Inherently flavorful, lamb chops require minimal effort to taste good. Simply season them with salt, pepper, garlic, and rosemary, then quickly fry them in a cast-iron skillet. The result: wonderfully juicy meat with browned, crisp, delicious fat.
Pan-fried lamb chops are surprisingly easy to make. It's one of those dishes that they serve you at restaurants, and it seems all fancy and complicated. But in fact, it's as easy as fast food (though certainly not as cheap). Since they're quite expensive, I don't make them very often. But when I do, everyone raves about them. They are juicy and delicious!
Ingredients
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this recipe. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
- Single-rib lamb chops: I usually buy them at Whole Foods at the meat counter, although I often spot them at the supermarket too.
- To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and dried rosemary. Sometimes, I also add a sprinkle of cumin. Another tasty option instead of the rosemary, and the one I use in the video below, is dried thyme.
- Ghee: Perfect for high-heat cooking and very flavorful! You can also use avocado oil, or even olive oil - especially if it's marked as suitable for high-heat cooking.
Variations
The best way to vary this recipe is to experiment with different spices. In addition to the spices I use, good options include paprika, ground cumin, and dried thyme. You can add ½ teaspoon of any additional spice.
Instructions
My preferred method is pan-frying the chops in a cast-iron skillet. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full details. Here's an overview of the steps:
Your first step is to season the chops with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and dried rosemary.
Cook them in a cast-iron skillet for 2-3 minutes per side. If they're thick, you should also cook the edges, especially the ones with the fat strip.
Before serving, let them rest for a few minutes. That's it!
Expert Tip
These chops are usually quite thin, and lamb is best cooked medium-rare unless it's slow-cooked, such as these slow cooker lamb shoulder chops. (However, the CDC says whole cuts of lamb should be cooked to 145°F).
So, your main concern when frying these chops is to avoid overcooking them. Unless very thick, they only need 2-3 minutes per side on high heat.
That's why I don't remove them from the fridge prior to cooking them. Cooking them chilled helps ensure that I don't accidentally overcook them. (I do the same with steaks, including New York Strip and ribeye steak).
Recipe FAQs
These chops are taken from the lamb's ribs. What we call a rack of lamb is when the ribs are cooked together. The chops are exactly the same ribs but cooked individually.
These chops contain lots of fat, both marbled inside the meat and a layer of fat that surrounds the ribs. This fat is tender and flavorful (more so than beef fat, in my opinion), and when browned in a cast-iron skillet or grilled, it turns into a delicacy.
Apart from salt and pepper, I like to season lamb with any of the following: garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and cumin. Paprika and smoked paprika are also good with lamb.
When it comes to rib chops, which is what we're cooking here, they shouldn't be tough if you avoid overcooking them. As for shoulder chops, those are indeed tough and require low and slow cooking to become tender.
Serving Suggestions
Since this recipe is ready so quickly, I like to serve it with a side dish that I can make ahead and keep in a warm oven until it's time to eat.
I usually go with roasted Brussels sprouts or roasted cherry tomatoes. A simple salad also goes well with this dish and nicely balances out its richness. Good options include cucumber salad, arugula salad, and tomato salad (as shown in the photo below).
Storing Leftovers
Although they taste best when fresh, you can keep the cooked chops in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. To prevent them from drying out, reheat them very gently, covered, in the microwave at 50% power.
More Lamb Recipes
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Pan-Fried Lamb Chops
Video
Ingredients
- 6 single-rib lamb chops - about ½-inch thick
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ¼ teaspoon of any other salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary - or thyme
- 1 tablespoon ghee - for frying
Instructions
- Sprinkle the chops with kosher salt, pepper, garlic powder, and dried rosemary.
- Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat for about 3 minutes. Add the ghee and brush to coat.
- Add the lamb chops. Depending on their thickness, cook them for 2-3 minutes on each side, aiming for an internal temperature of 135℉ (medium-rare; see notes below).
- If the chops are thicker than ½-inch (some are ¾-inch thick), cook the edges too for about 1 minute, especially the edge with the strip of fat.
- Remove the cooked chops to a platter, loosely cover them with foil, and allow them to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Lamb chops are usually quite thin, and lamb is best cooked medium-rare, so your main concern is to avoid overcooking the chops. Unless very thick, they only need 2-3 minutes per side on high heat. That's why I don't remove them from the fridge prior to cooking them. Cooking them chilled helps ensure that I don't accidentally overcook them.
- Note that the CDC recommends cooking whole cuts of lamb to 145°F, then allowing the meat to rest for 3 minutes before eating.
- The nutrition info is from the USDA database.
- Although they taste best when fresh, you can keep the cooked chops in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. To prevent them from drying out, reheat them gently, covered, in the microwave at 50% power.
Nutrition per Serving
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Disclaimers
Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
Phyllis says
What is Ghee?
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Phyllis,
Ghee is clarified butter. Here's a brand I often use. I like its flavor, but you can replace it with another fat suitable for high heat cooking like tallow or avocado oil.
Mildred says
This was excellent!
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Mildred!
Lauren B says
This was my first time cooking lamb chops. They were PERFECT. Thanks for an easy recipe that even a not that great cook can master!
Vered DeLeeuw says
You're very welcome, Lauren! Thanks for the comment.