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.
Pan-fried lamb chops are surprisingly easy to make. It's one of those dishes that restaurants serve, 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 feature wonderfully juicy meat with browned, delicious fat.
Ingredients and Variations
Here's a look at the ingredients required for this recipe. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.
- Single-rib lamb chops: I usually buy them at the meat counter at Whole Foods, 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 and/or paprika. And in the video below, I replaced the rosemary with 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.
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:
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!
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!
Lauren B
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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!Recipe Tip
These chops are usually quite thin, and lamb is best cooked medium-rare (unless it's slow-cooked like these slow cooker lamb shoulder chops). 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 take them out of the fridge before cooking. Cooking them chilled helps ensure I don't accidentally overcook them. (I do the same with steaks, including New York Strip and ribeye steak).
However, the CDC recommends cooking whole cuts of lamb (including chops) to an internal temperature of 145°F, which is medium.
Recipe FAQs
Not exactly. What we call a rack of lamb is when the ribs are cooked together. These chops are exactly the same ribs, but cooked individually.
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.
Please don't. These chops contain a lot of fat, both marbled throughout 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 becomes a delicacy.
Serving Suggestions
Since this recipe is ready so quickly, I like to serve it with a side dish 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 an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. To prevent them from drying out, reheat them gently, covered, in the microwave at 50% power. You can also freeze cooled chops in freezer bags for up to three months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Recipe Card
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, including Morton kosher 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 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 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
- These 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 before cooking. Cooking them chilled helps ensure I don't accidentally overcook them.
- Note that the CDC recommends cooking whole cuts of lamb to 145°F and 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 an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. To prevent them from drying out, reheat them gently, covered, in the microwave at 50% power.
- You can also freeze cooled chops in freezer bags for up to three months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Nutrition per Serving
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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.