Air Fryer Lamb Chops
, Published Jul 06, 2025
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Juicy, tender Air Fryer Lamb Chops cooked to perfection in under 15 minutes! With a simple marinade, you can transform simple lamb chops into a restaurant-worthy meal. Whether you’re making a quick dinner or serving up something special, this easy air fryer recipe delivers bold flavor with zero fuss.
Change up your protein game with my Air Fryer Lamb Chops! They are super juicy and tender with an irresistibly crisp crust and ready in literally minutes.
So if the grill is out of bounds and you fancy something tasty without standing over a hot skillet, this lamb chop recipe will become your best friend. All you need is a simple Mediterranean marinade and you are guaranteed delicious results!
Types of Lamb Chops
- Loin Chops – T-bone shaped, tender, and generally meatier. Check out my oven-baked lamb chop recipe for how to cook them.
- Rib Chops (my fave) – Cut from the rack of lamb, smaller, with a bit more fat. When these the chops are French trimmed (i.e the meat at the ends of the bone is scraped away) they are sometimes called “lamb lollipops”. Expensive but worth it as an occasional treat,
- Shoulder Chops – Slightly tougher but full of flavor—perfect when marinated.
Restaurant-Worthy Lamb Chop Ingredients
A marinade is a must to bring out the distinctive flavor of the lamb and make the most of the tender juicy meat. Here’s what you will need to make this easy recipe:
- Lamb Chops: Choose rib or loin chops for the best results in the air fryer—they’re quick to cook and stay beautifully tender. Look for chops about 1 inch (2.5cm) thick for juicy results.
For the marinade
- Minced garlic complements the richness of lamb beautifully.
- Lemon zest: brightens the dish and cuts through the richness of the lamb. We will also be using lemon juice in the marinade to tenderize the meat.
- Olive oil: Helps the spices cling to the lamb and helps with the browning in the air fryer. Use a good-quality olive oil for the best flavor.
- Spices and seasoning: Salt and pepper, sweet paprika, ground cumin and Italian seasoning. If you don’t have this seasoning blend, use a teaspoon each of dried oregano and thyme.
- Finally a garnish of fresh thyme, rosemary or mint is a must for a pop of color (presentation is key).
How to make Air Fryer Lamb Chops
- Make the marinade: combine the ingredients in a small bowl. Brush over the lamb chops on both sides – you can now cook them straight away or marinate them for a maximum of 30 minutes before cooking. You don’t want to do this for much longer though – the acid in the lemon juice can break down the meat proteins.
- Preheat air fryer to 400°F / 200°C. Add lamb chops to a rack or directly into the air fryer basket in a single layer, spaced slightly apart.
- Cook for 8-10 minutes, depending on their thickness and how you like them done, flipping halfway through and basting with the marinade.
- Remove the chops from the air fryer, rest for 3-4 minutes, sprinkle with fresh herbs and serve with lemon wedges and your fave side dishes – YUM!
How do to tell the lamb is cooked?
The best and most reliable way to cook your lamb to perfection is to employ your trusty meat thermometer. Check against the chart below and remember that for the juiciest results it is best to aim for medium-rare (130–135°F / (54–57°C) or medium (140–145°F / 60–63°C). Take a look at the temperature chart for reference.
Storing & Reheating
In the extremely unlikely even that you end up with leftovers, cool completely and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You can also freeze them for up to 2 months, but since they cook so incredibly quickly I don’t really see the point.
To reheat in the Air Fryer, preheat to 350°F (175°C), add the chops to the air fryer basket and reheat for 3–5 minutes, flipping over halfway.
Serving Suggestions
Play up the Mediterranean flavors by serving your chops with salad, potatoes or a variety of side dishes. Here are some ideas from the blog archives:
Greek Food
Greek Potato Salad
Side dishes
Crispy Smashed Potato Salad
Lunch & Dinner
Lebanese Tabbouleh salad { vegan }
I hope you’ll give these juicy, flavorful Air Fryer Lamb Chops a try — they’re proof that dinner can be fast and fancy! Don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below — I’d love to hear how yours turned out!
Air Fryer Lamb Chops
Video
Ingredients
- 8 lamb chops , ideally rib chops
Marinade
- 2 tbsp virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 lemon , juice and zest
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp sweet paprika or pul biber
- ½ tsp black pepper , freshly ground
To serve
- sprinkle of fresh thyme , mint or chopped rosemary to garnish
- lemon wedges
Instructions
- Make the marinade: combine the ingredients in a small bowl. Brush over the lamb chops on both sides – you can now cook them straight away or marinate them for a maximum of 30 minutes before cooking.8 lamb chops, 2 tbsp virgin olive oil, 2 cloves garlic, 1 lemon, 2 tsp Italian seasoning, 1 tsp sea salt, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp sweet paprika or pul biber, ½ tsp black pepper
- Preheat air fryer to 400°F / 200°C. Add lamb chops to a rack or directly into the air fryer basket in a single layer, spaced slightly apart. You will need to cook the chops in batches, depending on the size of your air fryer – do not crowd them or they will not crisp up properly.
- Cook for 8-10 minutes, depending on their thickness and how you like them done, flipping halfway through and basting with the marinade. If they need further cooking, add a couple of minutes and check again.
- Remove the chops from the air fryer, rest for 3-4 minutes, sprinkle with fresh herbs and serve with lemon wedges and your fave side dishes – YUM!sprinkle of fresh thyme, lemon wedges
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is always approximate, and will depend on quality of ingredients and serving sizes.
