These air fryer southwestern pork chops capture the essence of the southwest with a simple seasoning blend that features bold, vibrant flavors. The air fryer is the perfect appliance to give us juicy, tender pork chops that are awesome for a delicious dinner any night of the week.
You loved our Best Damn Air Fryer Pork Chops with their savory BBQ flavors. Now dig into these mouthwatering southwestern pork chops and be prepared to have another favorite air fryer pork chop recipe!
What are Air Fryer Southwestern Pork Chops?
These Air Fryer Southwestern Pork Chops are all about bringing a pop of Southwestern zing to your plate. Think of them as your regular pork chops but jazzed up with the warm, bold flavors that the Southwest is famous for. We’re talking a mix of spices like cumin, chili powder, and a bit of smoked paprika – they give the chops a slightly smoky and gently spicy taste. It’s a simple twist that makes these pork chops a bit special, perfect for when you want a dinner that’s both easy and full of flavor.
Ingredients
We get the primary flavors from chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, and coriander and round them out with classic spices such as onion powder, salt, pepper, oregano, etc. Then, of course, we get a little bit of heat from some cayenne. Feel free to adjust the cayenne to your liking. Remember, a little goes a long way. Black pepper is a key ingredient as well. When that pepper forms a crust on the pork chops with the other ingredients, it creates an awesome, bold flavor profile.
Ingredients include:
- Chili powder
- Cumin
- Smoked Paprika
- Coriander
- Onion powder
- Garlic Powder
- Black Pepper
- Cayenne
- Salt
What Kind of Pork Chops?
I like to use bone-in pork chops for this recipe. I’ve found the very best results come from bone-in rib chops. They have excellent marbling, tenderness and all around best flavor. And, of course, that rib bone gives it that classic pork chop look – perfect for our southwestern recipe!
Generally, pork chops with a thickness of 1 inch to 1.5″ are ideal. You can certainly go thinner, just keep on eye on them as they’ll be done cooking much faster.
Easy Preparation
The prep for these pork chops is as easy as it gets. Mix the ingredients, apply the rub to the pork chops, and you’re ready to go.
Air Fry at 400°(F) for 10-12 minutes
Start by preheating your air fryer at 400°(F) for 5 minutes. This is important as it helps establish the sear we want on the outside of the pork chops. Once the air fryer is preheated, place the chops into the air fryer basket or tray (depending on style of air fryer), and set to air fry at 400°(F) for 10-12 minutes (depending on thickness). The pork chops will be done when the internal temperature of the chops reaches 140°(F) when measured with an instant-read thermometer.
RecipeTeacher Pro Tip:
To make awesome pork chops in an air fryer, you’ve got to watch the internal temperature. The magic number for pork chops is 145°F. That’s when they’re just right to eat. But here’s our pro tip: take them out of the air fryer when they hit 140°F. Why? Because those chops aren’t done cooking the moment they leave the fryer. They keep getting hotter, reaching that perfect 145°F all by themselves. This little trick makes sure your pork chops turn out great every time.
Let Rest and Serve
After we remove the pork chops from the air fryer, we want to let them rest on a plate for a couple of minutes before serving. This gives the natural juices a chance to redistribute and the carryover cooking will bring them up to 145°F.
Serve the pork chops with your favorite sides. We love serving these with our Air Fryer Roasted Zucchini and Peppers. The flavors and texture of the peppers and zucchini goes perfectly with southwest pork chops. Some fresh chopped cilantro really adds to the flavor profile as well.
Storage and Reheating
These southwest pork chops will store well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. These are excellent for meal planning and cooking the night before to enjoy for lunch or dinner the next day. Reheating is as simple as a couple of minutes in the microwave. You can also reheat in the air fryer at 360°(F) for a few minutes until heated through.
Frequently Asked Questions
It sure can. Just make sure your air fryer is big enough to comfortably fit 4 pork chops. You don’t want them overlapping or touching on the sides.
Yes you can. But it’s important to remember that boneless pork chops are very lean and not quite as tender as bone-in chops can be. You’ll also really have to pay attention to that internal cooking temperature. You certainly do not want to overcook boneless pork chops.
Our southwestern pork chops are not overly spicy. However, if you’re sensitive to spiciness of just don’t like it, leave out the cayenne. Also, chili powder can have a slight kick as well. Feel free to cut that back a bit to suit your own taste.
Recipe
Air Fryer Southwestern Pork Chops
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2 pork chops
Description
Air fryer pork chops with a simple southwest seasoning rub that’s bold and vibrant with just a little kick. Perfect for a quick meal any day of the week.
Ingredients
- 2 bone-in pork chops
- 1.5 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp coriander
- ½ tsp oregano
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp cayenne
Instructions
- Mix all dry ingredients to create seasoning mix.
- Coat pork chops with olive oil, then coat with the seasoning mix.
- Preheat air fryer at 400°(F) for 5 minutes.
- Add seasoned pork chops to air fryer basket or tray, set to air fry at 400°(F) for 10 minutes. Flip pork chops after 5 minutes.
- Pork chops are done when internal temperature reached 140°(F).
- Remove from air fryer and let rest 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Air fryer temps can vary. Cook chops to an internal temperature of 140°F, then let rest for 5 minutes.
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 10 min
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Air Fryer
- Cuisine: American
Paulette says
We have wings at least once a week and have been using this recipe for years!
Mu hubby and I love this recipe and love our air fryer!
PJ says
Excellent! Made the tonight using some Omaha steaks pork chops (boneless, bacon-wrapped). Great success! Juicy, excellent flavor. Looking forward to the leftovers tomorrow!
RecipeTeacher says
Thanks, man!!
Ronyeen J Murphy says
Absolutely Awesome. & Delicious!!!
Julie says
Recipe was very good. We also roasted the veggies. Would like to see the nutritional information if available.
Line Coulombe says
Tout simplement délicieuses et juteuses. Merci Jason.
Jan says
I made the Southwestern boneless pork chops and they were fantabulash,,,woohoo will make these often as they are very tasty and juicy and Also made the air fryer cauliflower what a match.
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RecipeTeacher says
Awesome! Thanks Jan!!