Roasted Lamb Chops
Delicious Roasted Lamb Chops are easy to make and perfect for a special occasion meal or holiday dinner. The tender and juicy Frenched lamb chops are topped with fresh mint gremolata for a pop of bright flavor. You’ll love how easy this recipe is to make!
Table of contents
If you’re feeling fancy-like and want a special dish for a special occasion, I suggest giving these roasted lamb chops a try. They might look fancy, but they’re actually easy to make, and the final result definitely gives off “wow-factor” vibes.
Lamb has a distinctive flavor some might describe as gamey or earthy. Pair it with fresh mint gremolata and glasses of red wine (Malbec is my fave), and you get a restaurant-quality meal at home. I love not leaving the house, don’t you?
Ingredients
- Frenched lamb chops – you can find Frenched lamb chops are most grocery stores, or you can ask the butcher to French lamb rib chops for you. Frenching them just means some of the fat and meat is removed to create that lollipop look.
- Olive oil
- Butter
- Fresh garlic cloves
- Fresh rosemary
- Mint gremolata for serving – more on this in a minute!
How to Cook Lamb Chops
Season: Take the lamb chops out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before you cook them. Allowing them to warm to room temperature will ensure they cook evenly. Pat them dry and season them with salt and pepper.
Score: Use a knife to score the fat cap, which is on one side of the chops. Cut deep enough to cut through the fat but don’t cut the meat underneath. Scoring the fat this way will make it easier and faster to render the fat.
Render: Heat the olive oil in a heavy oven-safe pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is very hot, place the chops fat-side-down in the pan. Cook them for three minutes.
Roast: Turn the chops over in the pan and add the butter, garlic, and rosemary. Place the pan in a 300°F oven and roast the lamb chops for about 12 to 15 minutes. They are done when the internal temperature is 115°F.
Baste: Take the pan out of the oven and spoon the drippings in the pan over the chops a few times.
Rest: Cover the pan with foil and rest the chops for about 10 minutes. They will continue to cook, and once they are 125°F (or medium rare), they are ready.
Mint Gremolata
While the lamb chops roast, make the gremolata. A traditional Italian gremolata is made with just parsley, but mint and lamb are a classic combination. So, this gremolata has both – it adds a pop of herby freshness and flavor.
- Chopped fresh parsley
- Chopped fresh mint
- Grated garlic
- Lemon zest
- Lemon juice
- Olive oil
Mix the herbs with the other ingredients in a small bowl. Refrigerate it until you’re ready to use it.
Recipe Tips
- If you’re not a fan of rosemary, you can omit it. The chops are delicious with just butter and garlic.
- You can make the gremolata a few hours in advance – just keep it covered in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve it.
- Use a meat thermometer to take out all of the guesswork when you roast the chops.
Side Dish Ideas
Serve these roasted lamb chops with mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes, or with a green salad on the side with crusty bread.
More Fancy Dinner Ideas
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PrintRoasted Lamb Chops
Roasted Lamb Chops are easy to make and perfect for a special occasion meal or holiday dinner. The tender and juicy Frenched lamb chops are topped with fresh mint gremolata for a pop of bright flavor. You’ll love how easy this recipe is to make!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Roast
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
For the Lamb Chops
- 1 rack frenched lamb chops, cut into double chops (two bones)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
- 1 sprig of fresh rosemary
For the Mint Gremolata
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh mint, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, grated (about ½ teaspoon)
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Bring the lamb chops to room temperature for at least 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat the oven to 300°F.
- Pat the lamb chops dry with a paper towel and season them generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (about 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper– but feel free to measure to taste). Score the fat cap (the bright white section on top of the meat) in a crosshatch or diagonal pattern, making sure to only cut the fat– not the meat itself.
- Heat a cast iron or oven-safe heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and heat the pan until very hot– just before it begins to smoke.
- Add the lamb chops, fat side down, and cook for 3 minutes.
- Flip the lamb chops and add the butter, rosemary, and garlic to the pan.
- Place the cast iron in the preheated oven and cook for an additional 12-15 minutes, or until the lamb registers 115°F with an internal instant-read thermometer.
- Remove the lamb from the oven and baste each chop a few times with the drippings in the pan. Cover the pan with aluminum foil. Allow the lamb to rest for 8-10 minutes, or until it reaches 125F internally (for medium-rare).
- Slice the lamb into chops and serve with the mint gremolata.
How to Make the Mint Gremolata
- Add the parsley, mint, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, and olive oil to a small bowl and stir to combine.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
Notes
Frenched lamb chops are available in most grocery stores– if you don’t see them, you can always ask the butcher to french them for you.
You can make the gremolata a few hours ahead of time. Cover and refrigerate it until you’re ready to serve it.
Nutrition
- Calories: 324
- Sugar: 0.3g
- Sodium: 79.1mg
- Fat: 25.2g
- Saturated Fat: 7.3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15.4g
- Trans Fat: 0.2g
- Carbohydrates: 1.9g
- Fiber: 0.4g
- Protein: 24.7g
- Cholesterol: 91.2mg
The nutrition is an estimate only. It was calculated using Nutrifox, an online nutrition calculator.