Spicy Air Fryer Pork Chops with Apricot Glaze

⏱ 180 mins 🍽 ['4', '4 servings'] 🌶 american 🏷 Main course

This American dinner recipe features bone-in pork chops brined for tenderness, then coated in a spicy rub. They are cooked quickly in an air fryer and finished with a glossy, sweet and spicy glaze made from apricot spread, hoisin, ginger, and chilli-garlic sauce. The result is juicy, flavourful chops ready in under three hours, garnished with fresh parsley.

Spicy Air Fryer Pork Chops with Apricot Glaze

Ingredients

  • 4 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar
  • 4 (5 ounce) bone-in center loin pork chops, about 3/4-inch thick
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder, or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 0.5 teaspoon salt
  • 0.25 teaspoon white pepper
  • 0.5 cup apricot all-fruit spread
  • 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
  • 1 (1 inch) piece ginger root, peeled and grated
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 1.5 teaspoons Asian chili-garlic sauce
  • 0.5 medium lime, juiced
  • cooking spray
  • 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh parsley

Method

  1. Stir the water, salt, and sugar together in a bowl until dissolved. Submerge the pork chops in this brine, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 4 hours.
  2. Take the pork chops from the brine, letting the liquid drip off. Dispose of the leftover brine. Use paper towels to pat the chops completely dry and set them aside.
  3. Mix the chilli powder, onion powder, salt, and white pepper in a small dish. Rub half of this mixture over all surfaces of the four chops. Flip them and apply the remaining rub. Let the chops sit out for about 30 minutes to reach room temperature.
  4. While the chops rest, prepare the glaze. In a bowl suitable for the microwave, combine the apricot all-fruit spread, hoisin sauce, grated ginger, minced garlic, Asian chilli-garlic sauce, and lime juice.
  5. Heat the glaze mixture in the microwave on high for 3 minutes, pausing to stir once halfway. Remove it carefully and set it aside.
  6. If your appliance requires it, preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly coat both sides of the seasoned pork chops with cooking spray.
  7. Arrange the chops in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cook for 8 minutes, turning them over once during this time.
  8. Brush the top of each chop with some of the prepared glaze. Continue to air-fry until they are cooked through, which should take 2 to 3 minutes. The pork is done when an instant-read thermometer shows 145 degrees F (63 degrees C) in the centre.
  9. Finish the chops with a sprinkle of finely minced fresh parsley. Serve them with the extra glaze on the side.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories275 kcal
Fat6 g
Sugars27 g
Protein17 g
Sodium3517 mg

Recipe details

CategoryMain course
Cuisineamerican
AuthorBibi