If you’re in the mood for a delicious, hearty meal but don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen, then look no further than air fryer lamb chops! This quick and easy recipe delivers all the flavor of a traditional lamb chop dish, but cooks in mere minutes in your air fryer!
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How to cook lamb chops in an air fryer
Cooking lamb chops in the air fryer is a quick and easy option to get a delicious meal on the table. With just a few simple ingredients, you can have a healthy, flavorful meal that is sure to please everyone.
This recipe uses a simple herb and garlic marinade, which takes the flavor of these chops to the next level.
I love air frying lamb, some of my favorite air fryer lamb recipes are air fryer rack of lamb, air fryer roast lamb, and air fried lamb steaks.
Scroll down for the printable card for this air fryer lamb chop recipe, or read on for detailed instructions.
Table of contents
Ingredients and substitutions
Lamb chops
I have used shoulder chops for this recipe. I find they are flavorful and juicy without too much prep work, and hearty enough to satisfy my growing boys.
You can also use lamb rack chops (aka lamb rib chop or lamb cutlets) or lamb loin chops. Rack chops are usually a lot thinner than a loin chop or shoulder chop, so reduce the cooking time by a couple of minutes if this is what you are using.
Seasoning
This recipe uses a simple garlic and herb marinade to add flavor to the chops.
The longer you marinate them for, the more flavor you are going to get in the lamb. Overnight is good, but actually they only really need about an hour to get a decent flavor into the meat.
The simple ingredients of this marinade include fresh garlic, salt and pepper and fresh rosemary and thyme. I like to use fresh herbs, but you can substitute dried herbs if that is what you have on hand.
If you prefer, you can season your lamb chops with a dry rub. The cooking times will be the same as they are in the recipe card below.
Method
- Marinate the lamb chops. Add herbs, crushed garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper to a zip-lock bag. Add the chops to the bag, seal it, and coat the lamb chops evenly with the ingredients. Leave in the refrigerator to marinate for at least an hour.
- Sear the lamb chops. Preheat the air fryer to 390°F (200°C). Remove chops from marinade and pat to remove any excess marinade. Place in the air fryer basket ensuring they are not touching. Air fry for two minutes.
- Cook the lamb chops. Flip the chops over then lower the temperature to 360°F (180°C) and cook chops for an additional 5-8 minutes.
- Remove chops from the air fryer. When chops are golden brown and have reached 145°F (63°C) or higher in the thickest part remove from the air fryer (use a meat thermometer to check). Cover with foil and allow to rest for 5 minutes.




How long to cook lamb chops in an air fryer
These lamb chops take approximately 10 minutes to cook in the air fryer, though the exact cooking time depends on many factors including exactly how big the chops are, and how powerful your air fryer is.
The important thing with getting the cook times right with lamb is always to ensure that the internal temperature in the center of the thickest part is at least 145°F (63°C).
Use an instant-read thermometer at the end of the cook time to check the temperature in the center of the thickest part, and add a couple of minutes cooking time if it is not quite done.
Serving
I love to serve lamb chops with mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables with mint sauce on the side. Here are some easy options to try:
- Microwave steamed carrots
- Microwave green beans
- Instant Pot mashed potato
- Instant Pot steamed carrots
- Microwave cauliflower
Can you air fry vegetables at the same time as lamb chops?
Yes, you sure can! Vegetables usually take approximately 12 minutes to air fry, so if I want to cook both for the same meal this is the process I follow:
- Air fry the vegetables off for 5 minutes while I am preparing the chops for cooking.
- Remove the vegetables to a bowl and cover while you sear the chops (the first 2 minutes cooking at 390°F/200°C).
- Then remove the chops from the air fryer basket and add the vegetables back in. Place the lamb chops on top and air fry for 7-8 minutes at 360°F/180°C until chops reach the target internal temperature (145°F/63°C).
The chops probably won’t be quite as crisp as they would if you cooked them on their own, but if you ask me this is a small price to pay for a whole dinner cooked in one go!
Air Fryer Lamb Chop Recipe Card

Air Fryer Lamb Chops
How to cook lamb chops in an air fryer.
Ingredients
- 2 lamb chops
- 3 cloves garlic (minced) [Note 1]
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ tablespoon finely chopped rosemary and/or thyme
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Place oil, herbs, garlic, salt and pepper in a zip-lock bag.
- Add the lamb chops to the bag, seal it, and coat the ingredients evenly onto the lamb chops. Place in the fridge and let the lamb chops marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat air fryer to 390°F (200°C).
- Place lamb chops in air fryer and cook for 2 minutes to start the sear.
- Remove basket from the air fryer, flip the lamb chops. Reduce heat to 360°F (180°C), and continue to cook the chops for 5-8 minutes until golden brown.
- Check the internal temperature in the center of the thickest part to ensure that it has reached at least 145°F (63°C).
- Remove from air fryer and cover with foil to rest for at least 5 minutes.
Notes
- You can substitute ¼ teasonn garlic powder per clove
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 232Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 49mgSodium: 572mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 16g
Nutrition information is an estimate and provided for informational purposes only.
You may also like:
- Air fryer lamb recipes
- Air fryer pork chops
- Air fryer roast beef
- Air fryer pork chops and potatoes
- Air fryer turkey breast
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