I've made many, many chicken dishes in my air fryer over the years, plus the occasional burger or steak, but I can count on one hand the number of times I've made air fryer pork chops.
This is largely because my family aren't huge fans of pork, but in all my years testing the best air fryers I've also rarely seen a pork chop dish that excited me enough to give it a try. That was until I discovered this Vietnamese pork chop recipe.
Below, I show how to make salty, soft and succulent pork chops that are not only full of flavor but are easy to make.
Air fryer deals
If you're yet to take the plunge and buy yourself an air fryer, or are looking to upgrade, check out our top-rated air fryers below, all available to buy now for the best prices.
Air fryer pork chops
The air fryer pork recipe I have followed is from @groovyfoodiess – aka Sarah Banh – via her TikTok channel. It's been watched by 1.5 million people, and counting.
@groovyfoodiess ♬ Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53 - Bizarrap & Shakira
Air fryer pork chop ingredients
My take on these air fryer pork chops varies slightly from Sarah's original recipe, because I don't like lemongrass and I try to reduce the amount of salt I consume.
The full list of original ingredients is below, but I like to swap dark soy for light soy, and I find the use of both oyster sauce and fish sauce makes the chops too fishy for my liking.
- 4-5 medium sized pork chops (2.5 lbs)
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1.5 tbsp honey
- 1.5 tbsp sugar
- 3 tbsp lemongrass, minced
- 2 tbsp garlic, minced
- 1 whole onion, minced
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
To make air fryer pork chops you will need the following:
- Air fryer – I used the Tower Vortx 9 Litre Duo Capacity Basket Air Fryer with Smart Finish
- Medium-sized bowl
- Scissors or a sharp knife
Air fryer pork chop method
Step 1: Lightly tenderize the pork chops using a rolling pin or the blunt end of a knife.
Step 2: Cut criss-cross lines into the flesh of the pork chop, to help the marinade get deep into the meat.
Step 3: Cut larger slits into the pork chop fat to prevent the edges from curling up during cooking.
Step 4: Add all of the marinade ingredients into a bowl and combine with pork. For the best flavor, leave the meat to soak in the marinade overnight.
Step 5: Pre-heat your air fryer to 400°F / 200°C for five minutes.
Step 6: Add your pork chops and cook at 400°F / 200°C for 9-12 minutes, depending on the thickness of your chops.
Step 7: After 3-6 minutes, turn the pork chops over and continue cooking.
Step 8: Once the cooking time has finished, check the chops are cooked all the way through. If they're not fully cooked, or they're not as crispy as you like, return them to the air fryer until you're happy with the results.
Air fryer pork chops verdict
Pork chops are never my go-to meat or protein of choice because I rarely know what to do with them and I find them a bit boring. This recipe has completely changed my mind. Not only is this an easy recipe to master, because you just throw all of the ingredients in a single bowl and mix, but the flavor of the marinade combined with soft, succulent meat make the chops super moreish.
I've made these pork chops at least once a week since I discovered the recipe and I'm yet to get bored of them. They're my latest obsession.
If you're still sitting on the fence and wondering whether to buy an air fryer, you may want to read our article to decide whether air fryers are worth it?
