Air Fryer Pork Chops

Juicy pork chops in 13 minutes. Why you pull them at 63°C (145°F) rather than 70, and why a faint blush of pink in the middle is correct.

Prep

5 min

Cook

13 min

Total

18 min

Serves

2

Ingredients

• 2 thick pork chops
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

Method

1. Pat the chops completely dry with kitchen paper.
2. Rub both sides with the oil, then press on the salt, pepper and paprika.
3. Lay them flat in the air fryer basket in a single layer, not overlapping.
4. Air fry at 200°C (390°F) for 6 minutes.
5. Flip them and cook for another 6-9 minutes, depending on thickness.
6. Check the thickest part reads 63°C (145°F). Bone-in chops need a minute or two longer than boneless.
7. Rest for 3 minutes before cutting. This is what keeps the juice in the meat.

Notes

• 63°C (145°F), not 70°C (160°F). That is the current food standard for whole cuts of pork, and it is the single biggest reason most pork chops are dry — people cook them to the temperature they were taught for mince.
• A faint blush of pink in the centre of a chop cooked to 63°C (145°F) and rested is correct, not undercooked.
• Thickness matters more than weight. A thick chop can need 15 minutes while a thin one is done in 8 — the thermometer is the only reliable guide.
• Do not overlap them. Two chops side by side brown properly; overlapped, they steam where they touch.
• The 3-minute rest is not optional. Cut straight in and the juice ends up on the plate.
• Air fryer models vary. Treat the times as a guide, go by colour and crispness, and adjust the seasoning to your taste.

Watch it

More Air Fryer Pork & Bacon

• Perfect Air Fryer Bacon10 min · serves 2
• Air Fryer Gammon Steak15 min · serves 2
• Air Fryer Pigs in Blankets22 min · serves 6
• Air Fryer Pork Belly Bites30 min · serves 3
• Air Fryer Pork Ribs50 min · serves 2
• Air Fryer Sausage Rolls27 min · serves 4

Air fryer models vary in power and basket size, so treat the times here as a guide — go by colour and crispness rather than the clock, and adjust the seasoning and glaze to your taste.

Recipe source: Method corroborated across published air-fryer recipes: Air Fryer Recipes UK (airfryer-recipes.co.uk), Kristine's Kitchen and Well Plated. Chops patted dry, lightly oiled, seasoned and air fried at 190-200°C (375-390°F) for 12-15 minutes, flipped halfway, to an internal temperature of 63°C (145°F) and then rested 3 minutes. Bone-in chops need 1-2 minutes longer than boneless. 63°C (145°F) with a 3-minute rest is the current UK and US food standard for whole cuts of pork — the older 70°C (160°F)+ advice is what makes pork chops dry.