Frozen pork chops in air fryer can come out tender and juicy in no time! Use our dry rub so they have bold flavors with every single bite. Don’t worry if you forgot to defrost dinner, this tip will save the day for sure!

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Making 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. (affiliate links present, originally published 3/21)

Air Fryer Frozen Boneless Pork Chops

When I have my stuff together my family’s favorite meal are the best 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.

If you love extra crispy food and quick recipes, here are some resources to start with:

A close-up photo of a hand pulling out the basket of an open air fryer on a light-colored surface. The interior of the air fryer basket is empty and features a mesh design, perfect for cooking your favorite dishes like bang bang shrimp. The edge of the air fryer has a latch mechanism for securing the basket.

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.

Air Fryer Frozen Pork Chops

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.

frozen pork chops

We’re kinda obsessed with creating the best dry rub ever because they’re so versatile and make everything taste amazing. We have one for steak, 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.

pork chops dry rub

Cooking Frozen Pork Chops

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 do you cook frozen pork chops?

That depends on what method you’re using. In the oven they take upwards of 40 minutes. In a Ninja Foodi, Cosori or any other brand of air fryer it’s closer to 20.

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

air fryer frozen pork chops

Is it okay to cook frozen pork chops?

Yes, we will show you how to do just that with your hot air machine. The key whether they’re frozen or defrosted is to cook until they reach a safe internal temperature of 145 degrees F.

Can I cook frozen pork chops in AirFryer?

Yep, that is what we’re going to share with you here. If you do not have time to thaw them out you can heat them initially, add seasonings, then cook them thoroughly in less than 20 minutes total.

Ingredients:

  1. Frozen chops
  2. Paprika
  3. Brown sugar
  4. Garlic powder and onion powder
  5. Salt and pepper

Cayenne pepper is optional for a bit of heat. A bit is nice to get a savory and sweet taste.

frozen air fryer pork chops

Frozen Boneless Pork Chops in Air Fryer

As I said, time will vary slightly depending on how thick your pieces are. No matter what I never buy thick cuts of meat. It is hard to get them done properly in the center without drying them out a bit. Choose middle of the road as far as that goes.

  1. Mix together all of your dry rub ingredients in a small bowl.
  2. Preheat the air fryer to 380 F for 5 minutes. Then spray inside of air fryer basket with non stick spray. Lay frozen chops inside.
  3. Now cook at 380 degrees F for 5 minutes. Open your basket and separate pieces if they are stuck together. Spray meat with olive oil spray and sprinkle dry rub on the top.
  4. Close basket and cook pork chops at 380 F for 13 to 15 minutes or until middle is no longer pink. (after 7 minutes can flip and sprinkle more dry rub on other side if desired)
  5. This timing will vary depending on thickness of meat and if you have bone in or not, these were boneless.

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!

Air Fryer Pork Chop Recipe

How long to cook frozen pork chops in Ninja Foodi

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;

You can print recipe below and keep it on hand for another day too…or just come back!

frozen pork chops in the air fryer
5 from 5 votes

Frozen Pork Chops in Air Fryer

By The Typical Mom
Frozen pork chops in air fryer can come out tender and juicy in no time! Use our dry rub so they have bold flavors with every single bite.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 18 minutes
Servings: 4
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Equipment

  • 1 air fryer

Ingredients 

  • 4 pork chops, frozen
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne , optional

Instructions 

  • MIx together dry rub ingredients in a bowl.
  • Spray inside of air fryer basket with non stick spray, lay frozen chops inside. Cook at 380 degrees F for 5 minutes.
  • Open basket and separate them if they are stuck together. Spray meat with olive oil spray and sprinkle dry rub on the top.
  • Close basket and continue cooking at 380 F for 13-15 minutes or until middle is no longer pink. (timing will vary depending on thickness of meat and if you have bone in or not, these were boneless) Allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing to maintain juiciness.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 2oz, Calories: 215kcal, Carbohydrates: 2g, Protein: 29g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 90mg, Sodium: 356mg, Potassium: 521mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 252IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 13mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Entree, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Tried this recipe?Mention @thetypical_mom or tag #thetypicalmom!
frozen pork chops in the air fryer

About The Typical Mom

Justine is the creative mind behind The Typical Mom and The Typical Family on YouTube. She began blogging about easy recipes, budget friendly activities for kids, and fun family travel destinations in September 2012.

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12 Comments

  1. I used your cooking instructions but doused them in olive oil blended with garlic and Montreal spice.. 👌

  2. Love how well the air fryer cooks from frozen. I use it all the time for chicken but now will be doing the same for pork chops!

  3. This worked great! I adjusted the time as I had thick bone-in pork chops. I cooked them for 19 min. Thank you!

    1. @Penny McTavis, or you could just figure it out yourself. Someone took quite a bit of time to put this page and all the literature together. Don’t be a bitch.

    2. Penny and Corey, I did see a time 5 minutes at first, then an additional 13 minutes or so. Also, Corey, a little bit of kindness goes a long way.

    3. @Penny McTavis, don’t you know how to click on “jump to recipe”? It’s very simple to do.