Honey Mustard Air Fryer Pork Chops Recipe

If you've never tried cooking pork chops in the air fryer, now's the perfect time to give it a go — developer Milena Manolova admits that while she was coming up with this recipe, "I was skeptical in the beginning but impressed at the end." Despite her fears that the pork would be too dry, she says this was not the case at all. Instead, while the meat came out nice and crispy on the outside, the interior was tender. This is thanks in part to the honey mustard marinade, which she tells us "not only adds a sweet and tangy flavor to the pork chops but also helps keep the meat moist and juicy during cooking."

Although the pork chops will take a little time to marinate, the rest of the prep work plus cooking time is minimal. To speed things along, Manolova says you can prepare the marinade in advance, then refrigerate the marinating chops for up to two days. If you don't have an air fryer, she says you can also bake the chops in the oven, you'll just want to make sure that they reach an internal temperature of 145 F before serving.

Manolova likes to make this dish with bone-in pork chops for maximum flavor. The marinade has a base of honey and dijon mustard but also includes cider vinegar, vegetable oil, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and thyme.

In a bowl, combine the honey, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, vegetable oil, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, salt, and thyme. Whisk until smooth, then set aside.

Place the pork chops in a resealable plastic bag.

Pour the marinade inside the bag, seal it, and massage the pork chops until well coated. Keep it in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Remove the pork chops from the bag and place them inside the air fryer.

Cook at 400 F for 20 minutes, turning the chops halfway through.

Serve right away with a side dish of your choice.

One of the best ways to prevent pork chops from becoming too dry is to marinate them as Manolova does in this recipe. The marinade not only helps to tenderize the meat, but allows it to retain its moistness even when it's exposed to heat. Yet another suggestion Manolova offers is to sear the pork chops before baking or air frying them, saying this step "can help create a crust that locks in moisture," but she doesn't find it necessary for this recipe.

Perhaps the most important part of making sure your pork chops don't dry out is to cook them properly. While you don't want to make the mistake of undercooking your pork, neither do you want to cook it too long since this is what makes meat dry and tough. Pork is safe to eat even when it's still a bit pink in the middle as long as it reaches 145 F on a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part.

If you want to keep your meal nice and light, you can pair these honey mustard pork chops with a simple green salad. If you prefer a cooked vegetable, Manolova suggests that roasted root vegetables would be tasty, or you could offset the sweetness of the honey mustard with slightly bitter green vegetables such as asparagus and Brussels sprouts. "Spinach cooked with garlic and olive oil is a healthy and flavorful side dish that complements pork chops," she adds.

Mashed potatoes, too, make for a classic side for just about any kind of meat, pork chops included — check out our selection of mashed potato recipes ranging from classic to cheesy and loaded with bacon bits and green onions. Mashed sweet potatoes, too, would complement these honey-mustard pork chops, as would creamed corn or corn muffins. You could also play up on pork's well-known affinity for fruit by serving the chops with applesauce or fried apples.