Air Fryer Shake And Bake Pork Chops

These air fryer shake and bake pork chops are crispy, flavorful, and ready in under 20 minutes. If you love that classic shake and bake taste, this homemade version is even better.

The coating is made from a mix of panko breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and a few simple spices. It gets so crunchy in the air fryer without any deep frying.

A quick brush of olive oil and dijon mustard helps the coating stick to the pork chops perfectly. It also adds a nice layer of flavor you won’t get from a store-bought packet.

The air fryer does all the heavy lifting here. You get that golden, crunchy outside with juicy meat on the inside every single time.

This is a great weeknight dinner that the whole family will enjoy. Let me show you how to make it step by step.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Incredibly Crispy Coating – The mix of panko and regular breadcrumbs with parmesan creates a golden crunchy crust that rivals any deep-fried pork chop.

Juicy on the Inside – Bone-in chops stay tender and full of juice while the outside gets perfectly crispy in the air fryer.

Packed With Flavor – Smoked paprika and dijon mustard combined with herbs and parmesan give these pork chops a bold savory taste in every single bite.

Ingredients

For the Coating

• 3/4 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup Regular Breadcrumbs
• 1/3 cup Parmesan Cheese, finely grated
• 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
• 1/2 tsp Dried Oregano
• 1/2 tsp Dried Thyme
• 3/4 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper

For the Pork Chops

• 4 Bone-in Pork Chops, about 1 inch thick
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
• Cooking Spray

How To Make

Step 1

In a large zip-top bag, combine the panko breadcrumbs, regular breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper. Seal the bag and shake vigorously until everything is evenly mixed.

Step 2

Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, mix the olive oil and dijon mustard together. Brush this mixture over both sides of each pork chop. The mustard adds great flavor and helps the coating stick perfectly.

Step 3

Place one pork chop at a time into the bag with the coating mixture. Seal the bag and shake well until the pork chop is completely coated. Press the coating firmly into the meat with your hands through the bag. Repeat with the remaining pork chops.

Step 4

Preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees F for 3 minutes. Spray the basket lightly with cooking spray.

Step 5

Place the coated pork chops in the air fryer basket in a single layer without overlapping. Spray the tops of the pork chops with a light coating of cooking spray to help them crisp and brown.

Step 6

Air fry at 380 degrees F for 12 to 14 minutes, flipping once halfway through. The pork chops are done when the coating is deeply golden and crunchy, and the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F.

Step 7

Let the pork chops rest for 5 minutes before serving. This resting time allows the juices to redistribute so every bite is juicy and tender.

Tips

Use the Right Pork Chops

Bone-in pork chops that are about 1 inch thick work best here. Thinner chops will dry out fast in the air fryer, and boneless ones don’t stay as juicy.

If your pork chops are closer to half an inch thick, you’ll need to cut the cook time down by about 4-5 minutes or they’ll come out dry and tough.

Also, try to pick chops that are similar in size so they all finish cooking at the same time.

Press the Coating On Firmly

After you shake the pork chop in the bag, don’t just pull it out and move on. Take a few seconds to really press the coating into the meat through the bag using your hands. This makes a big difference.

The spots where the coating is just loosely sitting on top are the spots that will fall off during cooking. Pressing it in gives you a thick, even crust that actually stays put.

The olive oil and mustard mixture is sticky enough to hold everything, but only if you take the time to press it on.

Don’t Skip Patting the Pork Chops Dry

Before you brush on the olive oil and mustard mixture, make sure you pat the pork chops dry with paper towels on both sides. Any moisture on the surface will create a barrier between the meat and the coating.

Wet pork chops lead to soggy breadcrumbs that never crisp up properly. Dry pork chops let the mustard mixture grip the meat directly, and then the coating grips the mustard. That’s how you get a crust that’s actually crunchy.

Related Recipes

• Air Fryer Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops
• Air Fryer Sticky Honey Soy Pork Chops
• Air Fryer Pork Schnitzel
• Air Fryer Caramelized Brown Sugar Pork Tenderloin
• Air Fryer Baked Potatoes

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use boneless pork chops instead of bone-in?

You absolutely can, but boneless pork chops are usually thinner so they cook faster. You will want to reduce the cooking time to about 8 to 10 minutes total, flipping halfway through, and start checking the internal temperature around the 8-minute mark.

Bone-in chops tend to stay juicier because the bone helps insulate the meat during cooking, so just keep a close eye on boneless ones to make sure they don’t dry out.