Pantry Plan Share a recipe Sign in Menu

Pork Chops · Air Fryer

Air Fryer Brown Sugar Pork Chops

Boneless chops with a sweet and smoky brown sugar rub, cooked in the air fryer in about 12 minutes. A juicy weeknight main with almost no cleanup.

New, no ratings yet0 reviewsby Simmerbee Kitchen

Prep
5 min
Cook
12 min
Total
25 min
Serves
4
Level
Easy
Start cook modeAdd to planSave
Print
Full pageOne page, ingredients and steps4×6 cardIngredients on the front, steps on the back3×5 cardIngredients on the front, steps on the back
Jump to recipe

Ingredients

  • 4 boneless pork chops, about 1 inch thick (6 to 8 oz each)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
    Swaps for olive oil

    Instead of olive oil

    • Avocado oil or another neutral oil: The same amount. No olive flavor; avocado oil handles higher heat.
    • Butter: The same amount. Richer and nutty when browned.
    • A neutral oil + more seasoning: The same amount. Dressings lose the fruity, peppery note; a little extra lemon, garlic or mustard makes up for it.

    More for olive oil

  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
    Swaps for brown sugar

    Instead of brown sugar

    • White sugar + molasses: 1 cup granulated sugar + 1 tbsp molasses (light) or 2 tbsp (dark). The same as store-bought.
    • White sugar: The same amount. Crisper, paler cookies with less caramel flavor.
    • Light and dark brown sugar: The same amount, either way. Dark brown sugar tastes stronger and makes bakes a bit darker and moister.

    All 4 swaps for brown sugar

  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
    Swaps for smoked paprika

    Instead of paprika

    • Sweet paprika + a pinch of chipotle or cumin: The same amount of paprika, plus a pinch. Some smokiness without the full smoked flavor; chipotle adds heat.
    • Chipotle powder: About ¼ the amount. Smoky and much hotter.

    More for paprika

  • 1 tsp kosher salt
    Swaps for kosher salt

    Instead of salt

    • Table salt or fine sea salt: About half as much as Diamond Crystal kosher, about ¾ as much as Morton kosher. The same saltiness when measured this way.
    • Salt by weight: 1 tsp is about 6 grams of table salt, 5 grams of Morton kosher, 3 grams of Diamond Crystal kosher. The most reliable way to swap, especially in baking and brines.

    More for salt

  • ½ tsp garlic powder
    Swaps for garlic powder

    Instead of garlic

    • Fresh garlic: 1 clove for each ⅛ tsp powder, minced fine. Sharper and stronger.
    • Granulated garlic: About twice as much as the powder. The same flavor in coarser grains, which blend better into rubs.

    More for garlic

  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • ¼ tsp dried thyme
    Swaps for dried thyme

    Instead of thyme

    • Fresh thyme: 1 tbsp chopped fresh for each 1 tsp dried (three times as much). Brighter and more lemony.
    • Italian seasoning or dried marjoram: The same amount. Close; Italian seasoning adds oregano and basil.

    More for thyme

  • ¼ tsp black pepper

Missing something? Tap Swaps next to an ingredient, or see all substitutions.

Cook to 145°F inside (check with a thermometer).

Steps

  1. Pat the chops dry and rub them all over with the oil.
  2. Stir the brown sugar, smoked paprika, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme and pepper together, then press it onto both sides of the chops.
  3. Heat the air fryer to 400°F.
    400°F⏱ Preheat: 3 min
  4. Lay the chops in the basket in a single layer, not touching, and air fry.
    400°F⏱ Air fry: 6 min
  5. Flip the chops and air fry until the center reads 145°F (63°C).
    145°F⏱ Air fry: 5 min
  6. Rest (how to rest) Rest Leave cooked meat, baked goods or dough alone for a while before you cut, slice or shape it. 1. Move meat to a board or plate as soon as it is done (a few degrees shy of target for big roasts; it keeps rising).2. Tent it loosely with foil if the kitchen is cool.3. Rest steaks and chops 5 minutes, roasts 15 to 20, a turkey 30.4. For dough, cover it so it doesn't dry out while it relaxes. Done when: Meat juices stay in when you slice; dough rolls out without springing back. Safety: Rest at room temperature for under an hour, then refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking.How to rest meat and dough: mistakes to avoid
    the chops on a plate before serving.
    ⏱ Rest: 3 min

Tap an underlined word for how to do it, or see all techniques.

Tips

  • The USDA safe temperature for whole cuts of pork is 145°F (63°C) followed by a 3-minute rest. A little blush of pink inside is fine.
  • Thinner chops (1/2 inch) need only 7 to 9 minutes total. Start checking early.
  • Cook in two batches if your basket is small; crowded chops steam.
  • Use a separate cutting board for raw meat, and wash hands, boards and knives in hot soapy water after handling it.

Storage

Refrigerate in an airtight container within 2 hours, up to 3 days. Reheat in the air fryer at 350°F for 3 to 4 minutes.

How long leftovers keep, and freezing and reheating: leftovers and storage.

Quick answers

What can I swap?
  • Instead of olive oil: Avocado oil or another neutral oil, the same amount.
  • Instead of brown sugar: White sugar + molasses.

Answered from this recipe's own storage, make-ahead and swap notes.

Estimated nutrition per serving

Calories
440
Protein
39 g
Carbohydrates
4 g
Fiber
0 g
Sugars
3 g
Fat
28 g
Saturated fat
9 g
Sodium
540 mg

Whole recipe, 4 servings: about 1,760 calories.

Estimate from USDA FoodData Central; not medical or dietary advice. Based on 9 of 9 ingredients.

How we estimate

We add up USDA FoodData Central values for each measured ingredient as written and divide by the recipe's 4 servings, so changing the servings or units here doesn't change a serving. Brands, swaps, trimming and cooking all change the real numbers.

Estimated cost

About $2.05 a serving

About $8.20 for the recipe as written (4 servings).

Estimate; prices vary by store and region. U.S. average prices for September 2026 from BLS Average Price Data and USDA ERS Purchase to Plate prices updated with the BLS Consumer Price Index. Priced: 3 of 9 ingredients, 99% by weight.

How we estimate

Each measured ingredient is weighed as in the nutrition estimate and priced at the U.S. average: BLS's average price where BLS publishes one, else USDA ERS's Purchase to Plate price for 2017-18 raised to September 2026 with the CPI for that food group. Whole packages, store brands, sales and regions all change the real cost: treat it as a ballpark.

  • boneless pork chops $7.95 BLS
  • olive oil $0.20 ERS
  • brown sugar $0.05 ERS

Not priced (no official average price we can match, so not in the total): smoked paprika, kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, black pepper.

More dishes for less: cheap eats.

Goes well with

Picked by our pairing rules: the same kind of kitchen, room in the oven and on the stove, ready in time, and a balance of starch, vegetables and richness.

  • Side Cheesy Garlic Bread 30 min Uses the oven while the pork chops are on the stove. The oven and stove are free while the air fryer does the main. Ready in 30 min, inside the main's 25 min.
  • Side Crispy Parmesan Lemon Roasted Broccoli 30 min Uses the oven while the pork chops are on the stove. The oven and stove are free while the air fryer does the main. Ready in 30 min, inside the main's 25 min.
  • Dessert Fudgy Double Chocolate Cookies 1 hr 30 min Make it ahead, so it's ready when dinner is.

More complete dinner menus

Keep this one

Sign in to save recipes into your own collections, log the days you cook them and keep private notes, like "use less sugar next time". Only you see them.

Sign in to saveNo password: we email you a code.

Gear for this recipe

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Brands are suggestions; any similar item works.

Cleanup score 4/5 (easy cleanup): 2 things to wash, air fryer basket, mixing bowl.

More kitchen gear and our gear guides

Reviews (0)

No reviews yet. Made it? Tell us how it went.

simmerbee.com/r/pork-chops-air-fryerSimmerbee