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Air Fryer Stuffed Pork Chops are filled with spinach, mushrooms, and cream cheese, then dusted with flavorful seasonings before being cooked to perfection in the air fryer.
» You might also like this Perfectly Cooked Air Fryer Sirloin Steak and Crispy Air Fryer Pork Belly Strips.
One of the easiest ways to make pork chops is in the air fryer. I wasn’t sure I could stuff them and still have success in the air fryer, but once I tried it I realized it’s just as easy. The stuffing won’t come out as it cooks, and the air fryer actually helps to seal in all the goodness.
If you’re looking for ways to make your pork chops more flavorful and get a little creative, this is the recipe. You can change up the ingredients to try something different, if you want, or just keep it simple.
Ingredients You Need
- Pork Chops – Use a pork chop that is thick enough to cut a pocket into, around 1 1/2″ thick. They can be bone-in or boneless.
- Spinach – Fresh spinach yields the best results as frozen spinach will release too much liquid. If you have to use frozen spinach, you’ll want to drain the water from it before adding it to the stuffing.
- Mushrooms – Use any type of mushroom you have on hand. White or button mushrooms work great or any wild mushroom.
- Seasonings – To give the pork chops some great flavor, we use a blend of seasonings, including Spanish paprika (or smoked if you want to add a smoky flavor), garlic salt, Italian seasoning (you can use oregano if that’s all you have), salt, and ground black pepper.
- Cooking oil – it’s best to use a neutral-flavored oil in this recipe like canola.
- Garlic – we recommend using fresh garlic in this recipe.
- Cream Cheese – Full-fat cream cheese has the best flavor and texture. Be sure to take it out of the refrigerator a few minutes before using it to let it soften up a bit.
- Mayonnaise
How to Make Air Fryer Stuffed Pork Chops
Use a sharp knife to cut a pocket into each piece of pork, being careful not to cut all the way through. It can be easier to do this when the pork is a bit frozen. If you’re using fresh pork chops, just be sure to use a sharp knife and keep it even.
Mix the paprika, garlic salt, Italian seasoning, and black pepper together in a small bowl. Sprinkle all sides of the pork with the seasoning. Set the pork aside until you’ve got the filling ready.
Pour half the cooking oil into an oven-safe pan over medium heat. Add the spinach and mushrooms and cook until the spinach is wilted. This takes about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. You don’t want to burn it, so just give it a quick toss and remove it from the heat.
Stir in the cream cheese, mayonnaise, and salt. Give the mixture a taste to make sure you’ve seasoned it to your liking. You can always add more salt, if you want to.
Spoon even amounts of the filling into each piece of pork. Seal the edges of the pork with toothpicks to keep the filling in. This can be quite difficult if you’ve filled the insides pretty full. Just closing the edges is good enough to keep the filling from really spilling out as it cooks.
To keep the pork from sticking to the basket, I tend to put down a parchment paper round in the bottom of my air fryer basket. That’s optional, but it makes sure it doesn’t stick and makes clean up much easier.
Add the pork to the air fryer basket.
Cook on 385 degrees F for 15 minutes or until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 145° F. Remove it from the air fryer and let it rest for 3 minutes. This will allow the filling to firm up a bit so it doesn’t spill out when you remove the toothpicks. Serve it with your favorite side dish.
Substitutions & Variations
- You don’t have to use pork chops for this recipe. The creamy filling works well for other meats, so try it with chicken or skirt steak.
- You can swap the seasonings if you want to try different flavors or don’t want to mix your own spices. You can use any pre-made seasoning blend. Try using red pepper flakes, parsley or chili powder.
- Add cheese. Along with the cream cheese, you can also add another cheese to make it even more decadent. Try Parmesan cheese, blue cheese, feta cheese, or cheddar.
- You can stuff the pork chops with other vegetables, besides spinach, like sun dried tomatoes, kale, or broccoli.
Equipment Information
- Air fryer: I use this 4-quart basket-style air fryer. It’s large enough to fit 2 Chicken Kiev pieces. Give each piece of chicken Kiev enough space in the air fryer basket, so they cook evenly.
- Kitchen tongs: It’s very easy to remove food from your air fryer with kitchen tongs. I use these kitchen tongs that are silicon coated so they don’t scratch the interior.
- Meat thermometer: The only way to tell if meat is fully cooked to the right temperature is to use a meat thermometer. I use this Instant Read thermometer. It’s so quick to open the basket and check the temp.
Questions About the Recipe
Can I grill the stuffed pork chops?
Yes. Follow the same steps for baking until it’s time to cook the pork chops. Place the stuffed chops on a hot grill and cook for 3 minutes for each side, or until the pork is golden. Carefully turn over the pork when cooking each side.
Then, put the pork chops on the indirect heat area of the grill. Close the grill and let the pork chops cook for 5 minutes per side. Take it off the grill and let it rest for about 5-10 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
How can I store leftovers?
Let the stuffed pork chops cool completely, then store them in an airtight container. Keep the pork in the fridge for 3 days, and in the freezer for 2 months.
Reheat them in an oven that has been preheated to 350°F with a splash of water or broth. Cover the pan in aluminum foil and let it bake for 10-15 minutes.
Tips
- You can use bone-in or boneless pork chops for this recipe, but be sure to buy chops that are thick enough to cut a pocket in.
- The pork needs to reach an internal temperature of 145°F. A meat thermometer is the best way to check the pork’s doneness.
- If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, transfer the pork to an oven-safe baking dish instead.
Why Use an Air Fryer
An air fryer is an incredibly easy way to cook just about anything. You place the food in a fryer-style basket and hot air rapidly circulates all around the food, making the food crisp – much like deep-frying, but without the oil. You can cook anything you’d make in the oven.
- I use a Ninja MaxXL air fryer (pictured left). If you don’t have an air fryer yet, check out these options to find one that fits your needs.
- See reviews and prices for air fryers on Amazon.
- Here’s a printable Air Fryer Cooking Times Cheat Sheet to get you started.
- Click to find more recipes to make in your Air Fryer.
- Learn how to make fun things in the air fryer, like potato wedges, pork belly bites, and chicken wings.
What Side Dishes to Serve?
You can serve some really easy side dishes with your main dish cooked in the Air Fryer. Sometimes, you can cook them together in the air fryer to make it even faster.
Some of our favorite side dishes to serve include:
- Air fryer cauliflower
- Air fryer baked potatoes
- Brussels sprouts
- Corn on the cob
- Crispy smashed potatoes
- Cottage fries
Here are 30 more air fryer side dishes to try
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Air Fryer Stuffed Pork Chops
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 pork chops 6 oz each
- 1 teaspoon (2 g) Spanish or smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon (3 g) garlic salt
- 1/2 teaspoon (1 g) Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon (1 g) ground black pepper
- 1/2 tablespoon (7.4 ml) cooking oil
- 4 cups (120 g) fresh spinach
- 1/2 cup (48 g) white mushrooms chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/4 cup (56.8 g) cream cheese softened
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) mayonnaise
- 1/4 teaspoon (1.5 g) salt
Instructions
- Use a sharp knife to cut a pocket into each piece of pork, being careful not to cut all the way through.
- Mix the paprika, garlic salt, Italian seasoning, and black pepper together in a small bowl. Sprinkle all sides of the pork with the seasoning. Set aside.
- Pour the cooking oil into an oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the spinach and mushrooms and cook until spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Remove from heat. Stir in the cream cheese, mayonnaise, and salt.
- Spoon even amounts of the filling into each piece of pork. Seal the edges of the pork with toothpicks to keep the filling in. Place in air fryer basket.
- Cook on 385° F for 15 minutes or until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 145° F. Remove it from the air fryer and let it rest for 3 minutes. This will allow the filling to firm up a bit so it doesn't spill out when you remove the toothpicks. Serve it with your favorite side dish.
Notes
- If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, transfer the pork to an oven-safe baking dish instead.
- You can use bone-in or boneless pork chops for this recipe, but be sure to buy chops that are thicken enough to cut a pocket in.
- You can season with any seasonings you like, if you don’t have paprika, garlic salt, and Italian seasonings. We also like seasoned salt with Oregano.
- Substitute the Parmesan cheese with blue cheese or feta cheese, if you want something a little different.
All air fryers have different wattage and may cook at different rates. You may need to adjust the time or temp for the best results.
Nutrition
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Laura is a passionate foodie and owner of Air Fry Anytime She is dedicated to sharing delicious recipes and helpful tips for using air fryers at home. With years of experience in the kitchen and a love for healthy, flavorful cooking, Laura has become an expert at using air fryers to create amazing meals that are both nutritious and delicious.