How to Reheat Pork Chops in the Air Fryer

Learn how to reheat pork chops in the air fryer the right way so you will get the most tender and juicy pork chops that melt in your mouth as if they just came off the skillet. You won’t be able to tell that they were reheated in the air fryer!

The air fryer is not just for fried food! It is one of the easiest ways to thoroughly heat up meat while keeping it juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside.

🍽️ Why This Works

The air fryer uses hot air circulation to reach every surface evenly, which is why it is great for reheating. It also has a double functionality of “frying up” the exterior without using much oil.

🐖 Ingredients

Leftover Pork Chops – After finding out I can reheat pork chops in the air fryer, I feel comfortable making a big batch of pork chops for the week and reheating as needed. These instant pot pork chops are super easy to make in a big batch and freeze the rest for later. I like bone-in pork chops, but you can use boneless pork chops like center cuts.

Spray Olive Oil – You can use any kind of cooking spray for this recipe. I love olive oil in cooking, but you can opt for any neutral oil. The spray helps evenly oil the exterior so it gets an even sear and doesn’t dry out in the air fryer.

Seasonings – The beautiful thing about reheating is that you get a second chance at enhancing the flavor profile and adding your own seasoning. Aside from salt and black pepper, I used a bit of garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and paprika.

⏲️ Equipment and Tools

Air Fryer – We use our quart-sized Ninja AF101 air fryer for everything! It can cook and reheat almost anything you can think of. We haven’t reached for the microwave in a while because the air fryer is so good at reheating leftovers!

Air Fryer Liner – Pork chops can produce a lot of oil in the air fryer. For seamless reheating, you can get disposable or reusable air fryer liners so you don’t have to worry about cleanup.

Tongs – You need a way to transport the pork chops in and out of the air fryer. These can get hot, so I always like having my metal tongs handy!

🔥 Instructions

Step One: Let the leftover pork chops come to room temperature by letting them rest outside the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes or outside the freezer for a few hours. It is important to defrost them before reheating.

Step Two: Spray both sides of the pork chops with cooking oil. Heat the air fryer to 390°F and cook for 3-4 minutes, depending on thickness.

❗ Recipe Tips and Tricks

Don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket – Make sure you are only setting a single layer of pork chops every round. If you are air frying a big batch, it is best to divide them into a few sections.

Pay attention to size – Bigger and thicker pieces will need more time to fully heat up. If you are reheating in batches, let the bigger pieces heat up together then the smaller pieces. Alternatively, if you want more surface area and even crispiness, you can cut up the pork chops into smaller pieces and heat up everything together.

Avoid condensation – Make sure the pork chops are completely cooled and at room temperature before you put them in the air fryer. Any steam or heat can block the airflow and may not give you the crisp you are looking for.

🧑‍🍳 Storage and Reheating

If you happen to have any leftover pork chops, you can store the rest in the fridge for up to 3 days. Wrap each pork chop individually in aluminum foil or plastic wrap in an airtight container.

💡 Other Ways To Reheat Pork Chops

If you are looking to substitute the air fryer, there are a couple of other ways to heat up leftover pork chops:

Steamer – If you have a steamer, add a little bit of water into the steamer basket and steam for about 10 minutes. This will produce soft pork chops, so they won’t be crispy.

Microwave – Wrap each pork chop in a damp paper towel and place them on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave on medium power for about 2-3 minutes or until it is fully heated through. Depending on your microwave, it might take less or more time.

Oven – Place the pork chops on a baking dish. Pour 1-2 tablespoons of water or broth for each pork chop. The liquid will help keep the pork chops juicy. Cover the dish with foil or its dedicated lid and bake at 350ºF for 15-25 minutes or until it is fully heated.

Stove – Add 1-2 tablespoons of cooking oil into a frying pan and sear the pork chops for 3-5 minutes on each side on medium heat. When the pork chops are heated through, remove from the pan.

Serving Suggestions

Pork chops go with almost any side dish you can think of! As this air fryer pork chops recipe does not require any breading made with eggs or panko breadcrumbs, it is gluten-free and keto. There are many gluten-free side dishes that go with this and taste delicious, such as mashed cauliflower or mashed rutabaga.

For easier cleanup, air fryer asparagus, air fryer roasted broccoli, air fryer squash, air fryer garlicky carrots, air-fried waffle fries, or sweet potato fries in the air fryer are great when you need a fast side dish.

My favorite are these air fryer zucchini chips! You are already using the air fryer for the pork chops, so you might as well use it for the sides! Head over to our website for more air fryer recipes.

If you want to save some time, you can also have the oven going for some sheet pan oven roasted potatoes, roasted Mediterranean vegetables, roasted cauliflower with red pepper tahini, parmesan garlic roasted green beans, sheet pan roasted Brussel sprouts, or roasted beets and carrots while you reheat the pork chops.

When in doubt, you can always serve these with a green side salad like this creamy cucumber salad or a bowl of cilantro lime rice.

❓ Recipe FAQ

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