11 Tips for Perfectly Delicious Air Fryer Pork Chops

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Pork chops are a brilliant option for a tasty dinner, especially if cooked beautifully. Crispy on the outside, still juicy in the middle, and bursting with flavor, they are always going to be a big hit. Cooking them exactly as they should be is not always easy, but if you have an air fryer, pork chop perfection is within reach.

To help you navigate the air frying of pork chops, we sought some expert help to guide you in the right direction. Jason Phillips is a trained chef and culinary arts writer, editor, and author. He loves to cook pork chops in the air fryer and has shared his favorite tips for getting the best possible results. From tenderizing the meat with a mallet to defrosting fully, Jason knows how to get the most out of air-fried meat, and his advice will give you the confidence to follow suit. Let’s explore 11 tips for the tastiest air fryer pork chops.

If you’ve tried cooking frozen pork chops in the air fryer before and weren’t too impressed with the results, Jason Phillips knows why. When asked what the most common mistake home cooks make with air fryer pork chops, he said that frozen or partially defrosted meat is often to blame. “Partially frozen chops will not cook evenly and are almost impossible to season,” he explains. Instead, remove the meat from the freezer in plenty of time, to make sure it is fully defrosted before you season it and add to the air fryer.

The safest way to defrost meat is to remove it from the freezer the night before and let it defrost in the fridge overnight. According to the USDA, if you thaw your pork overnight in the refrigerator, it will still be safe to eat for a couple of days, so choose this method of defrosting whenever possible.

If you need to defrost your chops at the last minute, you can safely microwave them, but only if you are then going to cook them straight away. Microwaving will take the meat into the Danger Zone, between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit, so to keep them safe, you must take them above this temperature as quickly as you can.

Even if you have thawed your chops beautifully overnight, or you are cooking them fresh, it is still important not to cook them directly from the fridge. “Pull them out of the fridge 20 minutes before cooking and pat them dry with a paper towel before seasoning,” advises Jason Phillips.

In the air fryer, the meat will cook from the outside first, and the inside will catch up. A perfect scenario will create a beautiful golden crust and tender interior. Cold meat will have uneven spots as it cooks, and to get the inside fully cooked, the outside will likely end up a little dry. To avoid this, take the chops from the fridge early, and leave them on the countertop for around 20 minutes before adding them to the air fryer. Don’t leave them for much longer than this, as it will increase their risk of reaching the danger zone.

If you’ve had a stressful day, preparing your pork chops for the air fryer is the perfect opportunity to let out some steam and improve their texture at the same time. Tenderizing the chops with a meat mallet will help break down the tough muscles, getting them closer to the tender, juicy pork you crave.

“Tenderize them using a mallet or the palm of your hand by pounding both sides,” suggests Jason Phillips. If you don’t have a dedicated meat mallet, you can always improvise with a rolling pin or the bottom of a heavy pan to get a similar effect. Prevent cross-contamination with raw meat by covering the chops with cling wrap if you are using alternative kitchen items for the task.

The mallet reduces the meat’s thickness, which as Phillips points out, means faster cooking. Dinner can be on the table more quickly, which is definitely a win for a tasty midweek meal.

One of the beauties of air frying chops is that it gives you the chance to crisp the outside without hot oil splattering all over the stove. Jason Phillips has a handy tip to get that golden crunch without the chops becoming overly greasy. “If you are looking for crunch, spray each pork chop side with a light coat of cooking spray,” he advises. By spraying the meat with an oil mist rather than coating it in oil, you will get that satisfying and crunchy exterior in each bite, without the oil soaking into your pork chops.

Instead of store-bought cooking spray, you can always add your choice of oil to a spray bottle for a custom-made option. You can then use your spray in the rest of your cooking, to oil a pan or coat any other food with a fine layer of oil.

When cooking for the whole family, it can be tempting to throw as much meat into the air fryer as you can to save. However, overcrowding the air fryer can lead to meat that is not properly cooked, and the end result can be dried-out, chewy pork chops.

“Overcrowding the air fryer is another key mistake,” explains Jason Phillips. “Hot air must circulate the food for proper cooking, and overcrowding does not allow air to flow, decreasing the results and texture.” Just like your regular oven, air fryers use convection to heat the food, meaning there needs to be space around your chops to allow them to cook evenly. In a standard oven, the pork would have plenty of space around it, so make sure you do the same in the air fryer. This may mean having to cook in batches, but it will be worth it for beautifully cooked chops.

One big question when cooking pork chops is whether or not to marinate them first. While you can still get delicious, juicy air fryer pork chops without a marinade, Jason Phillips prefers to give them a tasty oil bath before they go in. “A marinade, especially one with an acidic or mustard base, tenderizes the meat and produces a better end result,” he explains. “It also injects flavor and locks in the juice for best results. “

Acid, such as vinegar or lemon juice, is a crucial component of a marinade as it helps to break down the proteins in the meat in the same way that cooking does. Along with fat such as olive oil and flavoring from herbs or spices, meat that has been marinated has the edge with both flavor and texture. Remember to wipe the excess marinade off before adding them to the basket.

Deciding whether to keep the bone in a pork chop is a personal preference. Some people swear it makes the meat much juicier and more flavorful, but cooking meat with the bone in means the cooking time has to increase — or does it? “I have air-fried bone-in and boneless chops, and I have never noticed a difference in cooking times, tenderness, or flavor,” admits Jason Phillips.

Whether this phenomenon is particular to the air fryer remains to be seen, but Phillips’ experience suggests that your pork will be just as good either way. There is something very rustic about serving meat on the bone, so if it that appeals to you, go for it. Some people don’t enjoy eating meat from the bone though, so for those who prefer a neat and tidy pork chop, remove it before cooking or buy boneless meat instead.

Seasoning meat doesn’t mean just adding a pinch of salt and a twist of black pepper. If you really want to upgrade your pork chops, they deserve complex flavors to surprise your taste buds.

“The best dry seasonings for pork chops are salt and pepper, paprika, chili pepper, and brown sugar,” Jason Phillips recommends. “I prefer to use all of these seasonings at once. The brown sugar adds an excellent coating and crunch, and pairs wonderfully with the spicier elements.” This combination of spicy and sweet is the perfect seasoning for pork and will make your chops a lot more interesting. The sugar will caramelize in the air fryer as the meat cooks, creating a delicious crust on the outside, bags of flavor, and variations in texture.

You can experiment with any combination of seasonings you want: garlic salt, onion powder, dried rosemary. There are so many flavors that elevate pork beautifully. Ultimately, you shouldn’t be shy when seasoning your pork chops — give them the boost they need and let your palate enjoy the results.

One of the best reasons to use an air fryer is the time and money it saves compared to a conventional oven. Preheating an air fryer can take mere minutes, whereas heating a large oven can take 20 minutes or more and often involves heating much more space than you actually use. Then there is the cooking time itself — air fryers are small and efficient, so they can cook food in a much shorter time. Not only does this save you money – 50% of the electricity cost in some cases — but it means that dinner can be on the table more quickly.

“Conventional oven temperatures range from 350°F to 400°F. Air-fried chops should be done at 400°F and take less than ten minutes,” explains Jason Phillips. Less than ten minutes to get a tasty, home-cooked meal served to the family? That is a serious time saver for busy home cooks, though it means you will need to move faster to get your sides ready. If following a recipe, take around 20 degrees off the recommended temperature and reduce the time by at least 20%.

To bread or not to bread, that is the big pork chop question. The answer, according to Jason Phillips, is to always bread. “Breaded chops are one of my favorite air fryer recipes,” he admits, and most of us are probably happy with that answer. “I prefer Panko or ground garlic and cheese croutons using the “double dip” method. Dredge the chops in the crunchy mixture, eggs (or egg wash), and dry mixture, then dip them again.”

This method creates an incredibly satisfying crunch, which is the point of breading in the first place. Using ground croutons will make them extra crispy and add a super-savory element. Phillips also points out that he has used gluten-free flour to bread his chops, and it worked well, so there’s no need for anyone to miss out. Once you have breaded the chops, lay them carefully in the fryer to prevent dislodging too much of the crumb. With minimal effort, your breaded pork chops will make a delicious meal that can be served with a crunchy green salad for the whole family to enjoy.

Air frying is an easy and convenient hands-off way to cook your pork chops, but it doesn’t mean you can put them on and leave the room until they are done, as Jason Phillips explains. “Always flip air fried food when it is halfway done cooking (you can add another coat of spray at this point if you want). Make sure the internal temperature is 145°F and enjoy!”

Knowing that your pork chops are ready can be tricky, especially for an inexperienced home cook. The safest way to know for sure is to use a meat thermometer, which will tell you exactly how well-cooked your meat is without you needing to cut it open.

Flipping your food half way through is the best way to crisp up both sides of the chops and make for the best eating experience. Let the meat rest for a few minutes once they are cooked while you plate up everything else, then sit down and enjoy the juiciest, tastiest pork chops you’ve ever had, thanks to your trusty air fryer.