Weeknight dinners just got easier with these perfect air fryer pork chops! Cooking pork chops in the air fryer seals in flavor and moisture, for incredibly succulent meat with crispy edges that’s impossible not to love.
Why you’ll love air fryer pork chops
- Foolproof prep! Simply coat pork chops in seasoning and air fry.
- Air frying locks in juices for tender pork chops with crispy, browned exterior edges in minutes.
- Easy dinner option the whole family will devour!
Bonus: If you are short on time and need a side dish, you can even cook a side of potatoes at the same time as your pork chops. See air fryer pork chops and potatoes for more details!
Scroll down for the recipe card for this air fryer pork chop recipe, or read on for all the details!
What do you need?
Pork chops
Pork loin chops are a good choice, but you can use any pork chops, like shoulder/blade chops, rib chops, or sirloin chops. You can use either boneless pork chops or one-in pork chops. The cook times are slightly different (more details below).
Seasoning
You can use any seasoning that you like with pork. A pinch of salt and ground black pepper is all that is needed, but you can add other seasonings too. Try an easy homemade mix of:
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder or onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Please feel free to adapt the seasonings to your taste preferences.
Oil
Oil is optional, but I find it helps to get the pork crispy on the outside, so I usually use a little. I use light olive oil in the recipe below, but you can use any cooking oil that you would normally use in your air fryer.
Choose a cooking oil with a high smoke point to reduce the chance of your air fryer smoking.
How to cook pork chops in the air fryer
- Preheat air fryer: Set your air fryer temperature to 360°F/180°C and turn it on for around 3 minutes. Not all air fryers need to be preheated, so check your manual if you are unsure whether you need to do this.
- Season the pork chops: Pat pork chops dry, and place in a medium bowl with a drizzle of oil and the seasoning. Toss to coat.
- Place pork chops in air fryer basket in a single layer, ensure they are not touching. Cook them in batches if required.
- Air fry pork chops for 8-12 minutes until they are golden brown and at least 145°F/66°C in the center of the thickest part (use an instant-read meat thermometer to check the internal temperature). Flip the pork chops over halfway through the cooking time if this is required for your air fryer.
- Rest pork chops: Remove the chops and cover with kitchen foil to rest for at least 5 minutes before serving. Resting meat after cooking allows the juices to reabsorb into the meat so it remains succulent.
How long to cook pork chops in the air fryer
The exact cook times for this recipe will depend on the exact size and thickness of your pork chops, whether you are using boneless or bone-in pork chops.
A pork chop between ½ and 1 inch thick should take approximately 12-14 minutes to cook. However, you will need to adjust the cooking time if the pork chops are much thicker or thinner. If your pork chops are an inch or thicker they will take around 15-17 minutes to air fry. Thin pork chops, thinner than ½ inch or so, will take around 9-11 minutes.
Also, whether or not your pork chops have a bone will affect how long they take to cook in the air fryer. Bone-in pork chops will take a little longer. Add 5 minutes to the air frying time for bone-in pork chops.
As always, it is important to check that your pork is correctly cooked using an instant-read meat thermometer. Check the temperature in the center of the thickest part. It should read 145°F/ 63°C or higher.
If needed, air fry for additional 3-minute intervals until the safe temperature is reached.
Use an instant read thermometer to measure the temperature in the center of the thickest part of the meat for an accurate temperature reading.
Serving ideas
Air fried pork chops are the ultimate versatile dish, you can serve them in so many different ways. For some tasty ways to serve them try:
- Pair with a side of slaw and fries for a tasty family dinner (or try air fryer potato wedges, air fryer French fries, or air fryer sweet potato fries)
- Serve with a side of fresh steamed vegetables and creamy ranch dressing, (for a simple way to steam vegetables in a microwave check out these recipes: microwave steamed vegetables)
- Slice and serve with rice, steamed vegetables and teriyaki sauce
- Serve in a sub with slaw and bbq sauce for a delicious crispy pork sandwich
Storing and reheating leftovers
Store any leftover pork chops in an air-tight container in the refrigerator, and use within 3 days.
You can reheat the pork chops in the air fryer, air fry for 3-4 minutes until 165°F/74°C in the center. See this post for all the details: How to Reheat Pork Chops in the Air Fryer.
Air Fryer Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 2 pork chops approx ¾ inch thick [Note 1]
- ½ teaspoon seasoning
- ½ tablespoon light olive oil
Directions
- Preheat the air fryer to 360°F/ 180°C.
- Pat the pork chops dry, and season with salt and pepper, or with your favorite seasoning.
- Place the pork chops in air fryer basket. If you are cooking more than one, make sure they are not touching.
- Air fry pork chops for: – 12-14 minutes for boneless pork chops, or – 15-17 minutes for bone-in pork chops [Note 1], flipping the pork chops over halfway through the cooking time if required.
- Cook the pork chops in the air fryer until they are golden brown and have reached 145°F/ 63°C in the center of the thickest part [Note 2].
Notes
- Cook times will vary depending on the exact size of the pork chops used and how powerful your air fryer is. Thick pork chops will take longer, and pork chops ½ inch thick or less will be quicker to cook.
- Use an instant-read digital thermometer to check the internal temperature.
Nutrition
Recommended equipment
Nutrition information is an estimate and provided for informational purposes only.