Air Fryer Pork Chops? Wait Till You Try Them!

Summary – Preheat your air fryer for 5 minutes at 350° F. Cook your air fryer pork chops for 15 minutes, flipping half way through.

For the win…put your pork chops in your air fryer

I’m sure you have returned home from work, shattered after a day of hard work. All you want is a simple meal that can be rustled up quickly, with minimal fuss. Let me introduce to you, air fryer pork chops.

Let your humble air fryer do the hard work while to take a moment to put your feet up. 15 minutes later and you have a delicious and tender piece of pork ready to be plated up.

Why I love pork chops

Aside from the simplicity of making them, they are simply delicious…when done properly. For those of you that find that they are dry or chewy…they are not being cooked right.

It is a meat that you can easily overcook. Paying attention pays dividends here, you have to get the timing right.

When a pork chop is done right, they are full to the brim with flavor, juicy and tender. Who doesn’t like eat with that kind of results!

Is an air fryer the best way to cook pork chops?

Of course, there are plenty of ways to cook pork chops. Obviously, prior to the air fryer, there are plenty of methods.

Whether you cook it in the oven, under the broiler or in the skillet, there are advantages to each.

One thing that is consistent that I hear all the time, it is the over cooking of pork chops. It is incredibly easy to leave them cooking for too long. It ruins the consistency.

Getting your timing right is imperative to great results…obvious right!

This is why I like the air fryer. I simple cook at the temperature for the minimum time required. After this I check the temperature of the inside of the meat.

If it is at 145° F, it is cooked. It is as simple as that. If the pork meat hasn’t hit that temperature, put it back in at one-minute increments until it is done. Simple…no fuss…that is what cooking should be.

Is the air fryer the best way to cook them? That is for you to decide. I like doing it this way but as I always say, there is always a place for every method. Give it a try, see whether it is something that might fit your cooking style.

Advantages of using your air fryer for pork chops

Fast cooking
Efficient in terms of cost
Consistent cooking
Easy clean up

Disadvantages of using your air fryer to make pork chops

Can overcook if you set the time wrong
Cooking time depends on the thickness of the meat, you need to judge time accordingly
Limited by the size of the air fryer basket…often a couple of chops
If you are cooking vegetables with it, you obviously can’t use your air fryer while the meat is cooking

What is the best type of Pork chop for air fryer cooking?

It actually makes a real difference to your air fryer pork chops. In my experience, getting a thicker pork chop delivers better results.

They retain their moisture better and come out better cooked and more tender. Remember, we are aiming for the magic internal temperature of 145° F.

If your pork chop is too thin, it will look quite pale on the outside. Browning it in the air fryer by leaving it in a little longer only serves to dry it out.

A thicker pork chop takes a little longer to get to an internal temperature of 145° F, thus giving time for the outside to char the outside…a better visual result.

If your pork chop is around an inch and a half to two inches, that is perfect.

Now that we have looked at why you might use an air fryer for your pork chops, let’s get into the details of how it is done.

How to make air fryer pork chops

This is the method that I use to get great results with my pork chops in air fryer.

Preparation

I use a variety of seasoning to get the best flavour I can without having to marinate them overnight. For my air fryer pork chops, I simply do the following.

Both sides of the pork chops get drizzled in olive oil. Following that, I season them both sides with salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin and smoked paprika.

Normally, i let them sit for an hour but you can shorten that if you wish.

I find that this method works for me but you should season them to suit your taste. Remember, try and experiment until you find a consistent flavor that you really like.

Cooking your pork chops in the air fryer

Preheat your air fryer at 350° F for 5 minutes
Lightly mist the basket with cooking spray
Place your pork chops in the basket
Cook for 8 minutes and turn them over. Cook for a further 7 minutes, then check the temperature of the meat.
If they are at an internal temperature of 145° F, they are cooked

After cooking…

It is important that you rest the pork chops so that they soak the moisture back into the meat. The cooking process forces the moisture towards the outside of the meat.

Allowing the meat to rest means that moisture gets pulled back into the meat. The result of resting meat is a more juicy and tender meat.

Time to plate up and enjoy your food.

Secrets to perfect pork chops in air fryer

Preheating your air fryer is important if you want great results. Think of your air fryer as more of a high-powered oven.

You don’t cook things in your oven from cold…am I right? The same principle applies to your air fryer.

Let your meat rest before you serve it. All too often, I see people serve their meat as soon as it is cooked.

It is so important to let meat rest as it makes the meat more tender and juicier. Cover them in foil to retain their heat while this happens.

Make sure you spice the pork chops before you cook them. It adds so much depth to the flavor.

If you are a salt and pepper type of person, it may be time to break out of your comfort zone! Marinating them overnight, even better.

Can I cook anything with pork chops at the same time?

The simple answer is yes. However, it does complicate things a little more and some math may be involved.

For example, if you want to air fry some broccoli, you can do it in the same air fryer…but you have to calculate when you need to put it in. Remember, we are cooking at 350° F, so the vegetable needs to be cooked at that temperature.

If you are doing this, ideally, they both need to cook finish cooking at the same time.

Having said that, if you are resting your meat, you also have 10 minutes to cook something else in the air fryer. This is where parchment paper comes in really handy.

FAQ’s for air fryer pork chops

How long to cook pork chops in air fryer?

In total, it is 15 minutes of cooking time. Make sure that you flip the meat at the half way point. You also need to spend 5 minutes preheating your air fryer for the best results.

What is the air fryer pork chops temperature required?

Pork is cooked when it reaches 145° F. If the thickest part of the meat has not reached that temperature, you need to put it back in the air fryer until it does.

Do I need to use oil?

With this method, the pork chops are drizzled with olive oil. The internal air fryer basket is sprayed with cooking spray to stop the meat sticking to the basket. No oil is actually poured into the air fryer.

Do I need to preheat my air fryer?

Yes! Think of your air fryer as a powerful oven. You preheat your oven before you cook so the same principle applies for your air fryer.

How thick should my air fryer pork chops be?

Ideally, they should be between 1 ½ and 2 inches thick. This gives the best results. You can of course use thinner pork chops but you need to reduce the cooking time. This is where a meat thermometer comes in very handy.

Verdict

There we have it, air fryer pork chops. Not only are they simple to prepare, they are simple to cook and the results are absolutely delicious. Literally everybody has the ability to do this…and why wouldn’t you.

Fast…simple…sounds like a recipe for perfection!

Since you are here…can I ask a favor?

It would be really nice if you could share this article and image on your social media.

It’s just a couple of clicks for you but it means the world to me.

Thank you so much…Jayne x

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