Frozen Pork Chops in Air Fryer

Cooking frozen pork chops in air fryer is a game changer when you’re forgetful like me. 😉 Yes if you haven’t defrosted your meat there’s a solution to still get dinner on the table! Another easy air fryer recipe hack you’ll love.

Air Fryer Frozen Boneless Pork Chops

When I have my stuff together my family’s favorite meal are the best baked pork chops cooked in the oven. BUT when schedules get hectic I need something FAST.

I have had those moments way too often and have shared a slew of tips lately like how to cook frozen steak in an air fryer and so on. They’re lifesavers so nobody knows I had an “oopsie day” at all.

Have you looked into the fridge and noticed it was bare before? I’m sure it’s happened a time or two, or a dozen….. You thought you put your frozen pork in the fridge the night before but NOOooooo.

And then you find them still in the freezer stuck together and rock hard like this, right?? Yep, I’ve been there. That is why I needed to figure out how to cook frozen meat, and share it with you.

Whether you buy bone in or boneless pork chops it doesn’t affect the cook time too much. The thickness will vary it slightly of course but this will get you started.

Ingredient Notes

You should choose pieces that are “normal” sizes, medium. I prefer boneless pork chops if at all possible. It is best to separate from one another initially but if not possible I explain how to do so midway thru the cooking process below.

Dry Rub

We’re kinda obsessed with creating the best steak dry rub ever because they’re so versatile and make everything taste amazing. We have one for steak, air fryer chicken wings, a salmon dry rub, and now this one for pork.

The key to making this work if your meat isn’t damp is to cook it for just 5 minutes. Then open your basket, separate them if they’re stuck together with ice, and sprinkle on your seasonings.

Don’t want to bother with this step? NO problem, just sprinkle on salt and pepper instead. I suggest you try it though because it takes them from good to WOW.

The reason this works so well is that your basket has holes at the bottom. As the meat defrosts it will emit some water which you really don’t want them to sit in. If they were on a sheet pan this would be an issue.

With it draining away you can still get a bit of crisp on the outside while getting juicy pork chops in the center which is what you’ll want.

How Long to Cook Frozen Pork Chops in Air Fryer

In the oven they take upwards of 40 minutes but now with hot circulating air in a Ninja Foodi, Cosori or any other brand of air fryer it’s closer to 20 minutes flat from rock hard to perfectly juicy tender.

Believe it or not you can even cook air fryer frozen chicken wingsand frozen chicken breasts in air fryer now too! You should really try them all so you can be a believer too.

How do you know when pork chops are done?

It is important whether they’re frozen or defrosted to begin with is to cook until they reach a safe internal temperature of 145 degrees F. You can also tell that they are done (if you don’t have a meat thermometer) because the juices will run clear and there won’t be any opaque left in the center.

When done allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing to maintain juiciness. You want to do this with any pork chop recipe to maintain it’s juiciness. If your meat is defrosted, try our air fryer pork chops or pork steak in air fryer recipes. Add the bacon too y’all!

Tips

As I said, time will vary slightly depending on how thick your pieces are. I typically don’t cook 2 inch thick pork chops this way because it is hard to get them done properly in the center without drying them out a bit.

I would choose middle of the road as far as thickness goes, for How Long to Cook Thin Pork Chops I would decrease to half and check. If they are stuck together cook for about 5 minutes and then open your basket and separate pieces. Spray meat with olive oil spray and sprinkle dry rub on the top at this time.

FAQ

The biggest trick (or tip to follow) is to make sure that your pieces are separated. In order to cook all the way thru evenly you’ll need to pull them apart from one another. If it is difficult to do, run them under some cool water and pull apart that way.

Kind of. You can add a bit of seasonings at the beginning if you brush some olive oil on the outsides so it will stick. Your best bet though is to wait until halfway thru your cook time so the outside layer has thawed, and then add salt and pepper at that time.

Since these were previously frozen you won’t want to freeze leftovers again. Instead wait until they have cooled to room temperature and store in a sealed container or freezer bag. You will want to reheat within 3 days.

You will want to use a bit lower heat, with some sauce on the top to add moisture. The best method is in a pan over low heat, with some bbq sauce on the top, with a lid on until warmed. This will take about 5 minutes or so.

When these babies are air fried they’ll get a really nice texture on the outside. NO need to deep fry pork chops to get it crispy anymore. You may never bake or grill them again after this. We’ve done so many things in this little kitchen appliance. Others to try too are;

Air fryer pork loin, oh yes that is possible too! If you want to know how to cook Instant Pot frozen pork roast that turns out amazing as well.

You can even make frozen salmon in air fryer if you want seafood some night. Of course you should try bacon in the air fryer for breakfast sometime too. You can even make an air fryer hamfor the holidays if there are only a few of you at home.