Air-Fryer Pork Chops

Updated Dec. 18, 2023

Air-Fryer Pork Chops
Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
20 minutes
Rating
4(478)
Notes
Read community notes

This easy air-fryer recipe creates tasty, effortless pork chops, with the flexibility to season ahead of time or with no notice at all. The sugar-and-spice blend performs double duty, injecting a jolt of seasoning all over while also caramelizing as the pork cooks, forming a delightfully crackly crust that keeps the meat moist. Depending on the size of your air-fryer basket, you may be able to fit more than two pork chops, but the temperature and cook time will stay the same.

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: give recipes to anyone
    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.
  • Print Options


Advertisement


Ingredients

Yield:2 servings
  • 2(¾-inch-thick) boneless pork loin chops (about 6 ounces each)
  • Salt
  • 1teaspoon brown sugar
  • ½teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½teaspoon ground coriander
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (2 servings)

257 calories; 13 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 33 grams protein; 401 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat air fryer to 375 degrees, if preheating is recommended for your air fryer.

  2. Step 2

    Pat pork chops dry with paper towels. Season the pork chops with salt on both sides. In a shallow plate or small bowl, combine the sugar, cumin and coriander. Season pork chops all over with cumin mixture, rubbing until fully coated. (Pork chops can be seasoned just before cooking or up to 12 hours in advance. If seasoning the pork chops in advance, let them sit, uncovered, in the refrigerator, to allow the salt and sugar to settle into the pork chops, permeating and tenderizing them. Let the pork chops come to room temperature before cooking.)

    Image of two raw pork chops being seasoned with a spice mixture for making air-fryer pork chops.
  3. Step 3

    Transfer seasoned pork chops to the air fryer basket and cook until beautifully browned and cooked through, flipping halfway through, about 5 minutes per side.

    Image of golden brown pork chops in an air-fryer basket for making air-fryer pork chops.
  4. Step 4

    Allow pork chops to rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

    Image of cooked pork chops resting on a cutting board for making Air-Fryer Pork Chops.

Ratings

4 out of 5
478 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.

Cooking Notes

Is it 20 minutes total cook time, flipping at 10 minutes, or 10 minutes cook time, flipping at 5?

I agree that the writing is sloppy and therefore confusing. Another recipe site recommends 12 minutes total at 400F for thick chops, turning them at 6 minutes. The recipe is rated (if true) 4.9 from 370 reviews. Personally, I recommend using an instant-read thermometer* to check the internal F while the beast is paused. My preference is medium rare and remove chops from the heat source at no more than 128F, which goes up another 6 degrees while resting. *Mine is made by Kizen.

I've been making variations of this for the year that I've owned to my air fryer. One of the best meals it makes. My primary variation is to butterfly the chops with a few cris-crossing slices, then marinate briefly in olive oil and spices. (Cayenne is wonderful.) Cooking time is reduced just a little, and you end up with more of the yummy exterior crust. Bone-less appetit!

Trial by error tells me it is more like 10 minutes cook time total, flipping at 5.

The article says “Time”, not “cook time”. “Time” encompasses the entirety of the process including prep and cook. Later in the instructions is: “flipping halfway through, about 5 minutes per side”. That would indicate a total of about 10 minutes.

20 minutes is way too long producing dry, hard, and largely unappetizing chops. Around 10 minutes total cooking time is correct.

I made these last night, allowing them to sit with the rub on them at room temp for about 60-90 mins before air frying- I did 5 mins each side, then about an additional 4 minutes or so to bring to 145- was extremely juicy and tasty. Highly reccomend.

I made these tonight. Ended up cooking them about 6 min per side and used an instant read thermometer to confirm the temperature. They were very moist and delicious, although next time I will double the spice mixture and coat the chops more heavily.

Hi, I mixed ground cumin, smoked paprika, ground fennel and. Little black pepper all together. Delish!

My air fryer doesn’t have a 375° setting, so I cooked them at 380° for five minutes a side. Nwxt

Turned out OK, but pretty bland flavor. I would cook again in the air fryer, but with a different rub or marinade for sure.

Temp?

I think Pork is like steak. If there is a little pink on the inside I'm ok with that at the end as the pork chop is juicier as well.

First use of my air fryer. The chops when unwrapped turned out to be a slab of shoulder meat with bone (the bone I expected). I seasoned it with a blend I already had. The meat came out juicy and tender so it’s a win.

This is easy and delicious! I did preheat the air fryer, then put the chops in and turned them after five minutes (five minutes per side). Let them rest as per the recipe and they were perfect -- juicy, tender, and the seasoning was perfect. I can't imagine why some people need to cook them for 35 minutes.

Mine didn't take 35 minutes, but they definitely took longer than 12 minutes. I assume it's because mine were thicker. They did come out nice and juicy. The flavor was good, but I might add more spice mixture and garlic powder and/or smoked paprika next time.

I have made this twice now, and it was a hit both times. Just be careful not to overcook the chops. 5 minutes per side was not quite enough; it was more like 6 1/2-7 minutes.

5 minutes side 1 5 minutes side 2 = 10 minutes total Using 3/4” thick chops taken out of refrigerator 1/2 hour ahead of cooking

5 + 5 = 10 !!! Brilliant.

I always brine my pork chops with salt, brown sugar and various aromatics before I cook them, so at least they were moist. The cumin was a bad idea. This recipe is lackluster at best.

Cook time is not even remotely accurate. Took 30 minutes in my air fryer basket in the oven at 375 after lengthy preheating.

The directions on the recipe are terrible- cooking for 10 minutes is not even close to cooked!! More like 25-30

Private notes are only visible to you.

Advertisement

or to save this recipe.