It is super easy to make frozen pork chops in the air fryer to save yourself the time and effort involved in thawing them. They turn out just as juicy and delicious as from fresh.
» You might also like Frozen Salmon in the Air Fryer and Perfect Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin.
There are always those days that you didn’t get around to thawing something for dinner. That’s okay with the air fryer because you can cook almost anything from frozen and it only takes a few extra minutes.
These air fryer frozen pork chops are a great dinner idea for when you’re in a hurry. You can season the frozen chops and put them in the air fryer without the need to thaw first. Use bone-in or boneless chops – the only difference will be a minute or two of extra cooking time.
Ingredients You Need
For this recipe, you need pork chops, cooking spray, and a seasoning or dry rub. I prefer to make my own dry rub, so the spices below are what I mix together to put on the chops. You can forego those spices and use whatever spice blend you enjoy.
- Bone-in or boneless pork chops: You can use whatever pork chops you have in the freezer. And if your chops aren’t frozen, that’s okay too. You’ll just need to adjust the cooking time according to what you’re using.
- Spray cooking oil: I use olive oil spray.
- Paprika: Spanish or smoked paprika can be used for this recipe.
- Brown sugar: Both light brown and dark brown sugar work. Dark brown sugar has more molasses, so it will have a stronger taste.
- Onion powder: Adds a little sweet and savory note to the rub.
- Garlic powder: Compliments the sweetness of the onion powder for an extra layer of flavor.
- Salt & pepper: The must-have of dry rubs.
What Oil & Oil Sprayer is Best for the Air Fryer?
The biggest issue most air fryer lovers face is finding the right oil and oil sprayer to use on food cooked in the air fryer. A fine mist of oil will help the entire piece of food crisp evenly, so it’s very important.
My personal preference is to use canola oil, extra virgin olive oil, or avocado oil. I use both a refillable spray bottle like the Evo one pictured below and non-propellant extra virgin olive oil, which has not harmful aerosols or chemicals.
How to Make Frozen Pork Chops in the Air Fryer
Get the pork chops out of the freezer. In some cases, they might be frozen together, which isn’t a problem, but will have to be cooked slightly differently.
If your chops are not frozen together, set them out on a clean surface. Mix the spices together in a bowl. Sprinkle half the seasoning on the tops of the pork chops. Place the pork in the air fryer basket or tray, preferably not overlapping, with the spices facing up.
Spray lightly with oil. If you don’t have spray oil, first coat the pork with oil, then dust on the seasoning. You can brush on olive oil with a silicon brush.
Cook at 380°F for 15-20 minutes, flipping over halfway through cooking. After 15 minutes, be sure to keep a close eye on the pork chops so you don’t end up overcooking them.
If your chops are frozen together, place them as one piece in the basket or tray. You’ll need to watch the chops as they cook. When they can be pulled apart, stop the cooking, unattach them and season the tops of both before continuing cooking.
Since all pork chops come in different sizes, large to small, thick and thin, it’s impossible to say exactly how long it will take to cook yours. Cooking time will also vary based on the thickness of the chops.
The meat must reach a minimum of 145°F or higher internal temperature. Use a meat thermometer to ensure the meat has reached this temperature.
Continue cooking until the desired internal temp is reached. Even if you like it well-done, I wouldn’t suggest cooking it past 150°F, to avoid it becoming tough.
Remove the pork chops and allow them to rest for 3 minutes before serving.
Typical cooking times:
- Boneless thin frozen pork chops = 15 minutes
- Bone-in thin frozen pork chops = 16 minutes
- Boneless or bone-in thick (2″) pork chops = 18 minutes
Remember that this is just a rough guide. Don’t base your cooking times solely on these estimations. Use a meat thermometer to determine the correct internal temperature.
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.
Tips & Advice
- Let the cooked pork chops rest outside of the air fryer for a few minutes after cooking. Resting meat will keep the juices in the meat, so you end up with a much juicier result.
- Your pork chops may be thicker than the ones I used, so the cooking time may vary. Keep an eye on the pork, and use a meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature.
Substitutions
- Boneless pork chops work just as well as bone-in pork chops.
- You can swap out the seasonings for others you may enjoy. You can also use a seasoned salt or dry rub you like instead. Red pepper flakes or cayenne powder could be good options for those that want a kick.
- If you don’t have brown sugar on hand, just leave it out. Replacing it with other sugar won’t have the same outcome.
Questions About the Recipe
Can I use boneless pork chops with this recipe?
You can cook boneless pork chops in the air fryer, just the same way you would bone-in. It will take slightly less time to cook boneless chops because of the lack of bone, so be sure to keep a close eye on the internal temperature of the meat.
How do I know when the pork is cooked?
The internal temperature of the thickest part of the pork should be at 145°F, followed by a 3-minute rest. It’s best to use a meat thermometer to measure the pork’s internal temperature.
Do I need to brine the pork chops?
You don’t need to brine pork chops to lock in great flavor. My recipe skips the brining, and it still makes juicy and flavorful pork chops. The key to great pork chops is adding a flavorful rub with plenty of salt and making sure you don’t overcook it, which will turn it tough and leathery.
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 28 more air fryer side dishes to try
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Air Fryer Bone-In Pork Chops
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 bone-in pork chops
- Spray cooking oil
- 1 teaspoon paprika Spanish or smoked
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Mix the spices together in a bowl. Pat dry the pork and rub the seasoning liberally on each side.
- Place the pork in the air fryer basket, preferably not overlapping.
- Spray lightly with oil. If you don’t have spray oil, first coat the pork with oil, then dust on the seasoning.
- Cook at 380°F for 15-20 minutes, flipping over halfway through cooking.
- Cooking time will vary based on the thickness of the chops. The meat must reach a minimum of 145 degrees internal temperature. Use a meat thermometer to ensure the meat has reached this temperature – or higher for more well-done meat – before removing it. Continue cooking until the desired temp is reached.
Notes
You can use boneless pork chops if you want, but they will take less time to cook, so flip them at 5 minutes and check them at 10 minutes.
You can use any seasoning you like in place of our dry rub.
You can cook more than 2 pork chops, but most air fryer baskets are not big enough to do so without overlapping, which is not ideal, so you’ll have to cook them in batches.
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.
Just tried this tonight and they turned out great! Followed the recipe as written and was impressed by the flavor. Yummmm!!
So glad you liked it, Jan. Thanks for the feedback.