Ok, so I'll be the first to admit, making lamb chops sound super fancy, but they're surprisingly easy to make, especially on the grill. These grilled lamb chops are the ultimate summertime dinner recipe.
Plus, we go even fancier with a bright, homemade chimichurri on top. which is also approachable for literally anyone! Suddenly, you've got a dish that feels (and tastes) wayyyyy more impressive than the effort it took.
Unlike other cuts of meat, lamb chops are pretty forgiving; even if you're not a pro. Trust me, this recipe is very hard to screw up.
I love having lamb chops at weddings, events, or even during the holidays, but there's no reason NOT to make this during the week when they're this easy to make.
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Morgan's Recipe Review
- Cook Time: The most important thing to remember when making grilled lamb chops is the timing for them. If you want medium rare chops, sear 3-4 minutes per side. That's all it takes. It will take just 5 minutes to make the chimichurri.
- Cook Level: As I mentioned earlier, lamb chops sound fancier to cook than they actually are. This is an easy recipe, don't be fooled!
- Taste: Savory, tender pieces of lamb seasoned with just the right amount of salt, pepper, and then topped with an herbaceous, spicy spoonful of chimichurri, I mean helloooo flavor city.
- Best Served: You can absolutely whip up a batch of these lamb chops as an appetizer for any event right before you serve my chicken scampi (with no wine) or my grilled teriyaki chicken thighs for a full grilling moment. I would also suggest making these before serving my leek and asparagus puff pastry tart for a lighter meal.
Tried and True Tips and Reminders
- Use a Meat Thermometer - I cannot recommend this enough, once I started using a meat thermometer, my grilled meats consistently taste exactly as they should and cooked to a perfect temperature. Lamb chops, while pretty forgiving, are traditionally cooked to a medium rare.
- Keep the Seasoning Light - Lamb chops truly don't need a ton of seasoning besides salt, pepper, and maybe some fresh herbs. If you want, you can also rub some olive oil on them, but it's not necessary. Lamb chops should have a meatier taste, and not be overly seasoned to take away from that flavor.
- For the Chimichurri - When making the chimichurri, I suggest blending the dry ingredients (the parsley, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper) in the food processor first, pour into a small bowl, and THEN add the red (or white) wine vinegar and oil and mix to combine. Personally, I feel like this method helps to control the liquid and flavor a little more.
- Let the Sauce Marinade - Make the chimichurri ahead of time and let it sit for at least an hour or two so that the ingredients marinade and meld together.
The Ingredient List
- Lamb Chops - I have made lamb chops a handful of times, but not on the grill. You can easily find lamb chops at most grocery stores or butchers. Be sure to ask them to cut into singular chops, whereas I bought mine and had to manually cut them myself.
- Chimichurri - Chimichurri comes from Argentina and is typically used as a condiment on meats like steaks or chops. Chimichurri is comprised of fresh herbs like parsley, oregano, minced garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, red (or in my case, I used white) wine vinegar with olive oil as the base.
Be sure to check out the recipe card at the end of this post for more information about quantities, measurements, and specific cooking instructions.
Step by Step Process Photos
Step 1: Add the fresh parsley, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, garlic, salt and pepper to a food processor, then blend until very fine.
Step 2: Pour the contents of the food processor into a medium sized bowl. Pour the olive oil and white wine vinegar into the bowl, then stir to combine. Place in the fridge to marinade for at least 1 hour.
Step 3: Meanwhile, pat dry the lamb chops and season with salt and pepper.
Step 4: Prepare the grill on a medium high heat (around 400º) and spray the grates with nonstick spray.
Place the lamb chops directly onto the grill and sear for 3-4 minutes per side for a medium-rare doneness.
Simple Swaps and Substitutions
- Easily use fresh oregano or fresh cilantro instead of parsley.
- If you would prefer to have a little more flavor to the lamb chops, you can sprinkle a little paprika on them before searing.
- Olive oil can be swapped for avocado oil in the chimichurri sauce.
- Sub the lamb chops for lamb loins (without the bone at the end) and cook until medium rare.
- You do NOT need to use a grill for this, you can simply use a cast iron skillet and bake for 8-10 minutes in a 400 degree oven.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can wrap the leftovers in aluminum foil and store in the fridge for up to 3 days, or you can place them in an airtight container. The chimichurri sauce should stay for up to 1-2 weeks in the fridge.
Yes, you can easily make these in the house rather than on the grill. Use a cast iron skillet on a medium high heat, sear the lamb chops on both sides, and you can either bake at 400º for 8-10 minutes, or continue to sear on a medium high heat until desired doneness. Remember, use a meat thermometer!
I would suggest making some garlic and herb mashed potatoes, roasted baby potatoes, or a side of rice with these. You could also make a simple greens salad or a caesar pasta salad for an outdoor BBQ.
Hungry for More?
Check out these other yummy recipes that are great for the grill
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Grilled Lamb Chops with Chimichurri Recipe
Equipment
- Gas Grill or cast iron
- food processor
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs Lamb Chops
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Pepper
For the Chimichurri
- 1 cup Parsley chopped
- 1 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 3 cloves Garlic finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 3 tablespoon White Wine Vinegar
- ⅓ cup Olive Oil
Instructions
For the Chimichurri
- Add the parsley, oregano, red pepper flakes, garlic, salt, and pepper into a food processor. Blend until all the ingredients are very finely chopped and well blended. Pour into a bowl.
- To the bowl, pour in the white wine vinegar and olive oil. Mix with a spoon, then store in the fridge for at least an hour.
For the Lamb Chops
- Pat dry the lamb chops and season with salt and pepper.
- Turn the grill on to medium high heat, spraying with nonstick spray. Add the lamb chops to the grill and cook for 3-4 minutes per side for medium rare, or until the internal temperature reaches 135º-140º.
- Remove the lamb chops from the grill and spoon the chimichurri on top, then serve.
Stacie says
Can’t believe how good these were tonight. I made them for a graduation bbq and they went Fast! We used leftover chimichurri on some steak we grilled too and that was absolutely amazing too. I will definitely make these again and the Greek burgers!