These delicious air fryer boneless pork chops are marinated in an herby marinade, then fried for a swift 15 minutes. Pork should always be this good!
Looking for more air-fried pork? Try our Korean air fryer pork ribs. They are insanely tender and juicy!
Why Air-Fry Pork Chops?
Boneless pork chops are one of the most foolproof air fryer recipes. Pork often tends to be finicky and prone to drying out and turning rubbery when pan-fried or baked in the oven. What a shame! But good news! When you leverage the powers of the air fryer, these pork chops turn out crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside – exactly the way it should be.
Air Fryer Pork Chops Video
What’s the Best Type of Pork Chop Cut
When it comes to air frying, the best pork chops are the thickest ones you can find. The general rule of thumb is the thicker the pork chop, the juicier it is on the inside. From boneless to bone-in pork chops, use this quick-hitter guide to help you choose the right cut.
- Boneless Chop: This is our preferred cut for this recipe. It come from the head of the loin and above the loin chops. It is boneless and very lean. For a quick dinner, use thin boneless chops. For more juicy cuts, use thicker chops.
- Shoulder Chop: This is a cut from the shoulder. It has a fair amount of cartilage and blade bone, so it tends to be a tougher cut.
- Rib Chop: Rib chop comes from the rib section of the loin. It contains the bone, has a medium amount of fat, and is tender yet lean.
- Loin Chop: Loin chop is a combination of hip and loin meat. It’s very lean and mildly flavored. The more tenderloin present in the chop, the more tender it is.
- Sirloin Chop: Sirloin is cut from the hip area toward the back of the loin. It has the highest amount of bone in relation to other pork chops. It does have a lot of pork flavor, but tends to be on the tougher side.
How to Make Pork Chops in the Air Fryer
Air fryer pork chops take almost no time to prep and make! With only five minutes of prep and 15 minutes to fry, these chops are an invaluable protein option for your meal!
- Season the chops: Pop the raw pork chops into a plastic storage bag. Mix in the seasonings, olive oil, parsley, and garlic. Massage the bag to evenly distribute the seasoning. Marinate for at least 10 minutes or overnight in the fridge.
- Arrange the chops in the basket: Spray the air fryer basket with cooking oil (we love this avocado oil) and arrange the pork chops inside in a single layer. Set the temperature to 350°F and air fry for 15 minutes. Flip the chops halfway through.
- Check the internal temperature: Before serving, use a meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature of the pork reaches at least 150°F. Serve!
Hot tip: Looking for a great air fryer? We’ve tried a few and landed on this Cosori Pro air fryer as our top choice.
How Long To Air Fry Pork Chops?
Pork chops take anywhere between 15-20 minutes to cook in the air fryer. It depends on the thickness of the chop and your preferred doneness (see guide below). Typically, one-inch thick pork chops take about 15 minutes. Keep in mind bone-in chops take a few more minute to cook than boneless.
Pork Chops Temperature and Doneness
Pork chops are eaten at a range of temperatures, spanning from medium-rare to well done. We recommend medium for the most tender and juicy interior. Check out this guide to help you gauge doneness and cooking time.
- Medium-rare: 145-150°F
- Medium: 150-155°F (Recommended)
- Medium-Well: 155-160°F
- Well-Done: 160°F
Tips From the Kitchen
We’ve compiled a list of methods we use to consistently make perfectly air fried pork chops. Follow these tips for the tastiest, crispiest, and juiciest chops every time!
- Spray the basket and chops: For the crispiest chops, spray the air fryer basket and the tops of the chops with oil.
- Flip the chops halfway through: To achieve equally crispy chops on all sides, flip them halfway through the frying time. Both sides need equal love and attention from the hot air.
- Add even more flavor: If you’re a lover of super flavorful food, add a dash of paprika, garlic powder, and/or onion powder to the salt and pepper seasoning mixture.
- Keep the temperature at 350°F: For a crispy outside and juicy inside, keep the air fryer temperature at 350°F. This temperature is the happy medium where both crispiness and juiciness lie.
Serving the Chops
Pork chops taste their absolute best served hot and fresh. For a salad side, pair them alongside a classic cucumber and tomato salad (our family favorite!) or quinoa and kale salad. When you’re looking to make a more elaborate spread, pair your chops with a veggie side dish like air fryer broccoli (you already have the air fryer out, so why not use it twice?) and garlic mashed potatoes or crispy smashed potatoes.
Preparing Pork Chops Ahead of Time
Air fryer pork chops are even better when prepared ahead of time. Although a quick 10 minute marinade is good, the longer the pork marinates, the better! Whip up the bagged marinade up to two days in advance and pull out individual chops as you need for air frying.
Storing & Reheating
Make an extra few pork chops to have a quick protein option on hand for a variety of meals — as a main entree, salad topping, or sandwich protein. Here’s how to best store and reheat the meat the next time you eat it.
- Refrigerator: To store for up to three days, place the leftovers into an airtight storage container in the fridge.
- Freezer: To store for up to three months, cool the chops and place them into an airtight container or bag in the freezer. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- Reheating: Reheat the chops with – you guessed it – the air fryer. Place them in the tray at 350°F and heat for 1-3 minutes. This returns them back to their fresh and crispy state. For an easier alternative, zap the chops in the microwave for a few minutes until warm. When there is a large portion of chops, place them in the oven at 350° F and heat until warm.
Hot tip: Substitute leftover pork chops for shredded pork in our Cuban pork sandwich recipe.
FAQ
Can you stack meat in an air fryer?
For best results, avoid stacking meat in the air fryer. Since the air fryer operates by the circulation of hot air, stacking meat prevents the air fryer from cooking food properly. If you must stack meat in the air fryer, move chops around every 3-5 minutes to allow all sides to cook and increase the overall cooking time to compensate.
How do you cook pork chops without drying them out?
Prevent your pork chops from drying out by not overcooking them. Invest in a meat thermometer to help you gauge accurate doneness.
How do you preheat an air fryer?
Depending on the model, your air fryer might come programmed with a preheating setting. If you don’t have a preheating setting, preheat it manually. Simply set the temperature to 350°F and give it about 2-3 minutes to warm up.
Why are my pork chops tough?
Pork chops become tough when they are overcooked or haven’t been marinated. Next time, marinate them for longer and take care not to overcook them.
Can I use frozen pork chops in the air fryer?
You can definitely use frozen pork chops in the air fryer. Simply increase the cooking time by a couple of minutes. Halfway through, remove the pork chops. Season them according to the recipe. Return them to the air fryer basket to finish cooking.
More Air Fryer Recipes to Try
- Air Fryer Chicken Breast — Seasoned with your choice of spice
- Air Fryer Salmon — Flakey, moist salmon
- Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs – Healthy turkey meatballs
- Air Fryer Steak Bites — Juicy beef chunks with mushrooms
- Easy Air Fryer Chicken Wings — Crispy and healthy chicken wings
- Easy Air Fryer Baked Potatoes — Crispy and warm baked potato
Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lbs pork chops
- salt to taste
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp fresh or dry parsley chopped
- 2 garlic cloves grated
Instructions
- Gather your ingredients.
- Place pork chops into a plastic storage bag. Add salt, black pepper, olive oil, parsley, and grated garlic. Massage the bag until the pork chops are completely covered with the marinade. Allow the bag to sit on the counter for 10 minutes or pop in the fridge to marinate overnight.
- Place pork chops in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Set cooking time to 15 minutes at 350°F. Halfway through, flip the pork chops over.
- Check the internal temperature of pork chops with a meat thermometer to gauge doneness. Serve hot alongside your favorite side dish!
Loved this recipe. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Virginia, I am thrilled that you found a recipe that you love. Thank you for sharing your feedback! Enjoy!!
If I could give this recipe 20 stars I would!! I live with my sister and her partner and I made these tonight. They were SOOOO juicy and SOOOO tender!! David said these were the BEST pork chops he has ever eaten in his life! WOW!! I am so glad I found your recipe. Thank you!
Hi Susan, wow, thank you so much for the kind words! I am thrilled that the recipe was a success and that you loved it. Thank you for sharing your feedback. Enjoy!!
So tasty!! We make these often now so sometimes we switch out or add seasonings to mix it up. I always hated making chops because they never came out good but these are perfect every time
Hi Lauren- I'm so happy to hear that!! I'm glad you came upon this recipe and that it changed pork chops for you 🙂
I am so glad i found ur site i am just learning to use my air fryer my husband is the one who used out old and it finally quit working so i bought one that looks like the one pictured in ur recipes...thank u will definitely be trying the chicken legs one and the pork loin one..and many more .. thanks alot again..Rochelle
Hi Rochelle - Welcome to the air fryer club! Glad you loved the recipes. We have so many on our site, so definitely let us know which ones you like best.
Sorry. Flavorless and tough.
Hello, Dava. I'm sorry to hear you didn't get the results you were hoping for. I hope the next recipe you try is more enjoyable!
These were delicious- thank you for sharing! Based on the simple ingredients, I thought they’d be flavorless and boring, but I was wrong! This recipe is being printed for my “go-to” quick, easy and favorite recipes binder. Thank you!
Hi Jodi - YAY! Love to hear it. Sometimes simple seasoning is all you need. Happy New Year!
I’ve never been very good at making pork chops, but these came out SO GOOD! Most definitely the BEST pork chops I have personally ever made! The olive oil marinade truly makes these TASTE like they were fried on the stove, but they are actually juicy and, I would imagine, without all the extra calories of deep-frying. I cooked mine from mostly frozen and I initially put them in for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through, but ended up cooking another 4 minutes or so on each side. PERFECT!
Hello Evelyn, I am so glad you loved the recipe, thank you for taking the time to comment your feedback! I am so happy to hear that this recipe has made cooking pork chops an easier task! I hope you find many more recipes that you love 🙂
Very simple and quick to make. They came out tasty and did not dry out at all. Look forward to making again.
Hello Lois, I am so glad to hear that the recipe went well for you, thank you for taking the time to share your feedback 🙂
I'm always reluctant to cook pork chops because they usually get so dry. Not this time! Recipe worked out GREAT with my thick boneless chops! I happened to watch the video (I don't usually watch recipe videos) and appreciated that you talked about bone-in vs boneless, thick vs. thin. Thank you 🙂
Hi Jenny, I am so glad you watched the video and found it helpful, I love sharing tips in various ways!! Thank you for taking the time to comment your feedback 🙂 What did you serve your pork chops with?
I used salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika. The pork chops were SO good! I’ll definitely be using this recipe from now on 🙂
Lexi, I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe, thank you for your feedback!
Question?
Made these chops today and placed in air fryer tray then decided to remove and place in baking sheet. I was concerned with juices dripping into heating element. I'm new to air frying and I purchased a Calphalon toaster oven/air fryer. Would juices have dripped?
Please help
Hey Rose, I am not familiar with that brand air fryer. Juices/fat will drip ad the air fryer cooks it. I would suggest reading manual on how that particular air fryer works.
So good ❣️👏🏼👏🏼
Thank you, Kathy! I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Just a typo correction - you have the air fryer needs to worm up for 3 minutes instead of warm up.
OH my, lol... Thank you for that!
Worm up … Warm up … at least you didn’t boil the Children (chicken) like I did (hehe). Think that post had the most “laughing” emojis on my FB in 2016.
LOL! Once the robots take over, we'll have no funny typos to laugh at. Thanks for giving me a much needed mid-day laugh, Rachael!
Mine were inedible! 15 minutes at that temp was way too long in my air fryer
It has A LOT to do with air fryer brand also.
Hi, depending on the thickness of the pork chops you may need to cook them longer or a shorter time. We did talk a little about different cuts of pork chops in the video.
If I am cooking in batches, how would you recommend keeping the first chops warm so they don't dry out?
What I do is serve the first batch out to my youngest kids first, then make another batch for my older kids and serve it out, then I make my own food. That way, nobody has to wait too long for their food, it's hot when everyone eats, and there are no complaints. If you make it with salad or a cold side, you can just stick it in the refrigerator in between batches.
Hey Donna, I would keep them wrapped in foil. Typically air fryer is best for a quick smaller portion serving.
I’m cooking 3 bone in sirloin chops but I don’t have fresh garlic cloves can I substitute it with powder if so how much would you recommend
Hi Melanie, I would do about 1/2 tsp. I hope you love it!
I’m trying the recipe for the first time. My pork chops are semi frozen & I placed sweet potatoes on the underneath tray.
Hopefully they come out amazing!
Keep me posted!
I made these pork chops for my hubby, and he loved them! thank you!!
I am so happy to hear this! I love the mess-free crispy pork 🙂
I live by myself and will cook one pork chop. Does timing change for just one item
It should be pretty similar, there are a few factors because the thickness may be different too. So the best thing to do is to check the temperature of the pork chop.
I have 8 chops; do I have to air fry them in batches? Thank you!
Yes, it will cook evenly and you will like the result better.
Duh! I got my answer from above! TY
🙂 NP! Enjoy them!
OMG! Thank you so much for posting this recipe. This was the fastest, easiest and such a tasty pork chop. Home cooked meal in 20 minutes. This will be my go to from now o .
Hey Tracy, I am so happy you loved the recipe. I hope you come back for more.
Mine were over 170F in 8 minutes and were nice and moist. They were very thin. Thanks for the recipe! I used Italian seasoning in lieu of parsley b/c I had run out!
Priscilla, thank you for sharing your feedback. The seasoning combo sounds really delicious!
This turned out PERFECT! So juicy and yummy. My new go to pork chop recipe.
Suzanne, thank you so much for such a sweet feedback! I am so happy you loved the recipe.
Absolutely delicious the best pork chops I've ever had. Resturant quality !
Wow, Barbra! Thank you so much for sharing your feedback. I am honored that you stopped by!
Is this with frozen or thawed pork chops?
This would be with thawed pork chops.
do you have to preheat airfryer prior to placing pork chops in air fryer?
I would recommend preheating the air fryer for a minute or two. It is not required, it just adds that extra crispy layer if you do.