Air Fryer Pork Chops
Boneless pork chops about 1 inch thick take 12–14 minutes in a 400°F (200°C) air fryer, flipped halfway, and are done at 145°F (63°C) followed by a 3-minute rest. They do not need breading. A dry surface and a short rest matter more than a complicated rub. Total time is about 17 minutes. Thinner ½-inch chops are a shorter cook, spelled out below, and they are easy to overshoot.
Cook to an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C).
Ingredients
- 2 boneless pork loin chops, about 8 oz (227 g) each and 1 inch thick
- 1 tbsp (14 g) olive oil
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp fine salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Estimated nutrition
Per serving, estimated: 390 kcal, 49 g protein, 0 g carbs,20 g fat, 0 g fiber, 710 mg sodium.
Estimated per serving from typical USDA FoodData Central values for the amounts listed, then rounded. Not a laboratory analysis. Two raw 8 oz boneless loin chops plus 1 tbsp oil and ½ tsp salt. Dry spices are omitted.
Instructions
- Pat the chops dry. Rub with oil, then smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, ½ tsp salt, and pepper. Thick chops cook more evenly if the two pieces match. If one is much thicker, pound the thicker one to the same depth or pull it later.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (200°C) for 3 minutes.
- Air fry in one layer for 12–14 minutes, flipping at 6 minutes. Start checking internal temperature at 11 minutes. Stop at 145°F (63°C) in the center.
- Rest 3 minutes on a plate before cutting. The rest is part of the doneness, not a courtesy. Cutting immediately spills the juice the moderate temperature was meant to keep.
Basket size and model notes
A 5–6 qt basket fits two 1-inch chops without overlap. A compact basket may fit only one. Cook them one after another rather than stacking. Stacked chops steam on the touching face and miss the crust.
Half-inch chops are done in 8–9 minutes at the same 400°F, flipped at 4. They go from pink to dry in about a minute, so the thermometer is not optional the first time you use a new machine.
Bone-in rib chops of the same thickness need 1–2 extra minutes. Measure in the meat, not against the bone, which reads hotter and lies.
Tips
- Pork is safe at 145°F with a 3-minute rest. Cooking it to 165°F is the old habit that made chops famous for being dry. Color can stay faintly pink at 145°F. That is expected.
- A 15-minute dry brine (salt only, uncovered in the fridge) helps if you have the time. It is not required for a chop you are cooking the same evening.
- Do not add a sugary glaze at the start. It burns at 400°F before the center is done. Brush it on for the last 2 minutes.
Substitutions
- Smoked paprika. Chili powder, or Italian seasoning with the garlic. Keep the salt measurement. Seasoning blends that already contain salt need less added salt.
- Boneless loin chops. Boneless sirloin chops at the same time if they are 1 inch thick. Very lean center-cut medallions should be closer to ½ inch and the shorter clock.
- Olive oil. A teaspoon of mustard as the binder instead of oil. It helps spices stick and does not change the time.
Storage and reheating
Refrigerate within 2 hours, covered, up to 3 days. Slice only what you will eat cold. Whole chops stay moister. Freeze up to 2 months if you wrap them tightly. Thaw in the fridge, not on the counter.
Reheat at 320°F (160°C) for 3–5 minutes, to warm rather than to a new doneness. A splash of water under the chop is unnecessary and softens the surface. Thin slices are better cold in a sandwich than reheated a second time.
Questions
How long do you air fry a 1-inch pork chop?
12–14 minutes at 400°F (200°C), flipped halfway, to 145°F (63°C), then a 3-minute rest. A ½-inch chop takes 8–9 minutes at the same temperature.
Why are air fryer pork chops dry?
They were cooked past 145°F, they were very thin and left on the 1-inch clock, or they were sliced with no rest. The air fryer is fast. The thermometer is what keeps the second side from going too far after the flip.
Do pork chops need breading in the air fryer?
No. This recipe is a bare chop with a spice rub. Breading is a different recipe and a different time. A bare chop browns well if the surface is dry and the basket was preheated.
More in this collection
- Air Fryer Recipes for Beginners — The shorter, more forgiving recipes: frozen fries, salmon, a plain breast, wings, chops, fish, and an omelette.
- Healthy Air Fryer Recipes — The lighter recipes: salmon, white fish, chicken breast, pork chops, tofu, cauliflower, and the omelette.
- Air fryer cooking times chart for foods that do not have a full recipe yet.