These Air Fryer Lamb Loin Chops may as well be an advert for air frying. The fat renders to crispy perfection while the meat stays plump and juicy. And the flavour is simply devine with a little char and beautifully even browning. You won’t go back to cooking lamb chops any other way!
This post may contain affiliate links. Please refer to my Disclosures Page for more details.
I was actually blown away by how well lamb chops air fried. I should have known really because they actually require quite similar cooking to belly pork strips. Getting the fat to render whilst not overcooking the meat is the main aim with lamb chops and the air fryer really does achieve this very well.
Lamb chops are something of a luxury item for me. Lamb isn’t terribly cheap in general and lamb chops are really the premium product. So the portions tend to be a little on the smaller side and I like to really take care with their cooking and savour the eating.
But the result is so worth the occasional expense and I do find myself being drawn to them more and more now that it is so easy to cook them well and consistently in the air fryer.
How to Serve
I could honestly just eat and entire stack of plain seasoned lamb chops stacked a mile high on a plate with nothing more than a little salt. But I must exercise some self control and so I do mostly make sure that I also serve a balance of sides too.
Lamb chops are definitely best served hot, or at the very least warm. Once they are cold, the fats become hard and white and not especially pleasant to eat. Although if that’s your preference then you can of course go for it.
I love to serve lamb in a middle eastern style. Making up a platter with lots of salads, fresh smooth hummus, a tahini yogurt sauce, griddled peppers and courgettes and piles of delicious Turkish style rice.
Ingredients
Lamb Loin Chops
Lamb loin chops are what I would consider to be the most commonly known and standard off all the lamb cuts. Some will simply refer to them as lamb chops and others as loin chops, hence why I use both terms.
The chops are almost always sold with the bone in – I can’t think of any instance where they’re sold boneless. In theory you could buy a whole rack of lamb and cut the individual chops yourself. What I don’t like about racks is they are often “French trimmed” which means that all the meat is removed from the sticky out bones. This is supposed to make them all fancy but to me it is just a waste of the best bit of meat!
What I do always look for is chops that are nice and thick and which are all nice an evenly cut. If they have been cut wonky, they will cook unevenly. Equally it is best if the chops are a similar size and thickness to each other so they all cook at the same time. Thinner chops will cook more quickly than thick chops.
Oil
I am aware that it always seems a little anti-intuitive to add oil to a fairly fatty cut of meat. But adding a very light layer of oil is essential to keeping the outside of the lamb from drying out. It also encourages the fat to start rendering and gives the seasoning something to stick to.
I most often stick with a neutral flavoured oil like vegetable oil. But you can use other oils with a more distinct flavour where that flavour will complement the seasonings you’re using and what you’re serving the lamb with.
Seasoning
The simple seasoning mix that I use for my basic recipe is just garlic salt and paprika. This actually gives a real hit of flavour whilst allowing the lamb to still shine.
Lamb is very good at holding up to strong seasonings so you really can go to town. A za’atar seasoning mix is one of my favourites with lamb. As is just a mix of garlic, salt, paprika, cumin and ground coriander.
When serving lamb in a more classical European style, I might use garlic, rosemary, lemon zest along with olive oil as my added fat. You can go to town with herbs and citrus zest as much as you can with spices.
Allergen Information
This recipe is free from egg, dairy, gluten and nuts.
Please note that this recipe may contain other allergens not referred to above and any variations suggested have not been tested unless otherwise stated. For more information regarding any dietary information provided on this website, please refer to my Nutritional Disclaimer.
How Long to Air Fry Lamb Loin Chops
Lamb chops cook extremely quickly. The chops I’ve cooked were 125g/4oz each and they cook in just 10 minutes for a medium doneness.
I don’t generally recommend cooking less than this as the fat just doesn’t have a chance to cook and render enough to be pleasant to eat. Add 2 minutes for medium-well and another 2 minutes for well done chops.
If your chops are smaller/thinner or bigger/thicker you will need to adjust the cooking times accordingly. The chops don’t need to be turned during cooking but you can if you prefer.
How to Air Fry Lamb Chops From Frozen
Lamb chops cook surprisingly well from frozen. You need to add around 2 minutes to the cooking time.
For the best results I suggest running the chops under some water to remove the surface layer of any ice crystals. Dry the chops very thoroughly and then you can proceed to add the oil and seasoning as normal.
Leftovers – Storage & Reheating
Leftover can be stored in the fridge for a few days or frozen until needed. It is best to defrost frozen leftover chops before attempting to reheat.
To reheat air fried lamb chops, you can simply air fry them again for a few minutes until the fat is bubbling and the meat is hot. I do often microwave meat to reheat it but I do like fat on lamb chops to be re-crisped.
Common Air Fryer Questions – A Brief Guide to Air Frying
- What exactly is an air fryer?
- What are the benefits of using an air fryer?
- Are all air fryers the same?
- Is an air fryer always better to use than an oven?
- Do air fryers need to be pre-heated?
- What is the best temperature to air fry at?
- What setting is best to use? Air fry, bake, dehydrate, etc…
- Can food be cooked from frozen in an air fryer?
- Can I reheat food in an air fryer?
- Are air fryer liners a good idea?
The Air Fried Feast Community
Come on over to Facebook and join my community discussing all things air fryer. Get involved in sharing your experiences and trials, help out others and find out what wonderful things everyone is cooking in their air fryers!
What Exactly is an Air Fryer?
Very simply, an air fryer is a small convection (fan) oven. The benefit is that the hot air is circulated all around the food being cooked which speeds up the cooking time and cooks the food more evenly.
What are the Benefits of Using an Air Fryer?
Size, time and energy usage. Air fryers are ideal for cooking smaller quantities. Heating up a space that the food just fits into requires less energy and means that the heat source is much closer to the food. Combining these two things can speed up the cooking time.
Are all air fryers the same?
Nope! The term air fryer is now used very broadly. I consider there to be 4 main types:
Basket Air Fryers
These are what I would consider to be the most common, especially in the UK. A boxy type unit has a pull out drawer/basket. Food isn’t usually visible whilst cooking.
Some larger models have two drawers so different items can be cooked at different temperatures or for different times.
This is the type that you’ll see in the images in this recipe. I mostly use a Cosori Lite 3.8L (CAF-LI401S) with a 3.8 litre capacity. The square(ish) shaped basket is 21cm x 21cm and 24cm on the diagonal. It isn’t an overly expensive or fancy model.
I’ve also recommended to several friends and family the model with a slightly larger basket. This is the Cosori 4.7L (CAF-L501) with a 4.7 litre basket. The unit is no larger than the 3.8 litre model on the outside but does have a larger internal basket capacity. I’ve since bought this version to use for some recipes where my smaller model was just too small. I’ll always note this in the recipe.
Rotary Air Fryers
Round air fryers with a paddle in the centre that rotates to move the food. This is the type I used for years – the most common is a Tefal Actifry.
Rotary types are not usually good for recipes where the food is breaded, glazed, likely to break up or in a tray/container. They do however make the best chips and roasted veg.
My 2 in 1 version like the one I’ve linked also has a rotating tray for things that could be broken up by a paddle, but the height clearance with the lid isn’t deep enough to use it to cook some items like sausage rolls. I’ve now actually retired by Actifry in favour of having my two basket type fryers.
Mini Oven Air Fryers
These usually have a glass door, shelves and overall are really quite large. You can cook quite a decent quantity of food in them so are best if regularly cooking for multiple people. They often come with extra features like a rotisserie spit or kebab skewers.
Multicookers with Air Fryer Functions
Some like Ninja 11 in 1 and some of the earlier versions with a few less functions, have an air fryer option. They mostly operate the same as a basket fryer but the basket drops in the top rather than sliding in like a drawer.
Some electric pressure cookers like Instant Pots can also air fry when used with a specific lid.
Is an air fryer always better to use than an oven?
As much as I do love air frying, the honest answer to this is no. And the more detailed answer is that it will always depend on what you’re cooking, how much of it you’re cooking and what type and size of air fryer you have.
Once you need to cook in more than 2 batches, it often makes more sense to use an oven. If you already have the oven on to cook other items, it may make more sense to throw one more item in rather than using an additional appliance.
I don’t think either method is often necessarily better than the other. The important point to note is that there is absolutely no difference in the finished product.
Do Air Fryers Need to Be Pre-Heated?
The answer to this is rather annoying – it depends. It depends entirely on your model and type of air fryer. The best advice I can offer is to check your manual and follow their guidance. My Cosori models have a preheat function. I press a button and it heats at 205c/400f for 4 minutes.
It’s also worth noting that regardless of whether you are supposed to pre-heat or not, if you are cooking in batches, it is quite likely that anything after the first batch will cook a little quicker because of the retained heat. It is best to check on them before the cooking time is completed.
What is the best temperature to Air Fry at?
It will always depend on what you are cooking and from what state. All of my air fryer recipes don’t use temperatures above 200c/390f because many of the most common fryers in the UK don’t go above this. Mine goes to 230c/450f and I use this temperature a lot but it is no help for me to share recipes which many people can’t use.
What setting is best to use? Air fry, bake, dehydrate, etc…
Not all air fryers have different settings like this. When they do it usually relates to the fan speed. The default setting to use will always be “air fry” so unless something else is specifically stated in the recipe, always use the air fry option.
There are other air fryers that have an additional heating element which cooks from underneath rather than just the top. Just as with the other settings, unless you are using a recipe which states to use a second heating element, stick with just using the top down air fry option.
Of course if and when you become more confident with air frying, using recipes and the settings of your air fryer, you can start adapting them to suit.
Can Food Be Cooked From Frozen In An Air Fryer?
Absolutely! To cook from frozen you usually will need to reduce the cooking temperature and increase the time to make sure your food is cooked right through to the middle.
It is best to check my individual recipes for cooking from frozen advice as some items are a little different. And there are occasionally exceptions to the rule.
Can I Reheat Food In An Air Fryer?
Yes. As a general rule I reheat food for roughly 1/3 of the original cooking time at the same temperature. Or at 10 degrees lower for half the time for larger items.
Are Air Fryer Liners a Good Idea?
Unless otherwise stated, I do not use liners when air frying. Basket and rotary type air fryers are designed to be used without liners. Mini oven types will generally require some kind of tray like with a regular large oven although most come with crisper racks to use.
There are many air fryer liners available including quite thick silicone ones. These will affect the cooking times and possibly temperatures of your cooking/baking. I also don’t like how cooking juices are prevented from dripping through the basket rack. This can stop food from crisping all the way around.
When I do want to collect the juices, I mostly use some foil, or occasionally a foil tray which can be washed and reused.
If you do prefer to use them, once you have got a feel for how they affect your cooking and baking, you may need to make adjustments to the recipe accordingly.
More Air Fryer Recipes
All my recipes with instructions for how to cook or bake them in the air fryer can be found in my Air Fryer Recipe Index.
Don’t forget to let me know in the comments if you try making this recipe – I want to know what you think and if you made any substitutions, how did it turn out?
Still Have Questions?
Simple! Just contact me and I will do my best to help as quickly as I am able. Head over to my Contact Me page, any of my social media channels or post a comment at the bottom of this page and I’ll see what I can do.
Pin Air Fryer Lamb Loin Chops For Later
Hit one of the share buttons to save this page to your Pinterest boards so you can come back and find it at anytime!
Keep Up to Date
Make sure you SUBSCRIBE to my newsletter and avoid missing out on any of my newest and bonus content. Don’t worry, I promise not to spam you or bombard you too often. Plus you’ll receive a copy of my FREE 7 Day International Meal Plan!
Also please don’t forget to follow me over on my social media channels over at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. I love to interact with my followers and I’d love you to share my content with your friends too.
The Recipe
Air Fryer Lamb Loin Chops Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 Lamb Loin Chops - around 125g/4oz each
- 1 tbsp Oil - see notes
- 1½ tsp Seasoning - see notes
Instructions
- If your air fryer requires pre-heating, start this setting now.
- Thoroughly dry 4 Lamb Loin Chops.
- Drizzle over 1 tbsp Oil and 1½ tsp Seasoning and toss to thoroughly coat the lamb.
- Place the chops into the air fryer basket. Leave a little space between each so the air can circulate.
- Cook for 10 minutes at 200c/390f.
- If you want to turn them after 5 minutes, you can do – I don't need to using the rack in my air fryer.
- Check the lamb is cooked to your liking. If you prefer it more cooked, put it back in for 2 minutes at a time.
- Allow to rest for at least 3 to 4 minutes before tucking in. Spoon over juices that have collected in the bottom of the air fryer for extra flavour.
To Cook From Frozen
- Cook for 12 minutes at 200c/390f.
Notes
- Oil – Choose your oil to match your flavouring. For example use garlic, salt and rosemary with olive oil or for a more neutral flavour, sea salt and black pepper with vegetable oil.
- Seasoning – Choose any seasoning mix, spices or dried/fresh herbs. Make sure that salt is included in the mix. You can also add a little citrus juice.
- I used vegetable oil with a 2:1 mix of garlic salt and paprika.
- The air fryer version of this recipe is tested in a Cosori Lite (CAF-LI401S) with a 3.8 litre capacity. The square(ish) shaped basket is 21cm x 21cm and 24cm on the diagonal.
- Not all models advise preheating is required. Please follow the recommended instructions for your model. Mine has a specific preheat setting which is 4 minutes at 205c.
- For this recipe, I can easily fit 4 lamb chops in the basket at a time. This gives plenty of room to allow air to circulate. I could squeeze in a couple more if needed but they would likely all need to be turned mid-way through cooking.
- As all air fryer models are a little different, you may find that you can fit more or less in at a time. Some models include stacking shelves which will increase capacity.
- Required cooking times and temperatures can also vary between models and brands. If you know that your air fryer runs a little hotter than most recipes suggest, use a lower temperature. And vice versa. Equally if you find that food cooks more quickly in your machine than instructions usually state, reduce the cooking time (or check it earlier) and vice versa.
Janice says
It had been far too long since I had simple grilled lamb chops but, oh my, this is definitely the way to get that lovely crispiness.
Lesley says
This recipe was easy to follow and the result was perfectly cooked lamb chops with the fat properly rendered. I’ll be cooking chops like this from now on.
Sisley says
This was a dangerous recipe to make for us. I love lamb loin chops and this made it way too easy to make. Thank you!