Air fryer pork chops coming in hot and fast with the flavors of Italian porchetta!
Do you ever wander by someone’s house and smell what they’re cooking for dinner? Every time Mike and I smell someone’s cooking and it smells good, we turn to each other and say, “PORK CHOPS!” To be honest, it’s probably not pork chops at all but Mike is low-key obsessed with pork chops and it’s a funny little thing we do.
Anyway, both Mike and I love pork chops. What’s not to love about a thick cut of juicy pork? There are a couple of secrets to making the best pork chops and I’m going to share them ALL with you.
First off, let’s talk about flavors.
I seasoned these thick and juicy guys with the classic flavors of porchetta, the insanely iconic Italian pork roast that’s stuffed with rosemary, fennel, and herbs. To gild the lily I whipped up a quick salsa verde full of fresh herby lemon flavors. The green sauce and pork chops together are going to blow your mind.
To make the best pork chops, buy the right kind of chop
Thick cut pork chops for the win! The best pork chops for air fryer pork chops (or any pork chop in general) is a thick, center cut pork chop. They can be bone-in or boneless, but you want them thick! Thin pork chops cook too quickly and end up being dry. So if you love pork chops, get them thick, at least 1.5 to 2 inches thick.
Pork chop temp
The USDA recommends 145°F for pork chops.
How to make juicy pork chops
They key to making juicy pork chops is not over cooking them. Pork chops tend to be lean and have a very small margin for overcooking. USDA says that the safe temp for pork is 145°F which is a bit rosy and quite juicy. Most people are used to overcooked pork chops so they’re scared of pink. If you want juicy chops, invest in an instant read thermometer, cook your pork to 145°F (or even to 140° and let the carryover heat bring it up to temp) and you’ll never eat dry pork chops again. Don’t fear the pink!
How to cook pork chops in the air fryer
- Dry the chops. Give the pork chops a pat dry with some paper towels. This removes excess moisture from the pork chops so the surface doesn’t steam instead of caramelize.
- Oil and season. Give the pork chops a rub down with some oil (this promotes even browning) then rub on the good stuff: salt, pepper, rosemary, fennel seeds, and red pepper flakes.
- Air fry. Cook the pork chops for 12 minutes at 400°F, flipping halfway, or until the inside temp reaches 145°F.
- Rest. Remove the chops from the fryer (so they don’t over cook in the residual heat) and let rest for a couple minutes, then enjoy the juiciest pork chops you’ll ever eat!
Do I need to preheat my air fryer?
Most of the time I say that you don’t need to, but we did some A/B testing and preheating the air fryer when cooking pork chops led to juicier chops. Preheat your air fryer for 5 minutes at 400°F.
How long to cook pork chops in the air fryer?
- Boneless thick cut pork chops: Air fry at 400°F for 10-12 mins, depending on size, flipping halfway.
- Bone in thick cut pork chops: Air fry at 400°F for 12-14 mins, depending on size, flipping halfway.
You want to air fry the chops until the internal temperature reaches 145°F. Sometimes I even pull pork chops out when they reach 140°F because the carry over heat while they’re resting will bring them up to temp. The best way to check is to use an instant read thermometer.
What if my pork chops are sad, oops I meant thin?
If you can only find sad pork chops at the store, you can still make juicy pork chops, just don’t overcook them. Prep them the same way, then cook at 375°F for 8-9 mins, flipping halfway.
What should I serve with air fryer pork chops?
rice: pork chops and rice is one of my all time favorite combos and the green sauce with rice is life
smooth and creamy mashed potatoes: who doesn’t love potatoes and pork?
mac and cheese: those creamy cheezy noodles go so well with pork!
kale with burrata: leafy greens braised in tomato sauce with some rich burrata might be the best paring ever
If you’re wondering which air-fryer we have, it’s this one. I don’t know if it’s the best on the market because it’s the only one we’ve used, but it works great. It’s quiet and easy to clean and really big (which is good because you can put a lot of food in it and bad because it takes up a lot of room in our place).
Air Fryer Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 2 pork chops center cut, 1.5-2 inches thick
- 1 tsp fresh rosemary chopped
- 1 tsp fennel seeds crushed and divided
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes optional
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup fresh flat leaf parsley loosely packed
- 2 tbsp freshly grated parmesan authentic Parmigiano-Reggiano preferred
- 1/2 tsp coriander seeds crushed
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 lemon zested and juiced
Special Equipment
- air fryer
Instructions
- Let the pork chops temper in a cool spot in your kitchen for 15-20 minutes. Preheat the air fryer for 5 minutes at 400°F. Make a rub: in a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper with the chopped rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds, and red pepper flakes, if using.
- Pat the pork chops dry with a paper towel. then rub them generously with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil. Coat them with the rub.
- Place the chop in the air fryer at 400°F and cook for 12 minutes, flipping halfway, or until the internal temperature reaches 145°F.
- While the chops are cooking, make the salsa verde: combining the remaining oil, parsley, Parmigiano, coriander seeds, remaining fennel seeds, garlic, and lemon zest and juice in a blender and pulse until smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- When the chops are done, remove immediately and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice and serve with the salsa verde!
looking so delicious.
Danke für dieses herrliche Rezept, eine richtige Gaumenfreude! Die ansprechenden Fotos und die Beschreibung ist fantastisch. Die Familie war begeistert!
I just made this and it is wonderful! It is so easy. Thanks for sharing this fabulous recipes!
Delicious! Seasoning on pork chops was so good as was the sauce.
We made these last night and they were fantastic. I don’t love pork chops that aren’t grilled typically, but these were amazing and I will keep making them.