Air Fryer Garlic Butter Pork Chops

by Sabrina Snyder

Published on Last updated

2 Comments

4 Servings
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
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Air Fryer Garlic Butter Pork Chops are the perfect level of tender and juicy, prepped with amazing flavor and cooked in just a few minutes.

This recipe is sure to become a family favorite for a busy Weeknight Meal. The healthy pork chops are just as tasty as this Classic Pork Chop Recipe, but made in about half the time!

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Sabrina’s Air Fryer Garlic Butter Pork Chops Recipe

If you want a home cooked weeknight dinner without having to spend all evening in the kitchen, then this is the perfect pork recipe for you. There’s no need to marinate or do any time consuming prep work for this quick recipe. Instead you just toss the pork chops in a butter and garlic mixture. Then leave the rest of the recipe up to the air fryer.

In just 25 minutes you’ll have juicy, garlicky, delicious Air Fryer Pork Chops. The flavorful pork chops with garlic butter have been a hit with both the kids and adults alike, and you’ll love that you can make them so quickly!

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Ingredients

  • Pork Chops: This recipe is made for 4 bone-in pork chops. Bone-in pork chops are typically a little more flavorful than boneless, so they’re excellent for this ultra-flavorful butter and garlic recipe.
  • Butter: You don’t need a lot of oil to cook meat in the air fryer, so just melt 1 tablespoon unsalted butter for this recipe. The butter mixture helps combine the spices and then seeps into the meat as it cooks, carrying the flavors with it to make ultra-tasty Air Fryer Pork Chops.
  • Seasonings: The main flavor in Air Fryer Garlic Butter Pork Chops comes from the garlic. You’ll use 3 cloves of freshly minced garlic. However, you can use garlic powder instead. It only takes ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder for every clove of fresh garlic. Along with garlic, you’ll also add ½ teaspoon delicious paprika and ½ teaspoon kosher salt.
  • Brown Sugar: Mix 1 tablespoon brown sugar into the spice blend to balance out the bold and savory flavors with a little bit of sweetness. Much like the butter, you don’t need a lot of sugar to make the recipe absolutely irresistible.
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Kitchen Tools & Equipment

  • Air Fryer: Of course, you’ll begin with your air fryer. The pork chops will cook wonderfully in the basket.
  • Medium Mixing Bowl: You will need a medium size mixing bowl to stir the butter and all of your seasonings together. It needs to be big enough to add the pork chops and fully coat them in the seasoning mixture.
  • Tongs: Grab your favorite tongs so you can easily flip the pork chops in the air fryer. 
  • Meat Thermometer: Lastly, you’ll need a meat thermometer so you can make sure your pork chops are fully cooked. Make sure you put the thermometer in at the middle of the thickest part of the pork chop for the most accurate reading.
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How to Make Air Fryer Garlic Butter Pork Chops

Time needed: 20 minutes.

  1. Prep Time

    Start by preheating the air fryer to 400 degrees.

  2. Seasonings

    Add the melted butter, brown sugar, paprika, salt, and garlic to a medium mixing bowl. Then stir the mixture together until the spices and sugar are well mixed into the butter.Air Fryer Garlic Butter Pork Chops seasoning mixture in a bowl

  3. Coat the Pork Chops

    Add the pork chops and coat them well on both sides.Air Fryer Garlic Butter Pork Chops in the bowl with seasonings

  4. Cooking Time

    Place the pork chops in the air frying basket in a single layer. Then seal and cook for 10 minutes. Open the air fryer and use tongs to carefully flip the pork without burning yourself. Then continue air frying for another 5 minutes.Air Fryer Garlic Butter Pork Chops in the basket ready to cook

  5. Finish

    Use a meat thermometer at the thickest part of the pork to double-check that the meat has reached 145 degrees internal temperature. Then let the Air Fryer Garlic Butter Pork Chops rest for about 5 minutes for extra juicy meat.Air Fryer Garlic Butter Pork Chops in the basket

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Can Air Fryer Garlic Butter Pork Chops be made ahead?

These pork chops cook so quickly, you won’t have much need to make them ahead of time. Additionally, you will have the absolute best results of juicy pork chops when you make these fresh. They can be reheated in a pinch. You can use the air fryer to reheat them, but make sure the center comes to 145 degrees again so they are heated through and not cool in the center.

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Nutritional Facts

Nutrition Facts
Air Fryer Garlic Butter Pork Chops
Amount Per Serving
Calories 329 Calories from Fat 162
% Daily Value*
Fat 18g28%
Saturated Fat 7g44%
Trans Fat 0.3g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 7g
Cholesterol 124mg41%
Sodium 386mg17%
Potassium 601mg17%
Carbohydrates 4g1%
Fiber 0.1g0%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 35g70%
Vitamin A 221IU4%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 40mg4%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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Recipe Tips & Tricks

Ensure your Pork Chops are extra juicy and tasty by following these tips:

  1. Give the Air Fryer time to heat up
    • Allowing your air fryer to heat up for at least 5 minutes will help the pork chops cook more evenly.
  2. Let pork chops rest before serving
    • Remember to remove the pork chops from the fryer and tent them in aluminum foil for 5 minutes. This works no matter what recipe you’re following. The foil keeps the meat warm and helps trap moisture while the juices distribute and soak through the meat for ultra-tender Air Fryer Garlic Butter Pork Chops.
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What to Pair With Air Fryer Garlic Butter Pork Chops

To round out this simple meal, serve it up with your favorite comforting side dishes. The tender pork chops taste amazing served with Stick of Butter Rice, Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, or Fluffy Dinner Rolls. Along with those filling add-ons, you can also make a tasty veggie side like Glazed Carrots, or Cheesy Garlic Broccoli with the Air Fryer Garlic Butter Pork Chops.

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How to Store 

  • Serve: After cooking, don’t leave Air Fryer Garlic Butter Pork Chops at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
  • Store: After they’ve cooled, you can store the pork in an airtight container to keep in the fridge for 3-5 days. Reheat the juicy pork chops in the microwave, stovetop, or air fryer to enjoy later in the week.
  • Freeze: Alternatively, you can seal and freeze the pork chops for 3-4 months.
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Ideas to Serve Air Fryer Garlic Butter Pork Chops

This is a fantastic recipe to make with your favorite side dishes and serve for dinner. However, sometimes the whole pork chops are a little big for each of your family members to have their own. Don’t worry, you can slice the pork chops into strips the same way you might slice strips of steak and serve them that way. You can also make the pork chops into a completely different dish by slicing the pork and serving it with salad, cutting the chops into bite-sizes pieces and serving it in a bowl over rice or mashed potatoes and veggies, or even cutting thin slices to serve on a sandwich or in a wrap. 

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Alternative Cooking Techniques

If you love this recipe but you don’t have an air fryer, you can make them in a pan or on the grill. Simply season the pork chops as directed, but replace the butter with vegetable oil so your pork chops don’t burn. Cook the pork chops for 6-8 minutes on each side, or until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees.

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Frequent Questions

How to cook pork chops without drying them out?

Pork is deliciously tender and juicy when cooked properly. Unfortunately, it can also easily dry out if it’s not prepared well. To avoid this, make sure you don’t overcook the meat. Keep to cooking times in the recipe, and after cooking, use an instant meat thermometer to check that it’s reached 145 degrees. As long as the meat is at or just slightly above 145, do not keep cooking.

It also helps to let the pork rest before serving. Remove the pork chops from the fryer and tent them in aluminum foil for 5 minutes. The foil keeps the meat warm and helps trap moisture while the juices distribute and soak through the meat for ultra-tender Air Fryer Garlic Butter Pork Chops. 

What about boneless pork chops?

If you’re using boneless pork chops, simply reduce the cooking time by 2-3 minutes. Check the temperature at the thickest part of the meat to ensure it’s reached 145 and serve. 

Recipe Card

Dinner, then Dessert

Air Fryer Garlic Butter Pork Chops

Air Fryer Garlic Butter Pork Chops are the perfect level of tender and juicy, prepped with amazing flavor and cooked in just a few minutes.
Yield 4 Servings
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Author Sabrina Snyder
Air Fryer Garlic Butter Pork Chops on a plate with sidees
PrintRate

Ingredients
 

  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter , melted
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar , packed
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3 cloves garlic , minced
  • 4 bone-in pork loin chops

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  • In a medium bowl add the butter, brown sugar, paprika, salt, and garlic.
  • Stir to mix, then add in pork chops and coat well.
  • Put pork in the air fryer basket, and cook for 10 minutes .
  • Flip and cook an additional 5 minutes .

Nutrition

Calories: 329kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 124mg | Sodium: 386mg | Potassium: 601mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 221IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 1mg
Keyword: Air Fryer Garlic Butter Pork Chops

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Variations

  • Seasoning: There are many different herbs and spices that you can add to the butter mixture to experiment with the flavor of Air Fryer Garlic Butter Pork Chops. Try adding a little onion powder, coarse ground black pepper, cumin, thyme, rosemary, cayenne powder, or ground mustard. You could also use a spice blend like Cajun or Italian seasoning.
  • Parmesan Crusted Air Fryer Pork Chops: To add a crispy parmesan crust to the pork chops, start by adding the usual seasoning mix to a bowl (without the butter), then stir in ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese into the blend. In a separate bowl, beat one egg. Dip each pork chop into the egg mixture, and let excess drip off before coating it in the parmesan and spice mixture on both sides. Then cook as usual. The parmesan coating should be crisp and golden brown after cooking.
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More Pork Chop Recipes

Air Fryer Garlic Butter Pork Chops Pinterst image

About the Author: Sabrina Snyder

Sabrina is a professionally trained Private Chef of over 10 years with ServSafe Manager certification in food safety. She creates all the recipes here on Dinner, then Dessert, fueled in no small part by her love for bacon.

Sabrina Snyder is a professionally trained personal and private chef of over 10 years who is the creator and developer of all the recipes on Dinner, then Dessert.

She is also the author of the cookbook Dinner, then Dessert – Satisfying Meals Using Only 3, 5 or 7 Ingredients, published by Harper Collins.

She started Dinner, then Dessert as a business in her office as a lunch service for her coworkers who admired her lunches before going to culinary school and becoming a full time personal chef and private chef.

As a personal chef Sabrina would cook for families one day a week and cook their entire week of dinners. All grocery shopping, cooking and cleaning was done along with instructions on reheating. As a private chef she cooked for private parties and cooked in family homes in the evenings for families on a nightly basis after working as a personal chef during the day.

Sabrina has been certified as a ServSafe Manager since 2007 and was a longstanding member of the USPCA Personal Chef Association including being on the board of the Washington DC Chapter of Chefs in the US Personal Chef Association when they won Chapter of the year.

As a member of the community of food website creators Sabrina Snyder has spoken at many conferences regarding her experiences as a food writer including the Indulge Food Conference, Everything Food Conference, Haven Food Conference and IACP Annual Food Professionals Conference.

Sabrina lives with her family in sunny California.

See more posts by Sabrina

Dinner, then Dessert, Inc. owns the copyright on all images and text and does not allow for its original recipes and pictures to be reproduced anywhere other than at this site unless authorization is given. If you enjoyed the recipe and would like to publish it on your own site, please re-write it in your own words, and link back to my site and recipe page. Read my disclosure and copyright policy. This post may contain affiliate links.

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Comments

    1. I would just follow the Air Fryer instructions as outlined in the Recipe card. My air fryer is just an air fryer but I’m guessing that the toaster oven feature wouldn’t affect the air fryer use of the machine? Please let us know how your pork chops turned out.

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