We hate to admit it, but the air fryer is actually pretty handy. These air fryer lamb chops take 15 minutes start to finish and come out perfect every damn time; tender, juicy, with that garlic-rosemary crust that makes people think you’ve been cooking all day.
Why the air fryer does such a great job? The air fryer’s circulating heat cooks the chops evenly without you hovering over a hot pan, wondering if you just turned $30 worth of meat into shoe leather. No splatter, no smoke alarm drama, no flipping at exactly the right second. Just brush them with a quick garlic-rosemary oil, set your timer, and walk away. Ten minutes later, you’ve got lamb that’s perfectly cooked to a pink 130-145°F (medium-rare to medium) with zero stress.
This is the kind of recipe that makes you look like you know what you’re doing, even if this is your first time cooking lamb, and yes, it’s also a perfect lamb recipe if it’s your first time cooking it. Simple ingredients you already have, a technique so easy you could do it half-asleep (don’t), and results that beat anything you’d pay $40 for at a steakhouse.
🔪 Ingredients for Air Fryer Lamb Chops
- Lamb loin chops: Look for chops about 1 to 1¼ inches thick. Thinner chops overcook fast in the air fryer.
- Olive oil: Helps the herbs stick and promotes browning. You can use your favorite neutral oil, like avocado.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic gives bite; avoid jarred here.
- Fresh rosemary: Lamb’s best friend. Chop fine so it doesn’t burn.
- Kosher salt & Black pepper
Equipment You’ll Need
- Air fryer (at least 2-quart capacity)
- Paper towels
- Small mixing bowl
- Whisk or fork
📝 How to Cook Lamb Chops in the Air Fryer
- Bring to room temp: Pull the chops from the fridge 15 minutes before cooking so they cook evenly.
- Mix the seasoning oil: Whisk the olive oil, garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
- Dry and season the chops: Pat the lamb chops completely dry, then brush both sides with the oil mixture.
- Preheat the air fryer: Heat to 400°F for even browning from the start.
- Air fr the lamb chops: Arrange the chops in a single layer. Cook for 8–10 minutes, flipping halfway.
- Check for doneness:
- Medium-rare: pull at 130–135°F
- Medium: pull at 140–145°F
The lamb should feel springy, not firm.
- Rest before serving: Rest 5 minutes so the juices stay put. Finish with extra rosemary if you want.
🔄 Substitutions & Variations
- No rosemary? Use thyme or oregano.
- Garlic-forward: Add a pinch of garlic powder with the fresh garlic for depth.
- Spice it up: Finish with Aleppo pepper or crushed red pepper flakes.
💡 Meat Nerd Tips
- Dry meat browns; wet meat steams. Be sure to pat the meat dry with paper towels before putting it in the air fryer basket.
- Cook lamb chops by thickness. Loin chops are often cut thicker than rib (lollipop) chops, so adjust cook time accordingly. If your chops are on the meatier side, thicker than 1 to 1½ inches thick, add 1–2 minutes total cook time.
- Lamb is best with a pink center and cooked to 130–135°F. If it’s gray edge-to-edge, it’s overdone.
- Don’t crowd the basket; airflow is key for even cooking. Work in batches if you have to.
- Chop herbs finely so they don’t scorch and leave some fresh to spinkle on as garnish.
- Pull the chops early; carryover heat will finish the job by raising the internal temp about another 3 to 5 degrees.
🍽️ What to Serve with Air Fryer Lamb Chops
- Mashed potatoes or roasted fingerlings
- Simple green beans or broccolini
- A bright salad with lemon vinaigrette to cut the richness
🧊 Storage & Reheating
- Fridge: Store leftovers airtight for up to 4 days.
- Reheat: Air fry at 350°F for 2–3 minutes until just warmed through. Avoid microwaving; lamb overcooks and dries out quickly.
Have you tried this recipe? Do us a favor and rate the recipe card with the ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ and drop a comment to help out the next reader.
Garlic Rosemary Air Fryer Lamb Chops Recipe
Recommended Equipment
- Air fryer, at least 2-quarts in capacity
- Paper towels
- small mixing bowl
- Whisk
Ingredients
- 4 loin lamb chops thawed, about 1 pound total
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary chopped + more for garnish
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Bring lamb chops to room temperature by removing from the fridge about 15 minutes before cooking.
- Add olive oil, garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper to a small mixing bowl and whisk together.
- Pat lamb chops dry, then brush with olive oil mixture.
- Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees F.
- Line air fryer basket with a liner, then arrange seasoned chops in a single layer.
- Cook for 10 minutes, flipping halfway through, or until chops are cook through, 130 (medium-rare)-145 (medium) degrees F.
- Remove from air fryer and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
- Top with additional fresh rosemary and serve.
Notes
- Cook by thickness, not by cut name. Lamb chops vary widely in thickness. Thicker chops need more time regardless of whether they’re loin or rib.
- Pat the lamb completely dry before seasoning. Dry meat will brown; wet meat steams.
- Chop rosemary finely. Large pieces can burn at high air-fryer heat.
- Flip halfway through cooking for even browning and doneness.
- Pull early and rest. Remove lamb at 130–135°F for medium-rare or 140–145°F for medium, then rest 5 minutes to finish cooking. Lamb is best served pink in the center, just like a beef steak. Overcooking past medium causes lamb to get tough.
Nutrition
Bookmark this recipe now!
❓ FAQs: Air Fryer Lamb Chops
Most lamb loin chops take 8–10 minutes at 400°F, depending on thickness.
130–135°F for medium-rare, 140–145°F for medium. Always rest before serving.
Thaw them first. Frozen lamb cooks unevenly and dries out before it browns.
Yes. Flipping halfway gives you better overall browning and doneness.
They were overcooked or reheated too aggressively. Lamb needs high heat and a short cook.
