out and become tough.
- Olive Oil: Rubbing the pork chops with olive oil helps the seasonings to stick to the meat. It also keeps the outsides of the chops moist.
- Brown Sugar: I add brown sugar to the seasoning mix because it helps to caramelize the seasoning as it cooks. The brown sugar also brings a delicious subtle sweetness to the rub. If you prefer a sugar-free recipe you can omit the brown sugar.
- Seasonings: To season these air fryer pork chops, I used a variation of my favorite pork rub. Paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, salt and pepper add delicious flavor. You can use sweet or smoked paprika. Smoked paprika will lend a smoky, slightly spicy flavor, while sweet paprika has a milder flavor.
Find the full printable recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card below.
How to Make Air Fryer Pork Chops
Combine the seasoning rub ingredients in a small bowl.
Preheat the air fryer to 400° F for 5 minutes.
Season pork chops. Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels. Rub both sides of the pork chops with olive oil. Then rub the seasoning mix over all sides of the pork chops.
Air fry pork chops. Place the pork chops in a single layer in the preheated air fryer basket. Air fry at 400° F for 5 minutes. Then flip the pork chops over and continue cooking until they are cooked through to at least 145° F, about 3-7 more minutes for boneless chops or 6-10 more minutes for bone-in chops.
Let them rest! Let the pork chops rest for 5 minutes, to allow the juices to redistribute throughout the meat. Then serve and enjoy!
How to Tell When Pork Chops are Done
The cook time will depend on whether you’re cooking boneless or bone-in chops, as well as the thickness of the pork chops.
The best way to tell when pork chops are done is to use an instant read thermometer to measure the internal temperature in the center of the meat. The USDA recommends cooking pork to an internal temperature of 145° F and then allowing the meat to rest for at least 3 minutes before serving, for food safety. The temperature of the meat will continue to rise a few degrees during the rest time due to carryover cooking.
Recipe Tips
- Use thick-cut pork chops. It’s best if they are at least 1-inch thick. Thin pork chops tend to dry out and become tough more easily.
- Arrange the pork chops in a single layer in the air fryer basket, so that the air can circulate around each chop as they cook. If the pork chops won’t all fit in a single layer at once, you can cook them in batches, covering the first batch to keep them warm while the rest cook.
- Flip the pork chops over halfway through the cook time to promote even cooking.
- Don’t overcook them. Use an instant read thermometer to test if they are cooked to 145° F. Once pork chops are nearly done, they finish cooking quickly so check them often.
- Let them rest for about 5 minutes before serving. This is key for juicy pork chops.
Serving Suggestions
To make these air fried pork chops a meal, serve them with a few simple side dishes.
- Potatoes: Potatoes and pork chops are a perfect pair! Try Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes, Oven Roasted Potatoes or a Baked Potato.
- Vegetables: Add some color to your plate with Glazed Carrots, Roasted Brussels Sprouts or Grilled Vegetables.
- Salad: A fresh, flavorful salad is always a welcome addition to a meal! Try a Kale Salad (pictured in these photos), Spinach Quinoa Salad or a simple Cucumber Tomato Salad.
- Bread: Our favorites include Biscuits, Garlic Bread, and Dinner Rolls.
More Easy Air Fryer Recipes
Here are a few more favorite air fryer recipes for making quick and easy meals.
The next time you need a fresh new dinner idea, give these air fryer pork chops a try. They’ll impress everyone at the table, but you’ll secretly know how easy they were to make!
The BEST Air Fryer Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoons paprika, sweet or smoked*
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 boneless pork chops, 1-inch thick, or bone-in pork chops
- 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, thyme, salt, onion powder and black pepper.
- Preheat air fryer at 400° F for 5 minutes.
- Pat the pork chops dry. Rub both sides with the olive oil. Rub the seasoning mix over all sides of the pork chops.
- Place pork chops in a single layer in the air fryer (cook in two batches if needed).
- To cook boneless pork chops: Air fry at 400° F for 5 minutes. Then flip the pork chops over and continue to cook for 3-7 more minutes, until the internal temperature of the center of the pork chops is 145° F.
- To cook bone-in pork chops: Air fry at 400° F for 5 minutes. Then flip the pork chops over and continue to cook for 6-10 more minutes, until the internal temperature of the center of the pork chops is 145° F.
- Let pork chops rest for 5 minutes and then serve.
Notes
- Recipe can be halved to cook 2 pork chops.
- I used sweet paprika. Smoked paprika will lend a smoky, slightly spicy flavor.
- Thick cut (at least 1-inch thick) pork chops are best, since thin pork chops tend to dry out more easily.
- The cook time will depend on the thickness of the pork chops and whether they are boneless or bone-in. To tell if they are done, use an instant read thermometer to check if the center has reached at least 145 degrees F.
Has anyone ever tried the air fryer method from frozen. Had a gift from Omaha Steaks, chops are individually frozen. Wondered if necessary to thaw?
I fixed my first item in my new AirFryer, It was the pork chop recipe. My husband really likes his pork chops, typically pan fried. I have to say he was quite supportive and complimentary to my first try at it! He liked the tenderness and the seasonings. I had asked for one and yet when I got it I was more than initimidated by it. Didn’t help since it was all black. Iol I am more of a silver or color other than black or anything dark in color. Look forward to trying some of your other recipes.
How do you clean the air fryer
In my How to Use an Air Fryer guide, please see the section titled “How to Clean Your Air Fryer.”
I just purchased an air fryer. I understand the need to eat smartly and healthily. I began to look at basic recipes I could try and found your website. I printed out a copy of this pork loin recipe and decided to give both my new air fryer and this recipe a try. SUCCESS! My pork chops turned out moist and tender. Thank you so much for giving a newbie like me the recipe and confidence to venture into the world of air fryers!!
What a great rub. The pork chops were delicious and not dry at all. Thanks for the recipe!
Yummy! Thank you!
Great chops, great recipe!
First time cooking boneless thick pork chops in my air fryer and both hubby and I enjoyed it. Very, very good but I did omit the dried thyme. Will make again.
Excellent! Excellent! Excellent!
Excellent recipe!! I used a substitute brown sugar (Swerve) and it worked great.
Followed the recipe exactly to the instructions. Chops were the same thickness and temp gauge was at 145 degrees but the chops were very tough.
I love your air fryer recipes and techniques but I have a question about parchment liners, I have with/without holes, would you recommend using them and if so can I use them for cooking in batches or do I need to use a new parchment every time I start a new session?
I have never used the parchment liners, since I find that the air fryer cleans up very easily without them. If you do use them, I believe that the ones with holes are better since they allow some air to pass through. You also need to wait to put the liner in when you add food, not when the air fryer is preheating. You don’t want the parchment to move around in the air fryer, where it could get close to the heating element and cause a safety issue. I am not sure if you need to use a new liner each time when cooking in batches, but I’d recommend using a new one each time you cook something different in the air fryer.