Marinated Lamb Chops

At a glance

What stands out: flavorful herb-marinated lamb chops are straightforward to mix and cook in minutes. Enjoy lamb chops for a speedy weeknight meal or a special occasion dinner.

How long it takes: 40 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: grill or grill pan, zip top bag, bowl
Servings: 4

Restaurant-Worthy Lamb at Home

When you put them on the table, everyone assumes you’ve been cooking all afternoon. Meanwhile? You marinated them, heated up a pan, and grilled them for a few minutes per side. That’s it.

The lemon herb marinade is what makes these shine. Fresh oregano, mint, parsley, lots of garlic, and bright lemon wake up that rich lamb flavor in a standby way. It’s simple, bold, and totally worth it.

What makes them special:

• The marinade makes all the difference. Lamb has a pleasant, almost gamy flavor that is enhanced by the marinade. Naturally tender, the lamb is tenderized even more by a brief stint with the lightly acidic marinade.
• Versatile. Marinated lamb chops go well with almost any side dish. Try creamy risotto, crispy roasted fingerling potatoes, oven roasted sweet potatoes, or creamy potato salad. A fresh green salad dressed with from-scratch Green Goddess dressing would be reliable or a panzanella salad. Keep it simple and make a reliable baked potato and straightforward brown sugar glazed carrots.

About Lamb Chops

There are basically two kinds of lamb chops: 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.

What goes in

• Lots of fresh herbs: We usually use a mixture of fresh oregano, mint, and parsley. If you have an herb garden, experiment with different herbs that you like, such as rosemary, thyme, lemon savory, lemon balm, or sage.
• Garlic: The amount of fresh garlic is up to you. The more finely it’s minced, the more garlicky the chops will be.
• Lemon juice and lemon zest: The acidic nature of freshly squeezed lemons balances the rich flavor and tenderizes the lamb chops.
• Olive oil, salt, and pepper

How it comes together

Make the marinade. In a small bowl, whisk together the marinade ingredients.

Marinate the lamb chops. Put the lamb chops in a resealable bag and pour in the marinade. Squish the marinade and chops around inside the bag so that the marinade is massaged into the chops. Marinate the chops at room temperature for at least 20 minutes.

Pro Tip

The lamb chops can be marinated for up to 4 to 6 hours in the refrigerator. Be sure to take them out of the refrigerator 20 minutes before cooking them because the chops will cook more evenly if they aren’t ice cold. We usually take them out while the grill preheats.

Cook the lamb chops. When you remove the chops from the marinade, don’t worry if the herbs and garlic cling to the chops. Leave all that tasty stuff on. Preheat the grill pan, grill, or broiler.

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. A standby way to serve lamb chops is medium rare (145°F).

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.

Ways to change it

• Use different combinations of fresh herbs. Rosemary, thyme, lemon savory, lemon balm, or sage would be great.
• Grill or broil the chops. If the weather’s right, use your outdoor grill. The cooking time will be about the same. You can also broil the chops.
• Roast the chops in the oven. If your chops are thick (one and a quarter inch),it may be better to roast them in the oven. The recipe card has complete instructions.

Keeping leftovers

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.

• Yield: 4
• Prep: 10 minutes
• Cook: 10 minutes
• Total: 40 minutes

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)
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
• 8 (4 ounces each) lamb loin chops or rib chops (trim excess fat)

Method

1. In small bowl, mix olive oil, lemon juice and zest (it's easier to zest the lemon before you juice it!),oregano, mint, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper.
2. Place lamb chops in large resealable bag. Pour marinade over them and close the bag. Massage marinade into chops and marinate at room temperature at least 20 minutes. Refrigerate the chops if you want to marinate them longer and remove them from the refrigerator to warm up slightly before cooking.
3. To Grill (Stovetop): Heat grill pan over medium heat, and grill the lamb chops 2 to 3 minutes per side, for medium rare (145°F). Remove the chops from the pan, and allow the chops to rest one or two minutes before serving.
4. To Grill (Outside): Preheat the grill to high (400-450°F). Grill the lamb chops 3 to 4 minutes each side. Take them off the grill, and let them rest 1 to 2 minutes.
5. To Broil: Preheat broiler to high; broil chops 2 to 3 minutes per side, for medium rare (145°F). Remove from pan; rest one to two minutes before serving.

Notes

For thick chops (1 ¼ inch): 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.

Variations: You can try other fresh herbs such as rosemary, thyme, lemon savory, lemon balm, or sage. The recipe can easily be halved or doubled.