These air fryer pork chops are incredibly tender and flavorful and will only take you 9 minutes to make!
For more easy air fryer dinners, try our air fryer chicken with vegetables, air fryer sausages, or air fryer stuffed peppers.
Try my Pan Seared Pork Chops With Herbs recipe next!
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Ingredients
- Pork chops - I’ve used ½-inch thick bone-in pork chops, but feel free to use boneless chops. Keep in mind that boneless pork chops will cook much faster. Thicker cut chops will provide juicy pork chops, although they will need an extra minute or two of cooking time.
- Seasoning and aromatics - I’ve used black pepper, minced garlic, smoked paprika, and ground mustard (don't skip this one!), which are responsible for the bursts of flavor in the pork chops. Cayenne pepper could also be added for a slight kick of heat or create your own seasoning blend for this recipe.
- Cooking oil - Use high-quality cooking oil such as avocado oil or good extra virgin olive oil. Any vegetable oil, canola, or grapeseed oil are suitable.
- Brown sugar - The sugar creates a beautiful caramelization for a crispy crust on each side of the pork chops.
Step by step photos can be found below the recipe card.
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Tips
- Don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket, as the hot air requires good circulation. If you plan on making more pork chops, cook them in batches instead. It only takes 9 minutes for this thickness!
- You can season these pork chops in the morning and store them in the fridge in an airtight container for the day. Then, that evening, you can cook them for your main dish. This will act as a kind of marinating and intensify the flavors in the pork.
- Flipping the pork chops midway through the cooking time will ensure a beautiful crispy crunch on both sides of the chops.
- Consider adding some freshly grated parmesan cheese in addition to the seasoning rub for even more flavor!
- Serve a side dish such as cauliflower mash or steamed broccoli and other veggies to keep this air-fried pork chops recipe low-carb.
- You can apply cooking spray to the basket when air-frying these pork chops, but it's not absolutely necessary since the chops are already coated with oil. I always try to use less oil in my recipes whenever possible—except for salads, which I use lots of high-quality olive oil!
Freezing And Storing Instructions
- Storing. The cooked air-fried pork chops can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days. For the best flavor, cook as much as you’ll eat in one go.
- To prevent leftover chops from drying out, reheat them in the oven, covered with aluminum foil, at about 300 degrees until warmed through.
- Freezing. If you need to freeze the pork, it is best to freeze it uncooked. The USDA recommends storing whole uncooked pieces of pork for up to 6-12 months.
- Make ahead. Rub the pork chops with seasonings and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days. On the day of cooking, follow the instructions in this recipe.
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Recipe Card
9-Minute Pork Chops (In Air Fryer)
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INGREDIENTS
- 2 pork chops, bone in (I used about ½ inch thick pork chops)
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat air fryer to 380 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Wash and pat dry pork chops with a paper towel. Mix oil and seasonings in a small bowl and coat the pork chops generously until fully covered. Use all the seasoning mix.
- Air fry for 9 minutes turning the chops over halfway. Pork chops are ready when the internal temperature measures a minimum of 135 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Remove from the air fryer and let rest on a plate for 5 minutes for best results. The temperature should now reach about 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Serve with your favorite garnishes ( I like to serve these with homemade mustard sauce and broccoli).
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ADD YOUR OWN PRIVATE NOTES
Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on the products used.
Full Nutrition Disclaimer can be found here.
How To Make Pork Chops In Air Fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees Fahrenheit (I use a Cosori 5.8-quart air fryer, which easily holds 3 pork chops in one go).
- Wash and pat dry pork chops with a paper towel.
- Mix oil and seasonings in a small bowl and coat the pork chops generously until fully covered. Use all the seasoning mix.
- Air fry for 9 minutes, turning the chops over halfway. Pork chops are ready when the internal temperature measures a minimum of 135 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Remove from the air fryer basket and let rest on a plate for 5 minutes for best results. The temperature should now reach about 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Serve with your favorite sides like cheesy asparagus, smothered cabbage, whipped sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts).
Common Readers Questions
I’ve used thin pork chops (about ½ -inch thick), which take 2-4 minutes to cook per side over medium-high heat in the air fryer.
You can opt for thick pork chops of 1-inch thickness, which will take 4-6 minutes per side to cook at the same heat in the air fryer.
This depends on their thickness greatly. ½-inch thick pork chops should be cooked at 375-380 degrees F in the air fryer for 9 minutes.
Use an instant-read thermometer to prevent serving undercooked pork chops to your family or dinner guests. Insert the meat thermometer into the thickest part of the pork chop, and the meat should register 145 degrees F for it to be safe to eat.
While it may be tempting to stack pork chops in an air fryer to cook more pork chops at once, I don’t recommend doing so. This rule applies to any air-fried food.
The air fryer requires good air circulation to cook the pork chops evenly and create a crisp exterior. Staking will have the same effect as steaming when overcrowding the air fryer basket. The best way to cook these chops in the air fryer is in a single layer.
Cooking thick-cut bone-in pork chops can produce juicy air-fried pork chops. The chops' bones help insulate the meat, which contributes to its juicy and tender texture.
Allowing the cooked pork to rest for about 5 minutes before serving will also help all the juices reabsorb into the meat, giving you the best pork chops!
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
Easy and quick pork chops cooked in air fryer!
Jo
We’re they tough? I have pork chops boneless and they are thin, Should I shorten the time?
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
how thin are the chops? I'd recommend shortening the time or making just 1 first to test and if needed air fry for longer?