Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: Super flavorful, herb and garlic marinated lamb chops are easy, fast, and elegant, making them perfect for guests or for everyday dining.
How long it takes: 40 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: grill or grill pan, zip top bag, bowl
Servings: 4
With fresh herbs like oregano, mint, and parsley, lots of garlic, and bright lemon, the marinade for these lamb chops makes them truly outstanding. Lamb has a pleasant, almost gamy flavor that is really enhanced by the marinade. Naturally tender, the lamb is tenderized even more by a brief stint with the lightly acidic marinade.
Marinate the lamb chops while you prepare the rest of dinner. Get the grill pan or cast iron frying pan heated up really nice and hot and sear the chops, just a couple of minutes on each side. Bam! Dinner is served!
What goes well with marinated lamb chops? Try creamy risotto, crispy roasted fingerling potatoes, roasted sweet potatoes and shallots with maple mustard sauce, or creamy potato salad. A fresh green salad dressed with homemade Green Goddess dressing would be perfect or a panzanella salad. Or keep it really simple and make a perfect baked potato and easy brown sugar glazed carrots.
About this Recipe
First, unless you’re a butcher, you may be a little confused about which lamb chops to buy. If you are a butcher, just bear with me for a minute (and correct me if I’m wrong).
There are basically two kinds: rib chops and loin chops. Either one will work fine. Rib chops are cut from a rack of lamb so you’ll see a long rib bone along the chop. If you ask for them “frenched”, the butcher will trim some meat away from the bone but you’ll pay a little more money for those “lollipop” ribs. The chops pictured here are rib chops.
Loin chops are boneless and include the tenderloin. They are a bit leaner and larger than than rib chops. Use whichever lamb chops are available or the kind you like best. Generally, you’ll need about two chops per person.
The best way to serve lamb chops is medium rare (145°F). A brief sear on each side is all it takes. Your chops can be on the table in about five or six minutes, once the pan is good and hot. Don’t overcrowd the pan. If you can’t fit all the chops in the pan at once, cook them in batches. Put the cooked chops on a platter and cover with foil while you cook the rest of the chops.
What’s in lamb chop marinade?
- Lots of fresh herbs: oregano, mint, and parsley
- Four cloves of garlic, finely minced
- Lemon juice and lemon zest
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
How long should you marinate lamb?
Put the lamb chops in a zip top bag and pour in the marinade. Squish the marinade and chops around inside the bag so that the marinade is really massaged into the chops. You want them to absorb all that great flavor. Marinate the lamb chops for at least 20 minutes (or up to one hour) at room temperature.
When you remove the chops from the marinade, don’t worry if the herbs and garlic cling to the chops. Leave all that yummy stuff on.
How to make this recipe your own
- Use different combinations of fresh herbs. Rosemary, thyme, lemon savory, lemon balm, or sage would be great.
- Grilled chops are great too, so if the weather’s right, use your outdoor grill. The cooking time will be about the same. You can also broil the chops.
- If your chops are thick (one and a quarter inch), try roasting them in the oven. The recipe card will have complete instructions.
- Cooking for two? The recipe is easily halved.
Marinated lamb chops are best eaten right away. If you have leftovers, refrigerate them for up to three days. Reheat gently in the microwave or heat briefly on the stove in a frying pan.
More Lamb Recipes
Don’t say no to lamb! Lamb is a good source of protein and contains lots of vitamins and minerals. It can be part of a good, healthy diet. Try:
- Braised Lamb Shanks
- Lamb Lettuce Wraps with Red Pepper Hummus Sauce
- Roast Leg of Lamb by The Mediterranean Dish
- Mediterranean Lamb Bowl by Fox and Briar
Marinated Lamb Chops with Garlic and Herbs
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh mint
- ¼ cup minced fresh parsley
- 4 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- Eight 4-ounce lamb loin chops, fat trimmed, or rib chops
Instructions
- In small bowl, mix olive oil, lemon juice and zest, herbs, garlic, salt and pepper.
- Place lamb chops in large zip top bag. Pour marinade over and close bag. Massage marinade into chops and marinate at room temperature at least 20 minutes and up to one hour.
- Heat grill pan over medium heat and grill 2-3 minutes per side for medium rare.
- Rest one or two minutes before serving.
- If desired, chops can be broiled. Preheat broiler to high, broil chops 2-3 minutes per side.
Notes
- For thick chops (one and a quarter inch), try roasting them in the oven. Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat a heavy large ovenproof skillet over high heat, add a tablespoon of oil, and the lamb chops. Sear both sides (about 3 minutes each side). Put the skillet in the oven and roast about 10 minutes, or until medium rare Remove from oven, put the chops on a platter, cover with foil, and let it rest for about 5 minutes.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?Share a comment and rating below! I love hearing what you think!
Delicious recipe! I used fresh rosemary as well as mint, along with some fresh thyme. Had thick chops, and as I was pressed for time, I didn’t sear them in a pan first; rather just roasted them in the oven for about 35 minutes at 375. :)
Glad you liked them! Thank you for leaving a review!
Confused
sear in pan 2-3 minutes a side. Rest. Serve
Down. Below to broil sear 2-3 min per side then broil for 10
Won’t that overcook and dry out
The directions in the recipe itself are for thinner chops (¾ to ½ inch). The directions in the notes are for thicker lamb chops, 1 ¼ inch thick or thicker. Hope that helps!
Can I use rosemary instead of mint? Ty.
Yes, I think that would be tasty!