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Air Fryer Pork Chops

Thick boneless pork chops are seasoned with salt, paprika, and garlic powder and cooked in a single layer. They come off the heat at 145°F and rest before you slice them.

Prep
5 min
Cook
14 min
Total
19 min
Servings
4
Difficulty
Easy
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Four thick boneless pork chops with a paprika-colored crust on a cutting board, one chop sliced to show a pale pink center after resting.

Why you’ll love it

  • One-inch chops need a moderate basket temperature so the center finishes before the outside dries.
  • A thin coat of oil helps the paprika brown instead of staying dusty.
  • 145°F plus a 3-minute rest is the doneness target for whole pork.
  • A single layer lets hot air hit both faces after the flip.

Ingredients

Servings4

Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.

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Instructions

  1. 1

    Pat the chops dry. Rub them with the oil, then with the salt, paprika, garlic powder, and pepper.

  2. 2

    Heat the air fryer to 375°F. Set the chops in a single layer. Do not crowd the basket. Thick chops that touch will stay pale where they overlap.

  3. 3

    Cook 7 minutes. Flip.

  4. 4

    Cook 5 to 8 minutes more. Start checking at 12 minutes total. Pull them when the center reads 145°F.

  5. 5

    If your basket only holds two chops, run a second batch for the same time.

  6. 6

    Move the chops to a plate and rest 3 minutes before slicing. Cutting early lets the juices run out onto the board.

Pro tips

  • A chop thinner than 3/4 inch will be done closer to 9 or 10 minutes total. Use the thermometer, not only the clock.
  • Rest on a plate, not in the hot basket. The basket keeps cooking them.
  • Paprika browns faster than the meat. If the surface looks very dark before 145°F, drop the heat to 350°F for the last few minutes.

Easy substitutions

paprika
chili powder
boneless chops
bone-in chops, adding a few minutes and checking 145°F away from the bone
garlic powder
onion powder

Storage and reheating

Storage

Refrigerate whole chops for up to 3 days. Slice only what you are eating so the rest stays juicier.

Reheating

Warm covered in a 300°F oven or a low skillet with a spoon of water until just hot, about 8 minutes. A high blast dries pork out past the point of a good reheat.

Nutrition

Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.

Calories
290
Protein
35 g
Carbs
1 g
Fat
14 g
Fiber
0 g

Moderate · Air Fryer · High Protein

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From the kitchen

Kitchen tools we love

Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.

  • A heavy 12-inch skillet

    Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.

  • An air fryer with a real basket

    The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.

  • A half-sheet pan

    Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.

  • A sharp chef’s knife

    These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.

  • A large cutting board

    Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.

  • Dry cups and a liquid cup

    Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.

  • An instant-read thermometer

    Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.

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Ingredients