Air Fryer Teriyaki Pork Chops (Juicy, 15 Minutes)

These air fryer teriyaki pork chops come out juicy inside with a sticky, caramelized teriyaki glaze on the outside, and they need only six ingredients and 15 minutes in the air fryer. Marinate the chops for 30 minutes, air fry at 400°F, and pull them at 145°F. That one temperature check is the whole secret to pork chops that aren’t dry.

If you’ve made my air fryer boneless pork chops, this is the same method with a sweet-and-savory marinade. It’s the chop version of my air fryer teriyaki pork tenderloin, and it uses the same glaze that makes my air fryer teriyaki chicken a weeknight regular.

WWhy You’ll Love This Recipe

• One basket, almost no cleanup. Line the basket with parchment or give it a quick spray and you’re done.
• 6 ingredients, 2 of them optional. Pork chops, bottled teriyaki sauce, olive oil, salt and pepper do the work; garlic and Worcestershire are there if you want more depth.
• 15 minutes of cook time. The air fryer’s circulating heat caramelizes the teriyaki glaze faster than an oven, with no sauce splattering on the stovetop.
• Works with bone-in or boneless chops. The cook-time table below covers both, by thickness.

Ingredients for Air Fryer Teriyaki Pork Chops

• Pork chops (4, about 1 inch thick): Bone-in or boneless both work; bone-in stay a little juicier, boneless cook a minute or two faster. Starting from frozen? Thaw first, or use my air fryer frozen pork chops method and add the glaze at the flip.
• Teriyaki sauce or marinade (¼ cup): Any bottled teriyaki works. For a from-scratch version, my easy teriyaki miso sauce takes 5 minutes and thickens into a real glaze.
• Olive oil (1 tablespoon): Helps the glaze cling and keeps the chops from drying out in the air fryer’s circulating heat.
• Salt and black pepper: Go light on the salt; teriyaki sauce is already salty.
• Minced garlic (1 teaspoon, optional): Adds a savory edge under the sweetness.
• Worcestershire sauce (1 tablespoon, optional): A splash deepens the umami and balances the sugar in the teriyaki.

Full amounts are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

How to Make Teriyaki Pork Chops in the Air Fryer

Step 1: Marinate. Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels. In a bowl or zip-top bag, combine the teriyaki sauce, olive oil, garlic, Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Add the chops and turn to coat. Marinate 30 minutes at room temperature, or up to overnight in the refrigerator for deeper flavor.

Step 2: Preheat. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (200°C) for 5 minutes. A hot basket is what caramelizes the glaze instead of steaming it. If you’re new to the machine, my complete guide to using an air fryer covers preheating and basket prep.

Step 3: Load the basket. Lightly spray the basket or line it with perforated parchment. Lift the chops out of the marinade, let the excess drip off, and lay them in a single layer with space between each one. Save the marinade.

Step 4: Air fry. Cook 12–15 minutes, flipping at the halfway mark. When you flip, brush the tops with a spoonful of the reserved marinade for a stickier glaze. Start checking at 12 minutes with an instant-read thermometer: the chops are done at 145°F (63°C) in the thickest part, away from the bone.

Step 5: Rest and serve. Transfer to a plate and rest 3 minutes; the center will carry over a few degrees and the juices settle. Top with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.

How Long to Air Fry Teriyaki Pork Chops

Time depends on thickness far more than on bone-in vs boneless. All times are at 400°F, flipped halfway, and finished at 145°F.

Pork chop	Thickness	Time at 400°F
Boneless	½ inch	8–10 minutes
Boneless	¾ inch	10–12 minutes
Boneless	1 inch	12–14 minutes
Bone-in	¾ inch	11–13 minutes
Bone-in	1 inch	13–15 minutes
Bone-in	1¼ inch	15–18 minutes

Air fryers vary by brand and basket size, so treat the range as a starting point and let the thermometer decide. For times on other cuts, see the air fryer cooking chart.

Why 145°F? Pork is safe and at its juiciest at 145°F with a 3-minute rest, per USDA guidance. A hint of pink in the center is correct, not undercooked. Cooking to 160°F is what makes pork chops dry.

Tips for Juicy Air Fryer Pork Chops

• Buy thick chops. Anything under ¾ inch overcooks before the glaze sets. One-inch chops give you a margin for error.
• Pat dry before marinating. Dry meat takes on the marinade and browns better; a wet surface steams.
• Don’t skip the thermometer. Pork chops go from juicy to dry in about two minutes. Pull them at 145°F, every time.
• Shake off the excess marinade. Pooled teriyaki on the basket floor burns at 400°F and smokes. Brush fresh sauce on at the flip instead.
• Give them space. Chops that touch don’t brown where they meet. Cook in two batches rather than crowding; the second batch cooks about a minute faster in the already-hot basket.
• Rest 3 minutes. Cutting right away lets the juices run out onto the plate.

Make Your Own Teriyaki Glaze

Bottled sauce is fine, but a homemade glaze is thicker and clings better. Whisk together in a small saucepan: ¼ cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon grated ginger, 1 minced garlic clove, and 1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons water. Simmer 2–3 minutes until it coats a spoon, cool, and use ¼ cup as the marinade. Brush the rest on at the flip and at serving.

For a richer version with miso, use my teriyaki miso sauce. Once you’ve made a batch, it’s worth trying on my air fryer teriyaki meatballs as well. Either sauce works here without changing the cook time.

Oven, Grill, Stovetop and Instant Pot Teriyaki Pork Chops

No air fryer, or cooking for a crowd? The same marinade works with every method. Finish all of them at 145°F.

• Instant Pot: Sauté 2 minutes per side, add ¼ cup teriyaki sauce and ½ cup water, pressure cook 8 minutes, quick release. If you have the air fryer lid, crisp the glaze for 3 minutes afterward. For a pressure-cook-then-crisp version of plain chops, see my Instant Pot air fryer pork chops.
• Oven: Heat to 400°F. Set the marinated chops on a greased sheet pan and bake 18–22 minutes, flipping once and brushing with reserved marinade. For a glossier finish, broil 1–2 minutes at the end.
• Grill or Ninja Foodi Grill: Medium-high heat. Grill 5–7 minutes per side, basting with sauce after the first flip so the sugar caramelizes without burning. For another teriyaki-glazed dinner built on the same sear-and-baste idea, see my air fryer teriyaki steak kabobs.
• Stovetop: Sear in a hot skillet with a teaspoon of oil, 4 minutes per side. Reduce heat to medium-low, add 2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce and a splash of water, cover, and simmer 3–5 minutes until the chops reach 145°F and the sauce thickens.

What to Serve with Teriyaki Pork Chops

Something to soak up the glaze, and something green. Most of these cook in the air fryer too, so you can run them while the chops rest.

• Rice: Air fryer stick of butter rice is the easy weeknight pick; air fryer vegetable fried rice turns the plate into takeout night.
• Broccoli: Air fryer broccoli gets crisp edges fast and catches the extra teriyaki sauce.
• Asparagus: Air fryer asparagus is a quick, light side that doesn’t compete with the glaze.
• Mixed vegetables: Air fryer roasted vegetables if you want peppers and onions alongside.
• Green beans and potatoes: Air fryer green beans and potatoes makes it a one-basket side.
• Appetizer: Air fryer Chinese egg rolls if you’re going all in on takeout night.

Storing and Reheating

• Refrigerator: Cool, then store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Spoon a little extra sauce over the chops before sealing so they don’t dry out.
• Freezer: Wrap each chop in foil, bag them, and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
• Reheating in the air fryer: 350°F for 3–5 minutes, brushed with a little teriyaki sauce. This keeps the glaze sticky. The microwave works in a pinch (45–60 seconds, covered) but softens the edges.
• Meal prep: Slice cold chops over rice with steamed broccoli for lunch bowls. For the chicken version, see my air fryer teriyaki chicken bowls.

Air Fryer Teriyaki Pork Chops FAQs

How long do you cook teriyaki pork chops in the air fryer? 12–15 minutes at 400°F for 1-inch chops, flipped halfway, until an instant-read thermometer shows 145°F. Thinner chops take 8–12 minutes; see the time table above.

Can I use boneless pork chops? Yes. Boneless chops cook 1–2 minutes faster than bone-in of the same thickness. Check them at 10 minutes.

Do I have to marinate the pork chops? No. Thirty minutes gives the best flavor, but you can brush the chops with sauce and cook right away. Brush again at the flip to make up for the lost marinating time.

Can I cook them from frozen? Yes, but marinate after thawing, not before. Air fry frozen chops at 375°F for 10 minutes, then brush with teriyaki sauce and finish at 400°F until they reach 145°F. My air fryer frozen pork chops post walks through it.

Why are my pork chops dry? Almost always overcooking. Pork chops are done at 145°F, not 160°F, and thin chops reach that in under 10 minutes. Use a thermometer and pull them early.

Can I use store-bought teriyaki sauce? Yes, any bottled teriyaki sauce or marinade works. Thicker glaze-style sauces cling better than thin marinades; if yours is thin, brush more on at the flip.

Why is the teriyaki sauce burning in my air fryer? The sugar in teriyaki sauce scorches at 400°F if it pools under the chops. Shake off excess marinade before cooking, line the basket with parchment, and brush sauce on the meat rather than pouring it in.

What internal temperature should pork chops be? 145°F (63°C), followed by a 3-minute rest. A faint pink center is correct at this temperature.

More Air Fryer Pork Chop Recipes

• Air Fryer Boneless Pork Chops – the plain-seasoned base recipe
• Air Fryer Ranch Pork Chops – juicy in 20 minutes
• Air Fryer Chile Lime Pork Chop – bright and spicy
• Air Fryer Italian Pork Chops – herb-crusted
• Air Fryer BBQ Pork Chops – sweet and smoky
• Air Fryer Pork Chop Bites – cubed and crisp for dipping
• Air Fryer Frozen Pork Chops – straight from the freezer

More Teriyaki Recipes for the Air Fryer

• Air Fryer Teriyaki Pork Tenderloin
• Air Fryer Teriyaki Chicken (PF Chang’s Copycat)
• Air Fryer Teriyaki Chicken Bowls
• Air Fryer Teriyaki Meatballs
• Air Fryer Teriyaki Steak Kabobs
• Air Fryer Pork Stir Fry
• Air Fryer Sesame Chicken (Pei Wei Copycat)

Don’t Forget to Pin

Made these air fryer teriyaki pork chops? Leave a star rating and a comment below; it helps other readers find the recipe. Share a photo in the Air Fryer Recipes Facebook group or tag @forktospoon on Instagram.