When you air fry lamb chops you get perfectly cooked, juicy, succulent lamb chops with all the authentic flavor of your favorite restaurant. This quick, flavorful dish is perfect for weekday dinners.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
There is hardly any clean up when you air fry lamb chops. From start to finish, you can have these tender morsels on the table in less than 15 minutes, so be sure to prepare your sides in advance.
You'll be sure to impress your family and friends when they discover these succulent air fryer lamb chops that await them!
Jump to:
Ingredients
Purchase some thick cut lamb loin chops for the ultimate luxury lamb chops! They air fry up tender as butter. These loin chops resemble miniature T-bone steaks, and you will need about two per person.
Each chop will have about 3 ounces of meat on them. These little morsels are my favorite cut of lamb chop!
- Lamb Loin Chops - Look for lamb loin chops about 1 ¼ to 1 ½" thick. They look like mini T-bone steaks.
- Coarse Salt - Kosher flaked, or coarse sea salt.
- Garlic Powder - You can opt for finely minced fresh garlic also.
- Black Pepper - Use coarse, freshly cracked peppercorns for the best flavor.
- Rosemary sprigs - Fresh rosemary, lightly bruised to let the aromatic flavors release.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Cook Lamb Chops in Air Fryer
Follow along with the step-by-step photos below to learn how to make lamb chops in the air fryer perfectly every time!
Marinate or Season the Lamb Chops
- If planning to marinate, use a plastic zipper bag or small dish and add your marinade. Cover and chill for one hour, or overnight.
- Lay your lamb chops on a cutting board. Season with coarse salt, fresh cracked black pepper, and a few leaves of bruised, fresh rosemary. Add a teaspoon of butter in the center of each lamb chop.
PRO TIP:If you like mild flavored lamb, marinate overnight in Wishbone or Thousand Island Italian salad dressing. It takes the gamey notes right out of lamb!
Place Lamb Chops in Air Fryer
- You can place the lamb chops directly on the air fryer basket grill, or inside a small pan, then placed in the air fryer. I opt for the small pan, as it is less clean up.
Pro Tip: Compound Butter is perfect for this recipe! You can make a Rosemary compound butter, then refrigerate until firm. Place a slice of compound butter on each lamb chop.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How Long to Cook Lamb Chops in Air Fryer
- Set the air fryer temperature to 400 F, and the time to 8 minutes. You do not need to turn the chops over.
- Check at 8 minutes with your Instant Read thermometer to see if the chops are the doneness you prefer. Serve immediately while hot with your favorite sides.
How do you know when the lamb is cooked?
PRO TIP: Air fried lamb chops will be done when an Instant Read thermometer registers 120 F for rare, 130 F for medium, and 145 F if don't want to hear any bleating at all (for well done lamb chops, that is!).
Cooking time will vary slightly due to air fryer, thickness of lamb chops, and cut of lamb chops. The Instant Read thermometer is incredibly helpful!
Serving Suggestions
Air fry lamb chops go perfectly with our Roasted Rainbow Carrots! The parsley Gremolata and carrots highlights the savory air fried lamb chops. If you start them a few minutes before air frying the lamb, our Bob Evan's Mashed Potatoes are another natural side.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Related Recipes
Substitutions and Variations
There are a variety of lamb chop cuts, with the lamb loin being the most flavorful and tender. Shoulder chops and leg chops usually cook faster than the thicker lamb loin chops, and can be easily over cooked. All three cuts of lamb chops are perfect for air frying.
Here are a few scrumptious variations to consider when using this air fryer lamb chops recipe as a guide:
- Air Fryer Lamb Chops with Gremolata - Mince up some fresh parsley and tarragon with some olive oil, salt, and a squeeze of lemon. Top your air fried lamb chops with the Gremolata sauce when done, or serve on the side.
- Marinated Air Fryer Lamb Chops - My favorite marinade is some Wishbone Italian salad dressing. Even an hour marinating will relieve the meat of a lot of the gamey flavor. My mom used to prepare her Easter leg of lamb this way every year!
Equipment
Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. Below are some of my favorite pieces of equipment that I use when air frying lamb chops.
- Nuwave Brio Air Fryer - Rotisserie - Grill - This 15 quart countertop Smart Oven has three slide in trays, that all can be used at the same time. You can air fry rotisserie chickens, an SO mush more!
- Nuwave Air Fryer 15 quart - This large family size basket air fryer has room to air fry enough for a large family!
- Gourmia Digital Air Fryer 6 quart - This basket style air fryer will handle four frozen waffles in the air fryer.
- Ninja Foodie Pro Air Fryer - Folds up out of the way on your counter.
- Nuwave Air Fryer 3 quart - This compact basket air fryer is perfect for singles or a small family of 2 or 3. You can air fry two frozen waffles in 4 minutes.
- Oil Sprayer - This is a perfect sprayer for spritzing a light coating of oil on vegetables, meats, and other prepared frozen foods before air frying. The tiny amount of oil ensures you get as amazing results as deep frying and roasting, with a fraction of the calories and splatter!
Storage
Cover and store any left over air fryer lamb chops in the refrigerator. To reheat, cover with some foil and air fry for 5 minutes on 350 F. This will keep the lamb chops from drying out. Or, simply reheat in the microwave for about 30 seconds.
Tips for Success
- If you like mild flavored lamb, marinate overnight in Thousand Island Italian salad dressing. It takes the gamey notes right out of lamb!
- Don't overcook lamb chops, they get tougher and have a stronger game flavor the more you cook them!
- Brush with olive oil if you prefer to not use butter on the chops, this will ensure they get that bit of crusty surface during air frying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! My favorite marinade is some Italian salad dressing. It's quick, easy, and usually on hand. The benefit is the marinade seems to reduce any gamey flavor from the lamb also. Any marinade will work also though.
Lamb chops cook quickly, and they are naturally pretty tender. Using an Instant Read thermometer aim for 120 F for rare, 130 F for medium, and 145 F for well done.
Yes, you can actually air fry a small rack of lamb intact, or cut in two rib increments and air fry just like the directions for the lamb loin chops.
Food Safety
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
Some Other Recipes We Are Sure You Will Love
Connect with Smells Like Delish!
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Lamb Chops
Ingredients
- 8 small lamb loin chops two per person, they are small
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt coarse
- ½ teaspoon black pepper coarse ground
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 rosemary fresh sprigs, slightly bruise the leaves
- 8 teaspoon butter
Optional Marinade
- ½ cup Italian salad dressing Wishbone or any other brand
Instructions
- If planning to marinate, use a plastic zipper bag or small dish and add your marinade. Cover and chill for one hour, or overnight.½ cup Italian salad dressing
- Lay your lamb chops on a cutting board. Season with coarse salt, fresh cracked black pepper, and a few leaves of bruised, fresh rosemary. Add a teaspoon of butter in the center of each lamb chop.8 small lamb loin chops, ¾ teaspoon sea salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, 2 rosemary, 8 teaspoon butter
- You can place the lamb chops directly on the air fryer basket grill, or inside a small pan, then placed in the air fryer. I opt for the small pan, as it is less clean up.
- Set the air fryer temperature to 400 F, and the time to 8 minutes. You do not need to turn the chops over.
- Check at 8 minutes with your Instant Read thermometer to see if the chops are the doneness you prefer. Serve immediately while hot with your favorite sides.PRO TIP: Air fried lamb chops will be done when an Instant Read thermometer registers 120 F for rare, 130 F for medium, and 145 F if don't want to hear any bleating at all (for well done lamb chops, that is!).Cooking time will vary slightly due to air fryer, thickness of lamb chops, and cut of lamb chops. The Instant Read thermometer is incredibly helpful!
Notes
- If you like mild flavored lamb, marinate overnight in Thousand Island Italian salad dressing. It takes the gamey notes right out of lamb!
- Don't overcook lamb chops, they get tougher and have a stronger game flavor the more you cook them!
- Brush with olive oil if you prefer to not use butter on the chops, this will ensure they get that bit of crusty surface during air frying.
Leave a Reply