Check out my recipe for making tender and juicy Ninja Foodi Grill Pork Chops!
We don’t eat a lot of pork chops at our house. It’s not because we don’t like pork chops. It’s because we don’t like dry, flavorless pork chops. Well, everything just changed! I made pork chops using my new Ninja Foodi Grill and we LOVED them!
This recipe was made using the Ninja® Foodi® Smart XL Pro Grill & Griddle, but any Ninja Foodi Grill can be used for this recipe.
Making pork chops on the Ninja Foodi Grill really helps to keep them juicy and delicious! The days of having dried-out pork are gone! Using the pork marinade adds so much flavor!
Not only does this recipe make juicy pork chops, but they are so flavorful! The lemon juice and zest are the star of the show-besides the pork chops obviously! It’s amazing what a little lemon zest can do!
When cooking pork, be sure to use the thermometer that came with your Ninja Foodi Grill or an instant-read thermometer. I grew up eating well-done pork but that’s no longer necessary. You can sometimes eat pork that is still a little pink inside. But, it’s important to check the temperature because it is not recommended to eat pork that has an internal temperature of less than 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
Tips for making Ninja Foodi Grill Lemon Garlic Pork Chops
Well= 160 Degrees Fahrenheit
Medium-Well= 155-160 Degrees Fahrenheit
Medium= 150-155 Degrees Fahrenheit
Medium-Rare= 145-150 Degrees Fahrenheit
It is not recommended to eat pork that has an internal temperature of less than 145 degrees Fahrenheit but it is ok for the pork to be just a little pink.
Technically, no. But I HIGHLY recommend that you do so. If you don’t preheat the grill, you will start out by cooking on a cold surface. The grill will not properly sear and char whatever it is cooking.
When the meat is cooking, the juices move around inside of the meat. Allowing the meat to rest allows all of the super flavorful juices to find their home within the meat. If you immediately cut into a piece of cooked meat, all of the juicy deliciousness will leak out of the meat and you’ll be left with a dryer and less flavorful meat. Most meat only needs a few minutes to rest before cutting into it. Usually, about 5 minutes will do the trick. If you have a very large cut of meat, increase the resting time to 10 or 20 minutes.
Technically, no. But I HIGHLY recommend that you do so. If you don’t preheat the griddle, you will start out by cooking on a cold surface. The griddle will not properly sear and brown whatever it is cooking.
Lemon zest is made up of the tiny shavings of the lemon peel. The zest is very flavorful and adds great texture to the recipe.
If your pork chops turn out dry, it’s probably because they have been overcooked. Be sure to use a thermometer to check the internal temperature of the pork before removing them from the grill. The pork chops will continue to cook even after they are removed from the grill.
It depends. You want to make sure that your pork is cooked to the proper temperature and this will vary on the cut of pork and the thickness of the piece of pork. You should always cook pork to temperature and not to time.
Well= 160 Degrees Fahrenheit
Medium-Well= 155-160 Degrees Fahrenheit
Medium= 150-155 Degrees Fahrenheit
Medium-Rare= 145-150 Degrees Fahrenheit
Raw pork chops should be cooked within 3 days of purchase. Cooked pork chops can be refidgerated if stored in an air tight container for 3-4 days and frozen for about 2 months. Reheating instructions: Warm in the microwave for 30-60 seconds or warm in a 350 degree oven. Place the pork chop in a pan with a little water or broth and cover with foil. Bake for about 10 minutes or until warm throughout.
Since there is oil in the marinade for this recipe, there is no need to use non-stick cooking spray or any additional oil. For recipes where the food that you are grilling does not already have oil on it, or if the food is dry, you will usually need to spray the grill or the food to avoid sticking.
Looking for more Ninja Foodi Grill Recipes? Check out all of our Ninja Foodi recipes here!
What you’ll need to make Ninja Foodi Grill Pork Chops:
Ingredient substitutions and tips for making Ninja Foodi Grill Lemon Garlic Pork Chops:
The full ingredient list is found at the bottom of the post in the recipe card.
Pork Chops- I used boneless pork chops that were about 1 inch thick. You can use bone-in pork chops or boneless and any size that you would like. You can even take a pork roast and slice it into 1-inch slices (chops). Just be sure to check the internal temperature before plating. Cooking times will vary based on the pork chops that you use.
Garlic- Minced- fresh or jarred can be used. Adjust the amount based on your own preference.
Lemon- Fresh lemon juice and zest is preferred. If you don’t have fresh lemons, packaged juice can be used instead. Limes can be substituted for lemons if needed.
Parsley– I highly recommend using fresh parsley for this recipe if you can.
Rosemary- Fresh or dried can be used. If using fresh, be sure to cut the rosemary into small pieces so that it incorporates well with the other ingredients.
Olive Oil– Any type of mild-tasting cooking oil can be used. You will be able to taste the oil so be sure to use one that has a mild flavor to it.
Salt and Pepper- Adjust amounts according to taste.
Feel free to add additional spices if you would like. Examples: garlic powder, onion powder, paprika.
Steps for making Ninja Foodi Lemon Garlic Prok Chops:
Directions for making Ninja Foodi Grill Lemon Garlic Pork Chops
1. In a Ziplock bag or large bowl, combine all ingredients. Thoroughly coat the pork chops with the other ingredients. Pork chops can marinate for a couple of hours in the refrigerator for a couple of hours if you would like but it’s not necessary.
Using the Smart Ninja Foodi Grill
1. Turn the Ninja Foodi Grill “ON.”
2. If you have the Smart Ninja Foodi Grill, choose the “GRILL” option. Push the “PRESET” button and turn the dial until it reads “PORK.” Press “DONENESS” and turn the dial until it reads how well done you would like your pork chop to be. I prefer well-done pork, so I chose “WELL.”
3. Push “START” and close the lid. The Ninja Foodi Grill will start to “PREHEAT.”
4. Once preheated and the grill says “ADD FOOD,” open the lid and add the pork chops with the thermometer in the thickest part of the pork chop. Close the lid.
5. When the Ninja Foodi Grill says “FLIP,” open the lid, flip the pork chops and then close the lid.
6. Continue to cook until the Ninja Foodi Grill says “GET FOOD.” Open the lid, remove the pork chops, and plate. Allow pork chops to rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
Using an Instant Read Thermometer
1. Turn the Ninja Foodi Grill “ON.”
2. If your grill does not have the Smart feature, push the “FUNCTION” option and turn the dial until it is on “GRILL.” Push the”TEMP” button and choose “HIGH.” Push the “TIME” button and choose 15 minutes.
3. Push “START” and close the lid. The Ninja Foodi Grill will start to “PREHEAT.”
4. Once preheated and the grill says “ADD FOOD,” open the lid and add the pork chops with an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the pork chop. Close lid.
5. After about 8 minutes, open the lid, flip the pork chops and then close the lid.
6. Continue to cook until the internal temperature is within 5 degrees of your preferred level of doneness.
Well= 160 Degrees Fahrenheit
Medium-Well= 155-160 Degrees Fahrenheit
Medium= 150-155 Degrees Fahrenheit
Medium-Rare= 145-150 Degrees Fahrenheit
It is not recommended to eat pork that has an internal temperature of less than 145 degrees Fahrenheit but it is ok for the pork to be just a little pink.
Open the lid, remove the pork chops, and plate. Allow pork to rest (it will continue to cook while it rests) for about 5 minutes or until internal temperature reaches your preferred level of doneness.
Serve with rice, veggies, or your favorite side dish.
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Recipe
Ninja Foodi Grill Lemon Garlic Pork Chops
Rate this Recipe Print Recipe Pin RecipeEquipment
- Ziplock Bag or Bowl
- Zester
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a Ziplock bag or large bowl, combine all ingredients. Thoroughly coat the pork chops with the other ingredients. Pork chops can marinate for a couple of hours in the refrigerator for a couple of hours if you would like but it's not necessary.
Using the Smart Ninja Foodi Grill
- Turn the Ninja Foodi Grill "ON."
- If you have the Smart Ninja Foodi Grill, choose the "GRILL" option. Push the "PRESET" button and turn the dial until it reads "PORK." Press "DONENESS" and turn the dial until it reads how well done you would like your pork chop to be. I prefer well done pork, so I chose "WELL."
- Push "START" and close the lid. The Ninja Foodi Grill will start to "PREHEAT."
- Once preheated and the grill says "ADD FOOD," open the lid and add the pork chops with the thermometer in the thickest part of the pork chop. Close the lid.
- When the Ninja Foodi Grill says "FLIP," open the lid, flip the pork chops and then close the lid.
- Continue to cook until the Ninja Foodi Grill says "GET FOOD." Open lid, remove pork chops and plate. Allow pork chops to rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
Using an Instant Read Thermometer
- Turn the Ninja Foodi Grill "ON."
- If your grill does not have the Smart feature, push the "FUNCTION" option and turn the dial until it is on "GRILL." Push the"TEMP" button and choose "HIGH." Push the "TIME" button and choose 15 minutes.
- Push "START" and close the lid. The Ninja Foodi Grill will start to "PREHEAT."
- Once preheated and the grill says "ADD FOOD," open the lid and add the pork chops with an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the pork chop. Close the lid.
- After about 8 minutes, open the lid, flip the pork chops and then close the lid.
- Continue to cook until the internal temperature is within 5 degrees of your preferred level of doneness. Well= 160 Degrees FahrenheitMedium-Well= 155-160 Degrees FahrenheitMedium= 150-155 Degrees FahrenheitMedium-Rare= 145-150 Degrees FahrenheitIt is not recommended to eat pork that has an internal temperature of less than 145 degrees Fahrenheit but it is ok for the pork to be just a little pink.Open lid, remove the pork chops and plate. Allow pork to rest (it will continue to cook while it rests) for about 5 minutes or until internal temperature reaches your preferred level of doneness.
Notes
Medium-Well= 155-160 Degrees Fahrenheit
Medium= 150-155 Degrees Fahrenheit
Medium-Rare= 145-150 Degrees Fahrenheit It is not recommended to eat pork that has an internal temperature of less than 145 degrees Fahrenheit but it is ok for the pork to be just a little pink. Why does meat need to rest? When the meat is cooking, the juices move around inside of the meat. Allowing the meat to rest allows all of the super flavorful juices to find their home within the meat. If you immediately cut into a piece of cooked meat, all of the juicy deliciousness will leak out of the meat and you’ll be left with a dryer and less flavorful meat. Most meat only needs a few minutes to rest before cutting into it. Usually, about 5 minutes will do the trick. If you have a very large cut of meat, increase the resting time to 10 or 20 minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only.
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