I’m sold: air fryer pork chops are juicy on the inside with a caramelized crust on the outside. Don’t miss the wicked good marinade that’s included in this recipe!
Pork chops get a bad reputation as being tough, chewy and boring. These chops aren’t so. They’re flavorful and juicy with a crazy good crust on the outside that will have you pork chop crazed. Thanks air fryer!
In the grilling mood? Try Grilled Pork Tenderloin.
Why You’ll Love Air Fryer Pork Chops
- Juicy: there’s nothing worse than a tough pork chop. These chops are juicy and tender.
- Caramelized: my favorite thing about these air fryer pork chops is the caramelized crust. It’s divine.
- Flavorful yet versatile: the easy marinade for these pork chops is flavorful yet won’t overpower any of the accoutrements you want to serve with your chops!
- Inexpensive: pork chops are inexpensive. I bought 2 big chops for under $4!
- Easy: pork doesn’t need to be a pain with spattering pans and hours of marinating. This recipe makes delicious pork chops stress-free.
Air Fryer Pork Chop Ingredients
- Thick cut boneless pork chops – this recipe is for boneless pork chops that are 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick. You can use this recipe for bone-in chops but the cook time may be a bit off. Typically bone-in pork chops take a few minutes longer.
- Smooth Dijon mustard – mustard imparts delicious flavor to your pork chops and tenderizes the meat.
- Real maple syrup – maple syrup adds a touch of sweetness, which complements the tanginess of the mustard and apple cider vinegar. The maple syrup also gives your chops a delicious caramelized crust!
- Apple cider vinegar – apple and pork is a classic flavor combo. Tangy apple cider vinegar adds undertones of apple without being apple-forward.
- Garlic – garlic…because garlic!
How to Make Air Fryer Pork Chops
Full instructions in the recipe card; this is just an outline!
- Mix.
Whisk together the mustard, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste in a baking dish.
- Marinade.
Remove chops from fridge. Place pork chops in marinade for 20-30 minutes at room temperature. Flip pork chops half way through.
- Preheat.
Preheat air fryer at 400 degrees for 5 minutes.
- Arrange.
Once preheated, place pork chops in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Pour all marinade over the top of the chops.
- Air fry.
Air fry at 400 degrees for 16-22 minutes, flipping halfway through. The internal temperature should register 145-150 degrees when done.
- Rest.
Let chops rest for 5-10 minutes. Serve with drippings and juices from the air fryer basket holder.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
I use thick-cut boneless pork chops in this recipe. I buy center cut chops, but other thick, boneless cuts work too!
Yes, you can use bone-in pork chops but the cook time might be a bit off. Typically bone-in pork chops take a bit longer to cook.
Thick cut boneless pork chops take 17-23 minutes to cook in the air fryer.
High heat is best, at 400 degrees, for a delicious crust and a juicy interior.
Pork is done when the internal temperature in the thickest part of the chop registers 145 degrees.
Pork chops can be served in so many ways. You can serve them as a main dish with sides like Cauliflower “Mashed Potatoes,” Roasted Zucchini With Lemon & Garlic, or Herb Roasted Root Vegetables. You can also serve pork chops on a bed of Classic Risotto or on top of a salad like a Southwest Salad or Green Goddess Salad.
I don’t recommend making pork chops ahead because pork that’s cooked or heated twice tends to dry out. If you need to make them ahead, I recommend undercooking the chops a bit, so that way when you reheat them, they won’t be dry!
Reheat pork chops in a sealed foil package at 350 degrees until hot. The time required depending on how much is being reheated. Read notes on “make ahead” above for thoughts on reheating.
Store them in a covered container, in the fridge, after they’ve cooled for up to 4 days.
Yes! You can use whatever marinade you like.
Other Pork Recipes You’ll Love!
- Juicy Grilled Pork Tenderloin (Easy)
- Crispy Pork Milanese With Warm Arugula Salad
- Best Ever Slow Cooked Italian Pulled Pork
- Million Dollar Candied Bacon
- Cheesy Bacon & Chive Mini Quiche Recipe
Equipment
- Air fryer
Ingredients
- 2 thick cut boneless pork chops 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick
- 3 tablespoon smooth Dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons real maple syrup
- 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 large garlic cloves minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Make the marinade by whisking together the mustard, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste in a baking dish or other dish that you can marinate pork chops in.
- Remove pork chops from the fridge. Place pork chops in marinade for 20-30 minutes at room temperature. Flip pork chops halfway through so both sides of the chops have time to sit in the marinade.
- Preheat air fryer by setting to 400°F for 5 minutes.
- Once preheated, place pork chops in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Pour all marinade over the top of the chops. If there’s only room for one chop, air fry the pork chops in 2 batches.
- Air fry at 400°F for 16-22 minutes, flipping halfway through. The internal temperature should register 145-150°F when done. Check often once the chops are close to 145 degrees.
- Let chops rest for 5-10 minutes before serving or slicing. Serve with drippings and juices from the air fryer basket holder.
Video
Notes
- You can use a different marinade if preferred.
- Make sure your pork chops are between 1.5-2 inches thick or else the cook time will be off!
- Using bone-in pork chops will change the cook time, likely to be slightly longer than what’s in the recipe.
- Feel free to double or triple this recipe if you want to make 4+ pork chops.
- You can use whatever weight of pork chops you’d like, as long as the chops are 1.5-2 inches thick and boneless. I typically buy 2 pork chops that weigh 1.5 pounds in total (shown in the photos).
- The nutrition info is for a 3/4 pound pork chop.
Added some hot water to the bottom of the air fryer basket after removing the chops to make a sauce. Excellent! Five Stars Grace!!
Author
SO happy to hear! Love the water idea 🙂
Grace