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Learn how to cook lamb chops in the air fryer and you might not want to make them any other way! This method is easy and reliable, resulting in perfectly cooked tender meat every time. Serve the chops with a simple, flavor-packed garlic and herb sauce to elevate the whole meal.
Whether you enjoy lamb for Easter or Passover, you’re in for a real treat with this recipe.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- If you’ve been intimidated to make lamb at home, this recipe will show you just how easy it really is!
- We make a quick garlicky herb sauce to serve with the lamb, and it transforms this dish into a restaurant-quality meal. With rosemary, garlic, fresh lemon, and a hint of crushed red pepper, think of it as a chimichurri sauce that’s tailor-made to accentuate the flavor of lamb.
Air Fryer Lamb Chops Recipe Ingredients and Substitutions
Ingredients Explained
In this section I explain the ingredients and give substitution ideas where applicable. For the full recipe (including the ingredient amounts), see the recipe card below.
Lamb Chops Ingredients
- Lamb loin chops – For two servings, you will need 4 lamb chops; anywhere from 1 1/4 pounds to 1 1/2 pounds total weight is fine.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – Or you can use avocado oil here.
- Coarse kosher salt and black pepper – These basic seasonings are all we need to make sure our lamb is well-seasoned. We are also making a delicious garlic herb sauce to go with it!
Rosemary Garlic Sauce Ingredients
- Fresh parsley – You can use curly leaf or flat leaf (aka Italian) parsley here.
- Rosemary – The woodsy, piney flavor and aroma of rosemary is a natural pairing with the earthy flavor of lamb.
- Garlic – This is a raw sauce, so we don’t go overboard on the garlic. One clove is all we need here!
- Fresh lemon zest and juice – We use both the zest and juice from a lemon to add bright citrusy flavor to this dish.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – Similar to chimichurri or pesto, we use extra-virgin olive oil as the base of this herby sauce.
- Coarse kosher salt – Salt elevates the flavors in this sauce.
- Crushed red pepper flakes – Crushed red pepper flakes add a touch of spicy heat.
- Black pepper – Black pepper adds a slightly piquant flavor that nicely offsets the flavor of lamb.
How to Cook Lamb Chops in Air Fryer
Air Fry the Lamb Chops
Preheat the air fryer to 400F. Brush both sides of each lamb chop with oil, and season with salt and black pepper.
When the air fryer is preheated, put the lamb chops into the basket, making sure they aren’t touching.
Air fry the lamb chops for 6 minutes on the first side, and then use tongs to flip them over and air fry 4 to 6 minutes longer, or until they reach your desired level of doneness.
Make the Rosemary Garlic Sauce
This fresh herb sauce is optional, but really makes the lamb feel special.
To make the sauce, combine all ingredients in a small bowl.
Serve the lamb along with the sauce to spoon on top.
Tips
- Technically, cooked (and cooled) lamb is okay to store covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. However, if possible, I recommend only cooking as much as you’re going to eat for the best flavor and texture.
- You don’t have to make the rosemary garlic sauce with the lamb chops. If rosemary isn’t your thing, you can go with classic pesto, chimichurri, or store-bought mint jelly or mint sauce. Or just enjoy them as-is without any sauce!
Storage
You can store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Air Fryer Lamb Chop Recipe FAQs
What is the Difference Between Lamb Chops and Lamb Loin Chops?
There are several different cuts of lamb that are considered “chops”, for example, rib chops, shoulder chops, and loin chops.
Lamb rib chops can be likened to the ribeye cut of beef. It looks like a meat lollipop with a long rib bone connected to the meat (and the meaty portion isn’t much bigger than a bite or two). This type of lamb chop is the most tender, as well as the most expensive.
Shoulder chops are larger than lamb rib chops or loin chops, and they’re a bit tougher with stronger “lamb-y” flavor. Of course, their price point is much less.
Last but not least, lamb loin chops! If you’re a meat eater and are familiar with beef cuts, these look like miniature porterhouses or “T-bone” steaks. Loin chops are meatier than rib chops and more tender than shoulder chops. They don’t have a lot of fat, yet the meat has a lot of flavor. And this cut usually falls somewhere in between the price point of rib chops and shoulder chops, so it’s thought of as a decent bargain. We use lamb loin chops in this recipe.
You can read more about lamb chop cuts on Food52 and Tasting Table.
What Temperature Should Lamb Chops be Cooked at in the Air Fryer?
The best temperature to cook lamb chops in the air fryer is 400F (204C). This allows the outside to brown, but keeps the meat tender and juicy.
How Long Does Lamb Take in the Air Fryer?
I find that 1.25-inch thick lamb loin chops cooked at 400F in the air fryer take 11 minutes total cooking time for medium rare and 13 minutes for medium well. I flip the chops once halfway through.
The American Lamb Board says that 1 to 1.25-inch thick lamb chops take about 9 to 12 minutes to reach an internal temperature of 145F, which is considered medium-rare.
What Temperature is Lamb Done?
According to the American Lamb Board, here is the temperature for different levels of doneness:
- Medium rare: Pull it off the heat at 135F for a final internal temperature of 145F.
- Medium: Remove it from the heat at 150F for a final internal temperature of 160F.
- Well: Take it off the heat at 160F for a final internal temperature of 170F.
The reason why they recommend removing the meat from the heat 10 degrees before it reaches your final desired internal temperature is because it continues cooking even after you pull it off the heat.
Note that you will need an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness.
Why Do You Soak Lamb Chops in Milk?
Some recipes call for soaking lamb in milk before cooking it. Let me start by saying that this is not one of those recipes.
However, I’ve heard that the purpose of soaking lamb in milk is to reduce the potentially musty smell and gamey flavor of lamb.
This “pastoral flavor” (that essentially conjures up visions of a pasture) result mainly from the animal’s fat, specifically, branched-chain fatty acids (BCFAs). These BCFAs increase as the animal ages, which is why lamb is eaten more frequently than sheep.
There are a couple methods we use in this recipe to minimize the grassy, gamey flavor and musty aroma that lamb can sometimes have:
- Use a dry-heat cooking method. The less steam, the less aromatic the lamb is as it cooks. This is why grilling, pan-searing, or air frying is a better cooking method for lamb than braising.
- Serve the lamb with a flavorful sauce. Mint jelly is a popular choice, but a fresh rosemary and garlic sauce is even more delicious!
Also, for the best flavor, get your lamb from a quality butcher who you trust, so that you know it’s fresh.
What to Serve with Lamb Chops
One of the great things about lamb is that you can dress it up for an elegant meal, or dress it down for a barbecue. Lamb is traditionally a spring meal, so it goes well with spring produce and fresh, bold flavors.
- Za’atar and Mint Butter Bean Salad – Playing off the mint jelly + lamb pairing, this bean-based salad with fresh mint is a great side dish for lamb.
- Roasted Potato Asparagus Salad – The beauty of this dish is that it marries the heartiness of potatoes with the fresh, bright flavor of asparagus for a great spring side.
- Garlic Roasted Mushrooms – The earthy flavor of mushrooms is a great accent flavor to lamb, and the bold flavor of garlic stands up well.
- Kale, Roasted Zucchini, and Green Pea Salad – With its bright green color and fresh flavors, this bold salad is a good choice with lamb.
- Garlic Parmesan Asparagus – Asparagus is a quintessential spring vegetable that goes really beautifully with a lamb dinner.
- Or go with mashed potatoes, steamed rice, crusty bread, or a green salad.
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Air Fryer Lamb Chops Recipe with Rosemary Garlic Sauce
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Equipment
Ingredients
Lamb Chops:
- 1 1/3 pounds lamb loin chops 4 chops; anywhere from 1 1/4 pounds to 1 1/2 pounds is fine
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Rosemary Garlic Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 large clove garlic crushed
- 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
For the Lamb Chops:
- Preheat the air fryer to 400F. Brush both sides of each lamb chop with oil, and season with salt and black pepper.
- When the air fryer is preheated, put the lamb chops into the basket, making sure they aren’t touching.
- Air fry the lamb chops for 6 minutes on the first side, and then use tongs to flip them over and air fry 4 to 6 minutes longer, or until they reach your desired level of doneness (see Notes).
For the Rosemary Garlic Sauce:
- Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.
To Serve:
- Serve the lamb along with the sauce to spoon on top.
Notes
- How to Tell if Lamb is Done: The American Lamb Board says that 1 to 1.25-inch thick lamb chops take about 9 to 12 minutes to reach an internal temperature of 145F, which is considered medium-rare. I find that 1.25-inch thick lamb loin chops cooked at 400F in the air fryer take 11 minutes total cooking time for medium rare and 13 minutes for medium well.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximate.
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I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
Free Bonus
Was looking for a recipe to use as I didn’t have any mint jelly, and settled on this one to try, although in all honesty, I really didn’t expect it to be that good, even after tasting the sauce in the bowl. I was very surprised. My wife, who doesn’t care for lamb that much anyway thought it was excellent, and she was spot on. Whatever gaminess lamb usually has was completely gone, and the combination of flavors couldn’t have been better. Faith found herself a winner here. I highly recommend you try her recipe!