Air Fryer Lamb Chops are elegant enough for a special occasion yet easy enough for a weeknight dinner. It has a quick marinade that locks in the flavors of fresh garlic, rosemary, and thyme, and cooks in about 10 minutes.
Cooking in the air fryer gives you lamb chops that are tender and juicy!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Perfectly Cooked: Because the air fryer circulates hot air around the meat, it creates a sear-like cook on the outside and keeps the inside nice and juicy.
- Simple Marinade: You want to let your lamb sit on the counter for about 15 minutes to remove the chill from the refrigerator before you cook it and this recipe uses a quick marinade allowing the flavors to soak into the lamb while it sits on the counter.
- Fast Cook Time: It takes just 10-12 minutes to cook the lamb.
- Easy to Make: Mixing a little olive oil with garlic and herbs is the only prep required! Perfect whether it is a special occasion or you just need something simple for weeknight dinners!
Ingredients
- Lamb Chops: You can use loin or rib chops for this recipe. A whole rack of lamb can also be used.
- Herbs: You may be used to lamb paired with fresh mint, but the fresh garlic, rosemary, and thyme in this recipe give it the most delicious flavor! If you do not have any fresh herbs on hand then you can substitute 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning and ¼ teaspoon garlic powder.
- Olive Oil - Olive oil is used for flavor as well as helping to keep the lamb from sticking to the basket. You can substitute your favorite cooking oil. Butter is not recommended as it has a lower smoke point.
Choosing the Best Lamb Chops
If you are wondering which is better, a loin chop or rib chop, the answer is, "it depends." There are a couple of reasons why you may like one chop over the other. I prefer the loin chop and here is why.
Lamb Loin Chops are the square chops that you see pictured in this post. They have less fat than rib chops, making them sweeter and with less of a gamey flavor.
Lamb Rib Chops have a long bone which makes them really pretty for photographs! Rib chops are fattier, which means they are more tender. But they do have more of a gamey flavor.
Lamb Shoulder Chops are similar to loin chops but they are a little bit bigger. This is the least expensive cut of lamb chops, but it also has the toughest meat so I don't recommend it.
So if you like the gamey flavor go for a rib chop! But the great thing about cooking lamb with your air fryer is that your loin chops will still be juicy and tender, even though they have less fat.
Instructions
Step One: Mix Herbs and Olive Oil
Chop your herbs and mince your garlic, then mix in a small bowl with olive oil.
Step Two: Marinate at Room Temperature
Rub your lamb chops with the olive oil and herb marinade. You can do this on a platter, in a Ziploc bag, or in a large bowl.
Allow the lamb to sit at room temperature for 15-30 minutes. This not only lets the flavors of the marinade soak into the lamb but meat that is closer to room temperature cooks more evenly.
Note: The longer you marinate the meat the more flavorful it will be. If you are marinating the lamb chops for longer than 30 minutes then place them in the refrigerator for all but the last 30 minutes.
Step Three: Cook in Air Fryer
Because the lamb is coated with olive oil there is no need to use cooking spray. Place the marinated lamb chops into the air fryer basket allowing a little bit of space between each chop.
Cook them for 5 minutes, then turn them over and cook an additional 5-7 minutes.
Step Four: Rest
Remove the cooked lamb chops from the air fryer basket and transfer them to a plate. Allow them to rest for about 5 minutes before cutting into them. This allows the juices to reabsorb into the meat, giving you the most tender meat!
Cooking Temperatures
Different models of air fryers cook differently, and the thickness of the lamb chops will impact the exact cooking time as well. Use a meat thermometer to make sure that your lamb chops are perfectly cooked! Simply insert the thermometer in the thickest part of the meat.
Many chefs recommend cooking lamb to medium-rare doneness, though I prefer mine closer to medium. Do not cook your meat past a final internal temperature of 145°F (63°C), which is medium-well as the meat will be dry and chewy.
Remove the lamb from the air fryer when the thermometer reads 5 degrees cooler than your desired cook temperature, as it will continue to cook as it rests.
Cooking Temperature Chart
| Rare | 115°F / 46°C |
| Medium-Rare | 125°F / 52°C |
| Medium | 130°F / 54°C |
| Medium-Well | 145°F / 63°C |
Serving Suggestions
- Finish with Garlic & Rosemary Butter to take these delicious air fryer lamb chops next level
- You could also squeeze some fresh lemon juice over the lamb.
- They are delicious with mashed potatoes, and especially these Leek & Gruyere Mashed Potatoes!
- Balance the meal with a green vegetable, like asparagus or maple brussels sprouts with bacon, or even a salad.
- Serve Strawberry Pretzel Salad as a side or dessert.
- No-Bake Cherry Pie is another easy, yet impressive dessert!
Recipe FAQs
Leftover lamb chops should be placed in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 3 days. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen lamb chops in the refrigerator overnight.
Lamb chops can be reheated in your air fryer or oven at 350°F (177°C). Cook them for 10 minutes, or until they are heated to your desired temperature.
The lamb only needs 15 minutes to marinate, but the longer you marinate it the more flavorful it will be. You can put the lamb in the refrigerator and marinate it for up to 5 hours. Allow the lamb to sit at room temperature for 15-30 minutes before cooking in your air fryer.
Yes, you can use this recipe to cook a rack of lamb in the air fryer. At 380°F (190°C) it should cook for 18-25 minutes.
Take a look at this web story for Air Fryer Lamb Chops with Garlic & Rosemary!
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Recipe
Air Fryer Lamb Chops
Recipe by:Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary about 3 sprigs
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme about 2 sprigs
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic 2-3 cloves
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 ½ pounds lamb chops
Instructions
- Mix the olive oil with chopped rosemary, chopped thyme, minced garlic, kosher salt, and black pepper.
- Rub the olive oil and spice mixture all over the lamb chops, coating them on all sides.
- Allow the lamb to marinate in the spices at room temperature for 15 minutes.
- Preheat the air fryer to 380°F (190°C).
- Lay the lamb chops in a single layer in your air fryer basket, leaving some room in between each one. You may have to cook the lamb in batches, depending on the size of your air fryer. Cook for 10-12 minutes, turning halfway through.
- Remove the lamb chops from the air fryer and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- While fresh herbs will give the lamb the best flavor, you can use 1 teaspoon of dried Italian seasoning in place of the fresh rosemary and thyme, if needed.
- ½ teaspoon of garlic powder can be substituted for the minced garlic.
- If using a whole rack of lamb, increase the cook time to 18-25 minutes.
- Rare: 115°F / 46°C
- Medium-Rare: 125°F / 52°C
- Medium: 130°F / 54°C
- Medium-Well" 145°F / 63°C
- Lamb chops can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheat your lamb chops in a 375°F (190°C) oven or 350°F (177°C) air fryer for 10 minutes, or until heated to your desired temperature. For food safety, it is recommended to reheat to at least 145°F (63°C).
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