Air Fryer Pork Chops

These versatile, juicy Air Fryer Pork Chops are the perfect answer to your busy, on-the-go day. They can be on the table in less the 30 minutes.

When my day turns from managed to out-of-control, I often turn to my air fryer to help me get a healthy, quick meal on the table. This recipe for Air Fryer Pork Chops is one of my favorite go-to meals. The perfectly seasoned and juicy bone-in pork chops can be ready in under 30 minutes and are delicious with a wide variety of side dishes.

Scroll down to read more about how it all comes together or click here to jump straight down to the recipe.

Jump To:

1. How To Season Pork Chops
2. What Kind Of Pork Chops For The Air Fryer?
3. More Ways To Cook Pork Chops
4. Air Fryer Pork Chops Recipe

How To Season Pork Chops

If I have planned ahead, I like to first brine the chops following this easy brine for pork chops recipe. The optimal time for brining pork chops I’ve discovered is between one to two hours, so you don’t need to plan too far ahead. Otherwise, I just season them, put them in the air fryer, and have a satisfying meal on the table in under 30 minutes.

If you want to keep things simple, you can simply season your pork chops with salt and black pepper. But because I like my chops to have a little more color than what the air fryer produces, I add 1/8 teaspoon of smoked paprika to a mixture of salt, pepper, and garlic powder. It adds just a hint of smokey flavor and creates the illusion of browning.

Another favorite seasoning option I like use if I’m serving the chops with corn on the cob or potato salad is my Homemade Pork Rub and Seasoning Blend. It has the perfect balance of sweet and savory.

What Kind Of Pork Chops For The Air Fryer?

My preference for this air fryer pork chops recipe is typically a center-cut bone-in chop that’s between 3/4-inch to 1-inch thick. I feel like this cut is more flavorful than the boneless version. It tends to be more lean, so the high-heat-quick-cooking time of the air fryer makes it a perfect candidate for this recipe. Have a thicker chop? You’ll want to increase the cook time to 10-12 minutes. 

If you prefer the center-cut boneless pork chop, you’ll also need to modify the cooking time. I would start with 5 minutes depending up the thickness of the chop. When the time is up, take the internal temperature with an instant read thermometer. The USDA suggests that pork should be cooked between 145˚-160˚F. I pull mine out at about 140˚F and allow it to sit for about 5 minutes before serving. The carry-over cooking raises the temperature to between 145˚-150˚F and gives me a great tender chop. If you like your pork a little more well done, you can choose a temperature up to 160˚F.

You can serve these with your favorite side dish. I choose something simple like roasted carrots, a simple green salad, or mashed potatoes.

Air Fryer Pork Chops Recipe

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• Author: Christine Pittman
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 14 minutes
• Total Time: 24 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: Entrée
• Method: Air Fryer
• Cuisine: American

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DESCRIPTION

These versatile, juicy Air Fryer Pork Chops are the perfect answer to your busy, on-the-go day. They can be on the table in less the 30 minutes.

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Ingredients

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• 4 bone-in center-cut pork chops, 3/4-inch thick, brined if desired
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil

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Instructions

1. If brining pork chops, follow these instructions.
2. Pat the chops dry whether brining or not.
3. In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika.*
4. Rub 1 teaspoon of olive oil on both sides of each of the pork chops.
5. Season both sides of the chops with the salt mixture or your seasoning blend.
6. Working in batches if necessary, place the pork chops in the air fryer basket without overlapping.
7. Set the temperature to 390˚F and cook for 7 minutes, or until an instant read thermometer registers between 145-160˚ F, depending on your preference. Turn chops over half-way through the cooking time.
8. Remove from air fryer basket and keep warm in a pre-heated 180˚F oven.
9. Repeat until all pork chops are cooked.

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Notes

*Or make my Homemade Pork Rub and Seasoning Blend with brown sugar, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, garlic powder and optional chili powder, cumin, and cayenne.

This post originally appeared in January 2020 and was revised and republished in June 2023.