Cooked with a delicious dry rub full of delicious garlic and smokey flavors makes this the perfect mid-week healthy family dinner recipe.
Whether you want to cook bone-in or boneless pork chops, we have you covered. Keep ready to learn how to cook both cuts in your air fryer.
This was inspired by my Keto Pork Chops in Butter Garlic Sauce on this site. It also pairs well with a side of steamed vegetables and one of these 4 Low-Carb Mashed Cauliflowers for a simple but filling dinner.
Pork nutrition
Pork is an incredibly versatile meat for lunch, dinner, or snacks. Pork is high -protein and can be low in fat (depending on the cut you buy).
The amount of protein and fat in pork chops, pork steak, pork ribs, and ground pork will be dictated by which cut of pork you buy. The higher the fat content, the lower the protein.
| Per 100g (3.5oz) | Carbs | Protein | Fat | Calories |
| Pork chops, loin, no fat eaten | 0 | 28.8g | 10.1g | 214 |
| Pork chops, loin, fat eaten | 0 | 27.0g | 15.2g | 252 |
| Pork ribs, back | 0 | 23.1g | 18.9g | 269 |
| Ground pork 5% fat | 0 | 27.0g | 2.6g | 134 |
| Ground pork 20% fat | 0 | 22.5g | 1g | 265 |
| Bacon, centre cut (middle) | 0 | 42.4g | 31.4g | 467 |
Cooking pork chops for a weeknight dinner is an excellent affordable way to add lean meat into your diet. Full of important nutrients like protein, zinc, iron, and more, air fryer pork chops are an easy meal you will want to make more frequently.
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Best air fryers
You will need an air fryer to cook your pork chops. I use the Instant Vortex Plus 6-Quart 6-in-1 air fryer. This air fryer cooks evenly and is simple to clean. I also love the see-through window so that I can check on my food without opening the basket.
I also like to use a refillable oil spray bottle since a small amount of oil is still needed when air frying food. If you don’t have a spray bottle, you can also brush the olive oil on using a basting brush.
Dry rub ingredients
Seasoning your pork chops with a tasty dry rub before air frying is essential to bringing great flavor to your air fry pork chops. If you have a low-carb dry rub or seasoning combo that you love feel free to generously cover your pork chops with that.
However, if you aren’t sure where to start with seasoning your pork chops then use the one below to get you started. You only need a few key spices and herbs to make really delicious pork chops.
With just a few ingredients you can swap your usual brown sugar rub and store-bought seasoning mix, with this simple homemade pork seasoning.
- paprika (use smoked paprika for a smoky flavor)
- dried ground mustard
- onion powder
- garlic powder
- dried ground coriander
- salt and pepper
- olive oil
The only other thing you need to make tender yet crispy air fryer pork is the pork chops themselves!
See the recipe card below for exact quantities.
Dry rub instructions
To make a dry rub, simply put all the rub ingredients into a medium bowl or zip plastic bag and mix them together.
Lightly coat each pork chop with a little olive oil. Then generously sprinkle the seasoning mix over both sides of the pork chop and rub it into the meat.
Coating the meat with oil first helps the seasoning to stick to the pork chop.
Cooking bone-in pork chops
To cook bone-in pork chops in the air fryer you will want to preheat your air fryer to 400F/200C. It will only 2-3 minutes for your air fryer to preheat.
Once it is preheated, open the air fryer basket and lightly spray the tray with olive oil. Place 2-3 pork chops on the tray, ensuring they aren’t overlapping.
Close the tray and cook your pork chops for 9-10 minutes. Be sure to flip the pork chops halfway through cooking.
When the pork chops are done cooking, place them on a plate and cover with foil for 5-10 minutes to rest. Letting your meat rest covered will keep your pork chops from drying out, so don’t skip this step.
Hint: the pork chops I cooked were about 1/2 inch thick. If your pork chops are thicker they may need to cook for an additional minute or two to ensure the internal temperature reaches at least 145 degrees F.
I would not recommend cooking thin pork chops in the air fryer.
Cooking boneless pork chops
To cook boneless air fried pork chops you will want to preheat your air fryer to 400F/200C. It will only 2-3 minutes for your air fryer to preheat.
Once it is preheated open the basket and lightly spray the tray with olive oil cooking spray. Place 2-3 pork chops on the tray ensuring they aren’t overlapping. Close the tray and cook your pork chops for 6-7 minutes.
Be sure to flip the pork chops halfway through cooking and allow them to rest for several minutes before serving just like the bone-in cuts above.
Substitutions
Looking for a quick substitution or want to know if you can omit an ingredient from the rub? Read below to see our recommendations for easy substitutions.
- Corriander and Ground Mustard– both can be completely omitted if they are not to your tastes.
- Spicy– add a 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper for dried pepper flakes to your rub.
- Dry Rub – you can use any dry rub or seasoning combination you’d like. If using a store-bought rub be sure to read the ingredients list and choose a rub that doesn’t use fillers like GMO corn or flour.
- Chili powder – for those who like spicy juicy pork chops
- Brown sweetener – if you are used to brown sugar on your pork chops, a brown sweetener is a good replacement
- Italian seasoning – if you love rosemary and thyme
- Shredded parmesan cheese – parmesan cheese is best sprinkled on the top of each pork chop after you turn them over. It will cook to become a lovely crispy air fryer pork, yet still juicy on the inside.
- Paprika – you can use smoked paprika or sweet paprika
Ways to use pork chops
Air Fryer Pork Chops can be used in so many different ways. They don’t have to be served as-is, so if you want to reap the nutritional benefits of this lean meat without always having to eat whole pork chops, some of these options might be for you!
- Make a sandwich or wrap – chop up or slice your meat and then place it between two slices of keto bread or wrap in a keto roti.
- Add to a salad – use chopped or sliced pork chop as the protein in your low-carb salad instead of chicken.
- Make pork burrito bowls – this is an excellent meal prep option! You can easily swap the chicken in this chicken burrito bowl with chopped air fryer pork chops.
Storage
Left-over cooked pork chops should be stored in an air-tight container or zipped bag in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
If you cooked bone-in pork chops and plan on using them in one of the ways listed above then I recommend cutting or pulling the meat off the bone before storing the leftovers. This just makes it easy to grab and use the leftovers when needed.
Recipe tips
Allow your pork chops to temper for 15-30 minutes before cooking. Tempering your meat will let the meat cook quicker and more evenly.
Tempering is simply allowing your meat to increase in temperature a bit before cooking. To temper, your pork chops take them out of the refrigerator and place them on the counter for 15 minutes before cooking. This is only necessary if your meat is cold from storing/defrosting in the refrigerator.
Yes, you can, cook them for a little shorter cooking time, and be sure to flip the pork chops halfway through cooking and allow them to rest for several minutes before serving to allow all the delicious pork juices to infuse the meat.
You can but think pork chops can often cook to be dry and rubbery so always cook for a shorter time and cut into the middle to ensure the pork chop is thoroughly cooked to the center.
Mashed potatoes and garlic bread are often served with pork chops, but you can make keto garlic bread or mashed cauliflower with garlic butter. Bother are delicious and healthy alternatives.
You can fry leftover pork chops in a hot skillet for a few minutes on each side.
Reheat in the microwave, cover, and allow to rest.
Reheat, covered with foil in a hot oven for 5-10 minutes, and allow to rest.
Reheat in a preheated air fryer for 2-3 minutes on each side (depending on the thickness of your pork chop or pork steak).
You don’t need to line your air fryer with baking parchment paper, but some people prefer to because it helps with clean-up time. You can buy special air fryer baking paper liners, or you can cut your own baking paper to the shape of your air fryer basket and make holes all over the baking paper with a hole punch or scissors.
Using the air fryer to cook your pork is quick and easy if you follow these tips.
1: Always preheat the air fryer.
2: Place pork chops with space between each one so hot air can flow and cook each side evenly. You want them to be crispy on the outside while remaining juicy and tender inside.
3: Cook time will vary depending on if you are cooking bone-in chops, boneless chops, thinner chops, or thick-cut pork chops.
4: For the perfect pork chops, always use a meat thermometer and make sure the internal temperature reaches 65C/145F.
5: Allow the air fryer pork to rest to allow all the delicious flavor and juices to soak into the meat making it perfectly tender and juicy.
How to Cook Pork Chops in the Air Fryer
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 600 g pork chops (4 pork chops)
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Dry Rub
- 1 tbsp paprika
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 1 tsp mustard powder optional
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp ground coriander/cilantro optional
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
- Mix dry rub ingredients together in a small bowl. Spray/brush each pork chop with olive oil and then generously sprinkle the dry rub over both sides of each pork chop. Rub into the meat.
- Preheat the air cooker to 400°F/200°C. Once preheated open the air fryer basket and lightly spray the tray with cooking oil spray to prevent sticking.
- Arrange the pork chops on the tray in your air fryer basket ensuring they don't overlap. Close the basket and cook for the time listed below or until the internal temperature reaches 145°F/62.8°C. Be sure to flip your pork chops halfway through.Bone-In: 9-10 minutesBoneless: 6-7 minutes
- Once done cooking place pork chops on a plate and cover with foil. Allow pork chops to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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Will this recipe work in a Ninja toaster oven that has an air fryer setting? Do you prefer your type of air fryer better? Just wondering if I should buy your style of fryer?
I have never used a Ninja toaster oven, but the air fryer function will surely work for this recipe. With most kitchen appliances, I always suggest finding the best air fryer that works for you and your family. I have written a summary on how to use an air fryer and how to find the best air fryer. And you can search my low-carb keto Amazon store too.