Air Fryer Pork Chops Quick Moist Wellplated Com

Pork chops cooked in the air fryer are juicy (NOT DRY) inside and crispy outside (without the need for egg and flour or panko breadcrumbs). A simple pork seasoning rub made with a reasonable list of spices you likely already have on hand gives the pork chops a rich smokiness and a little bit of a kick. To the pork chops skeptics: I see you. Until I perfected Crock Pot Pork Chops and Grilled Pork Chops, my only experience with the cut was as a hard-to-saw (and even harder to chew) piece of protein I did my best to pick around. Cooked properly, however, you can make pork chops that are melt-in-your-mouth tasty and (I really can’t emphasize this enough) NOT DRY. Just like Air Fryer Steak. Here’s how!

How to Cook Pork Chops without Drying Them Out

Choose Thick-Cut Chops. Look for the thickest ones you can find, and don’t be shy about asking the butcher counter if needed. For juiciness guaranteed, I recommend pork chops that are at least 1 1/2-inches thick.Go Bone-In. Boneless pork chops are far easier to overcook than ones with the bone in. Cooking air fryer bone-in pork chops gives you more wiggle room. The bone gives the meat extra flavor too (which is why bone-in is perfect for Stuffed Pork Chops and Smothered Pork Chops).DO NOT OVERCOOK. Unlike a tougher cut of pork like pork shoulder, pork chops are lean (like Stuffed Pork Tenderloin and Grilled Pork Tenderloin) and do not become more tender the longer they cook. Use an instant-read thermometer like this and check the pork early and often. It’s the absolute best way to know when pork chops are done in an air fryer.

Lest Rest. Resting the meat is MANDATORY. It allows the juices to reincorporate into the meat. If you cut the pork chops right away, all those lovely juices escape onto the plate.

Try the Air Fryer! Of all the ways I’ve tried making them, the air fryer is the best way to cook pork chops. Because it circulates air so effectively, the air fryer crisps the outsides beautifully and leaves the inside of the pork chops moist (similar to Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin).

How to Cook Air Fryer Pork Chops

In addition to its prowess at making pork chops juicy, the air fryer offers a further benefit: it is FAST.

Simple Pork Rub

Now let’s talk FLAVAH! We are going to season these beauties with an easy pork rub.

One of my pet peeves is when meat recipes call for you to make an entire batch of a large-scale seasoning blend it will take you a year to work through. That’s why I’ve included just enough of the pork seasoning ingredients to generously coat the two chops called for in this recipe.If you’re serving a larger group or you do want to keep extra on hand in a jar for pork rub on demand (good for you!), you can scale it up to your heart’s content.

I opted to make these simple air fryer pork chops (no breading); if you’d like to see a crispy breaded version from me in the future, be sure to leave a comment below. I am listening!

The Ingredients

Bone-In Pork Chops. Thick, bone-in, center-cut pork chops are the perfect choice for this recipe. Pork is a wonderful source of lean protein, vitamins, calcium, and minerals.

Smoky Spice Rub. A mixture of chili powder, ground coriander, dry mustard, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, ground cumin, and cayenne pepper is my secret to the best-tasting, most delicious pork chops. It has a little kick (but not too much), lots of smokiness, and a wonderful depth of flavor.

The Directions

Pork Chops In Air Fryer Variations

Air Fryer BBQ Pork Chops. Slather the cooked chops with this homemade Barbecue Sauce or your favorite store-bought BBQ sauce. I recommend warming up the sauce first, then brushing it on liberally once the pork has rested.Air Fryer Pork Chops Parmesan. Add 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese to the spice mixture. YUM! Air Fryer Ranch Pork Chops. Swap the pork seasoning blend used here with a ranch seasoning mix.Garlic Air Fryer Pork Chops. Add 1 teaspoon garlic powder to the spice mixture.

Storage Tips

To Store. Refrigerate leftover pork chops in an airtight storage container for up to 3 days. To Reheat. Gently rewarm pork chops in the air fryer or oven at 350 degrees F, in the microwave, or in a skillet on the stove. To Freeze. Freeze leftover pork chops in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe

Air Fryer. This is the model I own and love!Mixing Bowls. Ideal for preparing the spice mixture. Instant Read Thermometer. A meat thermometer is the best way to know when your pork is cooked through.

Crispy. Juicy. BBQ-y. Air fryer bone-in pork chops, you’ve redeemed this dinner forever more!

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Air Fryer Pork Chops Video

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