Follow these simple instructions for How to Air Fry Thick Pork Chops and find yourself with mouth-watering meaty chops that are endlessly versatile. Bone-in pork chops with their perfect balance of fat and meat are a perennial favourite and surprisingly quick to cook.
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I love a pork chop, especially great big thick meaty ones. There are times and places for thin pork chops, boneless loin steaks and all the other endless pork steak options. But my heart will forever be with a properly thick chop cooked and served on-the-bone.
I like how you can get a lovely sear and flavour on the outside of the chop and the fat has an opportunity to render and crisp. But the centre stays beautiful and moist. The air fryer is a really great hands-off way to achieve this too.
How to Serve
I’ve said that pork chops are endlessly versatile and they really are. Change up the seasoning to reflect almost any cuisine from Japanese to Greek, Italian to Latin American or American BBQ to classic British for a roast dinner.
Try one of my favourite ways to serve:
- Keep things hearty and make an easy dinner with mashed potatoes, green beans and an onion gravy.
- Lighten it up for summer and serve with a creamy coleslaw, green salad and Mexican style corn on the cob.
- Make an easy Asian rice platter with sticky rice, sesame tenderstem broccoli and hot honey butter garlic sauce.
Pork chops also make a good roast dinner if you don’t want to roast a joint of meat. You can use the meat fat/juices that collect in the bottom of the air fryer basket to make a simple gravy. And then mix and match with my other air fryer roast dinner recipes.
Ingredients
Pork Chops
The chops in this recipe are classic pork loin chops with the bone still attached. They weigh roughly 400g/14oz each and are around 2½cm/1″ thick.
I’ve looked around and the supermarkets which specifically sell them labelled as “thick pork chops” do seem to vary in exactly what they consider thick. So do consider this when buying. For reference I got these from the butcher’s counter in Morrisons.
The exact thickness of your chops will determine exactly how long they take to cook so bear this in mind when following the cooking instructions. Thicker may required slightly longer and thinner will cook a little quicker.
To prepare the chops, you’ll need to make sure they are thoroughly dry. And free from any pieces of bone shards which can get left behind from the butchery process. If you feel the need to trim a little fat then you can do. But I’d strongly advise you to leave a decent covering as this is where the flavour is at and keeps the meat moist.
Oil
A little oil coating the pork chops does a few things. Firstly it keeps the exposed meat moist and kickstarts the browning process. Secondly it gives the seasoning something to stick to.
I mostly use a neutral flavoured vegetable oil. You can use another if you prefer, just make sure the flavour profile complements how you are intending to serve it e.g. olive oil for a Greek, Spanish or Italian inspired meals.
Seasoning
The options for seasoning are endless. I’ve used a mixture of garlic salt and paprika to give a subtle layer of flavour and keep things simple
You can use any seasoning mix you like or keep it totally simple just using salt. Whatever you choose, you should make sure to include a decent amount of salt – at least half of the amount specified in the recipe. This enhances the natural flavour of the pork and shouldn’t be overlooked.
Allergen Information
This recipe is free from egg, dairy, gluten and nuts.
Please note that this recipe may contain other allergens not referred to above and any variations suggested have not been tested unless otherwise stated. For more information regarding any dietary information provided on this website, please refer to my Nutritional Disclaimer.
How Long to Air Fry Thick Pork Chops
In a pre-heated air fryer, thick pork chops cook in around 20 minutes. This is based on bone-in loin chops that weigh roughly 400g/14oz each and are around 2½cm/1″ thick. I suggest flipping the chops for the last 5 minutes of the cooking time for even cooking and browning.
As always you will need to adjust the cooking time for thinner/smaller and thicker/larger chops. The times are unlikely to be wildly different so keep an eye on things.
How to Air Fry Thick Pork Chops From Frozen
I’m not a big fan of cooking larger pieces of meat directly from frozen. Especially with cuts like pork loin crackling roasts, it can be very difficult to ensure that the centre of the meat is going to be cooked before the outside becomes overcooked.
Thick pork chops are just on the cusp of this issue but I do find them just ok to cook from frozen. If you are trying to cook anything much larger or thicker than the ones I’ve cooked, I would advise thawing them before cooking. Or at least semi-thawing.
To cook from frozen, I recommend rinsing them under the tap so any outside layer of ice or frost is fully removed. Dry them thoroughly and then season and oil as normal. I’ve included the suggested cooking times in the recipe below.
Leftovers – Storage & Reheating
Any uneaten chops can be stored in the fridge in an air-tight container for a couple of days.
I prefer to reheat in the microwave rather than re-air fry as this can really dry the chops out. If you need to use the air fryer, loosely wrap the chops in a foil parcel with a few drops of water. This will essentially steam the pork. You can do this in the highest heat. Make sure that the pork is piping hot throughout before serving.
You can freeze leftovers but I would recommend allowing them to fully thaw before reheating.
Common Air Fryer Questions – A Brief Guide to Air Frying
- What exactly is an air fryer?
- What are the benefits of using an air fryer?
- Are all air fryers the same?
- Is an air fryer always better to use than an oven?
- Do air fryers need to be pre-heated?
- What is the best temperature to air fry at?
- What setting is best to use? Air fry, bake, dehydrate, etc…
- Can food be cooked from frozen in an air fryer?
- Can I reheat food in an air fryer?
- Are air fryer liners a good idea?
The Air Fried Feast Community
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What Exactly is an Air Fryer?
Very simply, an air fryer is a small convection (fan) oven. The benefit is that the hot air is circulated all around the food being cooked which speeds up the cooking time and cooks the food more evenly.
What are the Benefits of Using an Air Fryer?
Size, time and energy usage. Air fryers are ideal for cooking smaller quantities. Heating up a space that the food just fits into requires less energy and means that the heat source is much closer to the food. Combining these two things can speed up the cooking time.
Are all air fryers the same?
Nope! The term air fryer is now used very broadly. I consider there to be 4 main types:
Basket Air Fryers
These are what I would consider to be the most common, especially in the UK. A boxy type unit has a pull out drawer/basket. Food isn’t usually visible whilst cooking.
Some larger models have two drawers so different items can be cooked at different temperatures or for different times.
This is the type that you’ll see in the images in this recipe. I mostly use a Cosori Lite 3.8L (CAF-LI401S) with a 3.8 litre capacity. The square(ish) shaped basket is 21cm x 21cm and 24cm on the diagonal. It isn’t an overly expensive or fancy model.
I’ve also recommended to several friends and family the model with a slightly larger basket. This is the Cosori 4.7L (CAF-L501) with a 4.7 litre basket. The unit is no larger than the 3.8 litre model on the outside but does have a larger internal basket capacity. I’ve since bought this version to use for some recipes where my smaller model was just too small. I’ll always note this in the recipe.
Rotary Air Fryers
Round air fryers with a paddle in the centre that rotates to move the food. This is the type I used for years – the most common is a Tefal Actifry.
Rotary types are not usually good for recipes where the food is breaded, glazed, likely to break up or in a tray/container. They do however make the best chips and roasted veg.
My 2 in 1 version like the one I’ve linked also has a rotating tray for things that could be broken up by a paddle, but the height clearance with the lid isn’t deep enough to use it to cook some items like sausage rolls. I’ve now actually retired by Actifry in favour of having my two basket type fryers.
Mini Oven Air Fryers
These usually have a glass door, shelves and overall are really quite large. You can cook quite a decent quantity of food in them so are best if regularly cooking for multiple people. They often come with extra features like a rotisserie spit or kebab skewers.
Multicookers with Air Fryer Functions
Some like Ninja 11 in 1 and some of the earlier versions with a few less functions, have an air fryer option. They mostly operate the same as a basket fryer but the basket drops in the top rather than sliding in like a drawer.
Some electric pressure cookers like Instant Pots can also air fry when used with a specific lid.
Is an air fryer always better to use than an oven?
As much as I do love air frying, the honest answer to this is no. And the more detailed answer is that it will always depend on what you’re cooking, how much of it you’re cooking and what type and size of air fryer you have.
Once you need to cook in more than 2 batches, it often makes more sense to use an oven. If you already have the oven on to cook other items, it may make more sense to throw one more item in rather than using an additional appliance.
I don’t think either method is often necessarily better than the other. The important point to note is that there is absolutely no difference in the finished product.
Do Air Fryers Need to Be Pre-Heated?
The answer to this is rather annoying – it depends. It depends entirely on your model and type of air fryer. The best advice I can offer is to check your manual and follow their guidance. My Cosori models have a preheat function. I press a button and it heats at 205c/400f for 4 minutes.
It’s also worth noting that regardless of whether you are supposed to pre-heat or not, if you are cooking in batches, it is quite likely that anything after the first batch will cook a little quicker because of the retained heat. It is best to check on them before the cooking time is completed.
What is the best temperature to Air Fry at?
It will always depend on what you are cooking and from what state. All of my air fryer recipes don’t use temperatures above 200c/390f because many of the most common fryers in the UK don’t go above this. Mine goes to 230c/450f and I use this temperature a lot but it is no help for me to share recipes which many people can’t use.
What setting is best to use? Air fry, bake, dehydrate, etc…
Not all air fryers have different settings like this. When they do it usually relates to the fan speed. The default setting to use will always be “air fry” so unless something else is specifically stated in the recipe, always use the air fry option.
There are other air fryers that have an additional heating element which cooks from underneath rather than just the top. Just as with the other settings, unless you are using a recipe which states to use a second heating element, stick with just using the top down air fry option.
Of course if and when you become more confident with air frying, using recipes and the settings of your air fryer, you can start adapting them to suit.
Can Food Be Cooked From Frozen In An Air Fryer?
Absolutely! To cook from frozen you usually will need to reduce the cooking temperature and increase the time to make sure your food is cooked right through to the middle.
It is best to check my individual recipes for cooking from frozen advice as some items are a little different. And there are occasionally exceptions to the rule.
Can I Reheat Food In An Air Fryer?
Yes. As a general rule I reheat food for roughly 1/3 of the original cooking time at the same temperature. Or at 10 degrees lower for half the time for larger items.
Are Air Fryer Liners a Good Idea?
Unless otherwise stated, I do not use liners when air frying. Basket and rotary type air fryers are designed to be used without liners. Mini oven types will generally require some kind of tray like with a regular large oven although most come with crisper racks to use.
There are many air fryer liners available including quite thick silicone ones. These will affect the cooking times and possibly temperatures of your cooking/baking. I also don’t like how cooking juices are prevented from dripping through the basket rack. This can stop food from crisping all the way around.
When I do want to collect the juices, I mostly use some foil, or occasionally a foil tray which can be washed and reused.
If you do prefer to use them, once you have got a feel for how they affect your cooking and baking, you may need to make adjustments to the recipe accordingly.
More Air Fryer Recipes
All my recipes with instructions for how to cook or bake them in the air fryer can be found in my Air Fryer Recipe Index.
Don’t forget to let me know in the comments if you try making this recipe – I want to know what you think and if you made any substitutions, how did it turn out?
Still Have Questions?
Simple! Just contact me and I will do my best to help as quickly as I am able. Head over to my Contact Me page, any of my social media channels or post a comment at the bottom of this page and I’ll see what I can do.
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The Recipe
How to Air Fry Thick Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 2 Thick Pork Chops - around 400g/14oz each
- 1 tsp Oil - see notes
- 1 tsp Seasoning - see notes
Instructions
- If your air fryer requires pre-heating, start this setting now.
- Thoroughly dry 2 Thick Pork Chops.
- Drizzle over 1 tsp Oil and 1 tsp Seasoning and toss to thoroughly coat the pork.
- Place the chops into the air fryer basket. Leave as much space as possible between each so the air can circulate.
- Cook for 15 minutes at 200c/390f.
- Use tongs to carefully turn the chops over. It is much more essential to do this with thick chops then thinner chops in order to get a nice colour on all sides.
- Cook for a further 5 minutes at 200c/390f.
- Check the pork is cooked through, you can see this by making a cut and checking that the meat is nearly white in the centre of the thickest part. Unlike chicken, pork can be eaten with a slight pink blush but if you prefer it more cooked, put it back in for 2 minutes at a time.
- Allow to rest for at least 3 to 4 minutes before tucking in. Spoon over juices that have collected in the bottom of the air fryer for extra flavour.
To Cook From Frozen
- Cook for 25 minutes at 200c/390f. Turn after 15-20 minutes.
- Check that the pork is sufficiently cooked in exactly the same way as if cooking from fresh!
Notes
- Oil – Choose your oil to match your flavouring. For example use garlic, salt and rosemary with olive oil or for a more neutral flavour, sea salt and black pepper with vegetable oil.
- Seasoning – Choose any seasoning mix, spices or dried/fresh herbs. Make sure that salt is included in the mix. You can also add a little citrus juice.
- I used vegetable oil with a 50/50 mix of garlic salt and paprika.
- The air fryer version of this recipe is tested in a Cosori Lite (CAF-LI401S) with a 3.8 litre capacity. The square(ish) shaped basket is 21cm x 21cm and 24cm on the diagonal.
- Not all models advise preheating is required. Please follow the recommended instructions for your model. Mine has a specific preheat setting which is 4 minutes at 205c.
- For this recipe, I can just fit 2 thick pork chops in the basket at a time. This gives just enough room to allow air to circulate.
- As all air fryer models are a little different, you may find that you can fit more or less in at a time. Some models include stacking shelves which will increase capacity.
- Required cooking times and temperatures can also vary between models and brands. If you know that your air fryer runs a little hotter than most recipes suggest, use a lower temperature. And vice versa. Equally if you find that food cooks more quickly in your machine than instructions usually state, reduce the cooking time (or check it earlier) and vice versa.
Cat says
Air frying is my favourite way to cook pork but I hadn’t tried thick pork chops. Oh my giddy aunt they came out perfectly! I’ll be cooking them again very soon.
Sisley says
This is genius! I’d never thought to air fryer thick pork chops before. What a way to cook it.
Hazel says
Wow! This is such a great recipe, my pork chops are often tough but cooking them like this in the air fryer meant the fat was fully crisped up and the meat was tender. Thanks for a great recipe.
Lesley says
Great cooking instructions, I added smoked paprika and garlic powder to the chops and they tasted great.