Air Fryer Pork Chops Recipe

If you have made pork chops a time or two, then you know that it's super easy to get it wrong. Pork chops dry out fast when cooked at the wrong temperature or if cooked for even a bit too long. And no one likes a dry pork chop!

Now, on the other hand, cooked properly, pork chops are tender flavor vacuums that suck in every little morsel of marinade and will simply delight anyone lucky enough to take a bite. Follow the steps laid out here by chef and recipe developer Kit Hondrum of Kit's Kitchen and you can count on tasty, tender chops that are pretty simple to make, too, thanks to that trusty air fryer. And they really work for any dinner, as Hondrum explains, saying, "These pork chops are perfect for a quick weeknight dinner but also perfect for a date night in. And I love that this recipe is easy to make and family-friendly." Taste buds tantalized? Then let's cook!

If you had to use just one word to describe these chops, "delicious" would do it. Got two words? Go with "savory" and "sweet." And that savory sweetness is created with maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil a few large cloves of garlic (minced or pressed), a minced sprig of rosemary, some sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, and of course a couple of boneless pork chops to soak all that stuff in.

To make the marinade, combine the maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper in a medium saucepan and whisk until salt the dissolves. Note this step will not be done over heat.

Next, place the pork chops in the marinade and allow the meat to sit, at room temperature, for 30 minutes. And, shortly before it's time to cook, brush the air fryer basket with cooking oil and preheat it to 400 F, then remove pork chops from liquid, and them place in air fryer basket.

Now air fry the chops, at 400 F, for 10 minutes, flipping the meat halfway through — the internal temperature should be 145 F in the center of the chops when they're done.

While the pork chops are cooking, place the saucepan with marinade on the stove over medium heat, simmering for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the liquid has reduced by about half. Once cooked, allow the pork chops to rest for five minutes, then slice the meat and serve it with sauce.

To make sure your chops come out like Hondrum's, we have a few notes. First, be aware that cook times will depend on the thickness of the chops. "My pork chops were a half inch thick," Hondrum says. "Cook time should be adjusted based on thickness of pork chops."

And, Hondrum has some serving ideas: "I love to serve these with brown rice and asparagus. There will be lots of sauce, so it's perfect to pour over the rice too!" As for leftovers, pork chop sandwiches, anyone?