I’ve always hated group work. As a kid, I despised group projects because I never knew who wasn’t going to do their part. Because I wanted to succeed so badly, I would take charge to pull all the strings, even if that means I had to do most of the work. I didn’t want my fate in someone else’s hands.
My preferred role these days is an independent team player: assign me the task, don’t get in my way and I’ll get it done. I value people who work hard at their job, pull their weight, are accountable and responsible for their actions.
Such is the case with this marinade. Every element is independent but significant. Together, they are a magnificent team that tackles and infuses flavor into the pork chops.
This pork chop recipe is truly a gift to a person who doesn’t want to lift too many fingers yet expect delicious food in the comforts of their own home. With some foresight on tomorrow’s meal, much of the work is just waiting: waiting for the pork chops to marinate in the fridge and waiting for them to cook in the air fryer. It’s so simple!
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Chinese Five Spice Pork Chops
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 12 mins
- Total Time: 32 mins
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Mains
- Method: Air-Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese
Description
Much of the work for this Chinese five spice pork chop recipe is just waiting: waiting for the pork chops to marinate in the fridge and waiting for them to cook in the air fryer. It’s so simple!
Ingredients
MARINADE
- 1/4 cup of five spice marinade
- 1 tablespoon of garlic powder
- 1/2 tablespoon of onion powder
- 2 teaspoons of sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
OTHER INGREDIENTS
- 2 1-inch thick bone-in pork chops
Instructions
- Create the marinade. Place all of the marinade ingredients into a large mixing bowl and combine well.
- Prep the chops. Pat the chops dry with paper towels. With a fork, prick the chops all over on both sides. Drench the chops in the marinade. Cover the mixing bowl and place it in the refrigerator to marinate overnight at a minimum, ideally 24 hours. Bring the chops back to room temperature before cooking them, around 30 minutes.
- Air-fry the chops. Preheat the air fryer at 400⁰F for 5 minutes. Spray the basket with neutral-flavored cooking oil and place the pork chops in in a single layer.* Air-fry 10 to 12 minutes, flipping once half way. Use a meat thermometer to check that the chops have registered at a minimum of 145⁰F. If so, rest the chops on a plate for 10 minutes. If not, continue air-frying until the cooked temperature has been reached. Enjoy after!
Notes
*If the pork chops are too big for the basket, air-fry them one at a time.
