Air Fryer Lamb Chops

Air fryer lamb chops ready in about 10 minutes. These succulent chops are marinated with garlic and rosemary and cooked to suit your preference.

This simple recipe for air fryer lamb chops is perfect for weeknight dinners, but it also makes an elegant meal for guests or an Easter lunch or dinner.

Cooking lamb chops in the air fryer should be the fastest way of cooking lamb. You can marinate the cutlets a bit in advance, but it will take minutes to get dinner ready.

Even marinating is optional, yet if you have one hour extra, you should try our delicious and Easy Lamb Marinade.

Are you looking for more ideas for cooking small cuts of lamb? Check out our Pan-Seared Lamb Lollipops, Slow Cooker Lamb Chops, Fried Lamb Chops in the Cast Iron Skillet, and Baked Lamb Chops.

Or check our Air Fryer Recipes for Beginners.

Why does this recipe work?

• Minimal clean-up: you will only have to clean the air fryer basket. If using a pan, you must clean the whole stovetop, as there will be much splattering.
• Flavor: The lamb marinade imparts flavor, and the chops are succulent and tender with a nice, thin crust.
• Quick: It takes minutes to cook the lamb chops, less than 10.
• You can cook the chops to suit your taste: rare, medium, or well-done.

Recipe ingredients

• Lamb chops: You can use lamb loin chops, lamb shoulder chops (lamb forequarter chops), or chops cut from a rack of lamb.
  • Marinade and cook any cut the same way, but adjust the cooking time slightly if thinner (those cut from a lamb rack are usually slightly thinner).

• Ingredients for the marinade: I recommend using our Easy Lamb Marinade, which is made with olive oil, garlic, fresh rosemary sprigs, juniper berries, red pepper flakes, balsamic vinegar, sea or Kosher salt, and black pepper.
  • However, if you have a favorite marinade, feel free to use it.

• If you don’t have the time to marinate the cuts, rub them with olive oil and sprinkle them with salt, pepper, some red pepper flakes, and dried herbs of your choice (rosemary, thyme, oregano, etc.).

How to cook lamb chops in the air fryer?

• Mix the marinade ingredients in a small bowl.
• Pat the chops dry with a paper towel and place them in a shallow baking dish or container (glass, ceramic, or plastic) (1).
• Pour the marinade on top and turn the meat into it until it is nicely coated (2).
• Optional: Marinate the meat for 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. Bring it to room temperature before cooking: it will take about 30 minutes.

• Preheat the air fryer if necessary (according to its instructions).
• Arrange the marinated lamb in the machine basket in a single layer (3).
• Cook lamb loin or shoulder for 7 to 9 minutes, flipping halfway using tongs (4).
• Lamb rib chops are usually smaller; cook them for 3 minutes, flip, then cook for another 2-3 minutes and check the doneness.
• Rest the meat for about 3 minutes before serving; the internal temperature will rise during the resting time (check the table below).

How long does it take to cook lamb chops in the air fryer?

• Loin or shoulder chops weighing about 150-170 g/ 5.3 – 6 oz will need 7-9 minutes of cooking time, depending on their thickness and how you like them.

• Chops cut from a rack usually weigh 70-80 g/ 2.5-2.8 oz; they will need about 5-6 minutes, according to your taste.

• Don’t overcook the lamb meat; I’ve seen many recipes instructing you to cook these cuts for 10 to 15 minutes, which is a very long time.
• I am not sure if those chops are giant or not, but as far as I am concerned, I have never had a lamb rib chop weighing more than 70-80 g/ 2.5-2.8 oz or a lamb loin or shoulder chop weighing more than 150-170 g/ 5.3 – 6 oz.

• The best way to check the degree of doneness and to avoid overcooking the meat is to use a meat thermometer.

• Medium-rare: 55°C/130°F; after resting 60°C/140°F
• Medium: 65°C/150°F; after resting 71°C/160°F
• Well-done: 71°C/160°F; after resting 77°C/170°F

Expert Tips

• Don’t use a metal container to marinate meat; the metal might react with the marinade ingredients.

• Let the meat come to room temperature after marinating it in the fridge (30 minutes). Leave it on the counter if you only marinate it for about 30 minutes.

• I can fit 4 loin/shoulder chops into my air fryer. If you want to cook more, do that in batches.

Recipe FAQ

What to serve them with?

• Starchy side dishes: Potatoes cooked in any way, rice or pasta dishes. Lamb goes perfectly well with couscous, bulgur, freekeh, or quinoa.
• Try them with Cast Iron Skillet Potatoes, Oven-Roasted Potato Wedges, Creamy Spinach Potato Mash, Vegan Curried Couscous Salad, Ancient Grain Salad (with Spelt), or Roasted Buckwheat Salad.

• Vegetable side dishes: We love to serve lamb with French-Style Green Beans, Romanian Green Beans with Garlic, Green Peas with Butter, Sauteed Swiss Chard, or The Best Creamed Leeks.

• Dip or sauce: Serve them with typical English mint jelly or sauce, with Fresh Mint Chimichurri or this Easy Yogurt Mint Sauce. You can also serve them with lemon wedges.

More air fryer recipes

Air Fryer Lamb Chops

Air fryer lamb chops ready in about 10 minutes. These succulent chops are marinated with garlic and rosemary and cooked to suit your preference.

5 from 1 vote

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Course: Beef, Pork and Lamb, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 390kcal

Author: Adina

Equipment

• ▢
  Air fryer
• ▢
  Tongs

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients 

• ▢ 4 lamb chops Note 1

1 batch of lamb marinade (Notes 2,3)

• ▢ 3 small garlic cloves
• ▢ 2 rosemary sprigs
• ▢ 5-6 juniper berries
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ▢ 3 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• ▢ ½ teaspoon fine sea salt or Kosher
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

• Preheat the air fryer to 200°C/ 400°F according to its instructions.
• Make the marinade in the meantime. Grate the garlic, finely chop the rosemary leaves, crush the juniper berries, and mix them with the remaining ingredients in a small bowl.

  3 small garlic cloves + leaves of 2 sprigs of rosemary + 5-6 juniper berries + ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes + 3 tablespoon olive oil + 2 tablespoon balsamic + ½ teaspoon salt + ¼ teaspoon pepper
• Marinate lamb: Turn the lamb chops into the mixture to coat them all over. Marinade the meat for at least 30-60 minutes or longer. Bring the meat to room temperature before cooking (30 minutes).
• Place the lamb chops in the air fryer basket in a single layer (Note 3).
• Cook for 7-9 minutes, flipping halfway or until done to your liking.

  If using small chops cut from a rack, reduce the cooking time; 5-6 minutes should be enough; check with the meat thermometer.
• Rest for 3 minutes before serving; the internal temperature will rise during the resting time (Note 4).

Notes

1. Lamb chops: Shoulder or loin lamb chops, each weighing about 160 g/ 5.5 oz. If using chops cut from a rack of lamb (70-80 g/ 2.5-2.8 oz), reduce the cooking time as they are smaller.
2. Marinade: Use our lamb marinade or your favorite lamb marinade. You can also rub the meat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, each ½ teaspoon of dried oregano, thyme, and rosemary, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt or Kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, and a pinch of red chili flakes (or cayenne pepper to taste).
3. Internal temperature (check with a meat thermometer):

• Medium-rare: 55°C/130°F; after resting 60°C/140°F
• Medium: 65°C/150°F; after resting 71°C/160°F
• Well-done: 71°C/160°F; after resting 77°C/170°F

Nutrition

Serving: 1lamb chop | Calories: 390kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 129mg | Sodium: 399mg | Potassium: 559mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 40IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 4mg

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