How to make delicious and juicy pork chops in an air fryer

Two golden brown pork chops next to a mortar and pestle full of peppercorns — SarapulSar38/Getty Images

Bone-in pork chops take about 12 minutes to air fry, but timing varies depending on thickness.
Customize your spice rub to your taste, but at the very least season generously with salt and pepper.
Letting pork chops rest after they're done air frying is the key to juicy, moist results.
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Air frying is a quick method for making crispy food with minimal oil. The small appliances work by circulating hot air like a convection oven, leaving foods with a satisfying, non-greasy crispy exterior.

And the air fryer isn't just an excellent tool for reheating foods like fries or chicken nuggets. You can also use this compact appliance to quickly cook proteins like chicken, steak, and pork chops.

Olena Osipov, founder and recipe creator at iFOODreal, loves the air fryer because it's much speedier than the oven. It's also an excellent way to cook meat. Plus:

It's faster than the oven. The air fryer delivers the same results as your oven, but in a fraction of the time, Osipov says. She says that preheating takes barely any time at all compared to the oven.
Pork chops come out juicy. "Meat cooked in an air fryer comes out juicy inside, golden outside," she says. Moisture stays locked in, but the edges get nice and crispy.
It's mess-free. Unlike a deep fryer or ultra-hot oven, there's no need to worry about oil splatter when cooking in an air fryer. Oil drips to the bottom for easy cleanup, leaving you with non-greasy chops ready to eat.

Below, Osipov gives her tips on how to cook the juiciest, golden-brown pork chops in your air fryer.

1. Pick your pork chop

Two raw bone-in pork chops on a slate board — THEPALMER/Getty Images

Choosing the right cut of meat is essential when cooking in the air fryer. Osipov explains that 1.5- to 2-inch thick bone-in chops work best for air frying. "It's because thick pork chops allow for longer cook time, which creates a nice golden crust outside," she says. That way, you don't overcook and dry out the pork trying to get crispy edges.

2. Choose your seasoning

Seasoning is key when cooking any kind of meat. Even if you skip fancy rubs and marinades, adding salt is a must.

Osipov's favorite rub is a mixture consisting of fresh garlic, smoked paprika, thyme, oregano, and salt and pepper. But other flavorful rubs you might try include:

Sweet: Garlic powder, sweet paprika, and brown sugar
Simple: Onion powder and garlic powder
Spicy: Chili powder, chili flakes, onion powder, garlic powder, and thyme

For a Mexican twist, marinate pork chops in a mixture of olive oil, lime juice, garlic, cilantro, cumin, and chili powder. Or go in an Asian direction with a Chinese five spice blend of star anise, fennel seed, cinnamon, Szechuan peppercorn, and cloves.

And don't forget to add salt and pepper!

3. Bread it (Optional)

To make breading simple, Osipov suggests incorporating breadcrumbs to your dry rub seasoning. Breaded chops will come out crispier, says Osipov, but you have to be careful not to burn them. Reduce the temperature slightly (to around 380 degrees Fahrenheit) when cooking breaded chops. Keep a close eye on them, pulling them when the crust turns golden brown.

How to cook pork chops in an air fryer

LauriPatterson/Getty Images

Prep your pork chops. Remove chops from the fridge, pat them dry, and season with a dry rub. You can also choose to marinate them overnight. The longer they're in contact with marinade or seasoning, the more flavorful they'll be.
Set your air fryer to 400 degrees. Osipov recommends preheating for about 5 minutes to make sure the chops begin to cook as soon as you put them in the air fryer. If breading your chops, reduce the temperature to 380 degrees Fahrenheit.
Place pork chops in the air fryer. How many chops you can cook at once depends on your air fryer model. Osipov's guideline is "as many as you can fit in without touching each other."
Cook for about 12 minutes. Chops are ready when they're golden brown on the outside, with a slight crisp to the edges. But cooking time may vary depending on chop thickness, whether they're bone-in or not, and if you've used breading.
To prevent breading from burning, you may have to adjust cook times depending on your air fryer. Boneless chops will also require less time. For thinner chops, begin checking for doneness at around the eight-minute mark. From there, cook in one-minute increments until done.
Check the pork chops for doneness. One way to check for doneness, says Osipov, is to make a small cut and check that the juices run clear. Or, use a meat thermometer.
Let them rest. Remove the pork chops from the air fryer with a pair of tongs, cover them, and let them rest for about 5 minutes. This allows all the juices to reincorporate so they stay moist.

Tips for the best air fryer pork chops

Flip them. Make sure to flip your chops halfway through cooking to ensure you get a nice texture on all sides.
Get to know your air fryer. Like ovens, air fryer cook times can vary. You may need to cook pork chops a few times before you end up with perfect results.
Give them some room. Don't try to cook too many chops at once. Keep them from touching one another to ensure the hot air has enough space to circulate.
Keep things equal. Choose pork chops that are all around the same size to ensure they cook at the same rate.
Store them safely. If you want to save leftovers, Osipov says you can store cooked pork chops in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Insider's takeaway

Air frying is a quick and simple method for cooking juicy, golden brown pork chops. Make sure to liberally season the chops, turn them halfway through, and let them rest. Pull them from the air fryer when the internal temperature reaches about 135-140 degrees Fahrenheit. They'll cook a little more while they rest.

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