Marinated Lamb Chops with Rosemary and Garlic are an easy summer grilling recipe you can cook in minutes. Each chop is saturated with rich and earthy flavors thanks to an herbaceous marinade made with simple ingredients.
There’s nothing wrong with a summer filled with grilling pork chops, burgers, or chicken. But when you’re ready to take things up a notch, try these Marinated Lamb Chops with Rosemary and Garlic instead.
Marinated with a simple and herbaceous mix of lemon, garlic, and rosemary, these lamb loin chops are so rich, hearty, and succulent. They take minutes to grill and you can let them sit in the marinade for up to 24 hours! It’s one of the most flavorful and time-saving meals you can try.
There are two cuts of lamb you can use for this recipe: loin chops or rib chops. I chose to use loin chops because they’re meaty, lean, and not as delicate as rib chops. Feel free to use whichever one you like more!
This is one of the easiest grilled lamb recipes you can prepare and is sure to become a staple at summer barbeques.
The tender grilled meat pairs so nicely with root vegetables, like roasted carrots or sunchokes, but you can keep the traditional barbecue flavors alive with some potato salad and a glass of pinot noir on the side. Or, try one of these easy sides for BBQ.
I usually like to include a freshly prepared sauce on my lamb, such as pistachio basil pesto, but the rosemary and garlic marinade imparts so much flavor that the sauce isn’t necessary!
🥣 Lamb marinade
Lamb loin is tender and lean on its own and doesn’t always need to be marinated. However, a simple mixture of oil, lemon juice and zest, fresh rosemary, and garlic give each bite layers of earthy and vibrant flavors. It also helps to produce an extra tender, juicy, and delicious lamb chop!
I recommend marinating lamb chops for 4 to 5 hours for the best results. 30 minutes will do in a pinch or you can leave the chops in the marinade overnight if you prefer to get a head start on this recipe.
🛒 Marinade ingredients
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Garlic + Rosemary
- Lemon Juice + Zest
- Salt + Pepper
📋 How to make grilled lamb chops
For this recipe, I like to use Lamb Loin Chops. Look for chops that are about one-inch thick. You can also use lamb rib chops, though the cook time will be shorter.
Make your marinade by combining the oil, garlic, rosemary, lemon juice and zest, and salt and pepper in a bowl.
Place the lamb chops in a bowl, baking dish, or ziploc bag and pour the marinade overtop. Cover or seal and let the lamb marinate for at least 30 minutes or overnight in the fridge.
To cook, heat your grill hot (around 500-degrees) and grill each chop for 4 to 6 minutes per side.
Let the chops rest for 5 minutes off the heat, then enjoy!
If you don’t have a grill
If you don’t have a grill – don’t worry! You have options. You can also make these lamb chops in the broiler or on a grill pan on the stove:
- Grill Pan: Cook on medium-high heat for 4-6 minutes per side.
- Broiler: Preheat your broiler to HIGH. Remove lamb from refrigerator 30-minutes before you plan to cook them. Broil for 5-8 minutes per side.
✔️ Lamb chop cooking tips
- Don’t over-marinate the chops. If they’re left marinating for more than 24 hours, the citrus will cause the meat to break down and turn mealy.
- Let the chops come down to room temperature before grilling.
- Use a meat thermometer! It’s much easier than eye-balling the chops. When the internal temperature reaches 135ºF, the lamb chops will be a nice medium rare.
- Leaving the grilled chops to rest for 5 minutes is necessary to seal in the delicious juices and flavor.
Note: The USDA recommends cooking lamb to an internal temperature of 145 degrees.
ℹ️ Recipe FAQ’s
I recommend marinating lamb chops for 4 to 5 hours for the best results. 30 minutes will do in a pinch or you can leave the chops in the marinade overnight if you prefer to get a head start on this recipe. However, because this lamb marinate contains lemon juice, the acidity will actually start to “cook” your lamb if it’s left to marinate too long. For that reason, I don’t recommend marinating for longer than 24 hours.
For this recipe, I’m keeping the seasoning simple – using garlic, rosemary and lemon. However, other fresh herbs like oregano and thyme are also delicious. Dried herbs work well too. Cumin, dried thyme, dried rosemary, and dried oregano are all great flavors that go well with lamb.
Use a meat thermometer! It’s much easier than eye-balling the chops. When the internal temperature reaches 135-degrees, the lamb chops will be a nice medium rare, which makes for the most tender lamb chops.
Also, be sure to let the grilled chops rest for 5 minute, to seal in the delicious juices and flavor.
🍽 What to serve with them
- Mushroom Risotto
- Briam (Greek Roasted Vegetables)
- Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- Grilled Potato Salad
- Sweet Potato Gnocchi
- Roasted Sunchokes
- Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts
- MORE → my must try lamb side dishes
- MORE → 17+ sauces for lamb chops
🍷 Wine pairings
- The smoky, earthy flavors of the grilled lamb will balance nicely when paired with a red blend or Pinot Noir.
- A Shiraz will give the lamb an added punch of flavor if that’s what you prefer.
- MORE —-> my 8 favorite lamb wine pairings.
Did you try these marinated lamb chops?
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🥩 More lamb recipes
- Grilled Rack of Lamb with Pistachio Basil Pesto
- Lamb Rib Chops
- Broiled Lamb Chops with Mint Mustard
- Sheet Pan Lamb Dinner
- Grilled Lamb Chops with Peanut Sauce
- Sous Vide Lamb Chops
- Cumin Lamb Noodles
- More→ 35+ BEST lamb recipes
Marinated Lamb Chops Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 American lamb loin chops (1-inch thick, or lamb rib chops)
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic (grated or minced)
- 2 Tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Combine the olive oil, garlic, rosemary, lemon juice, lemon zest and salt & pepper in a small bowl.
- Pour the mixture over the lamb chops and let marinate at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight.
- Heat grill to 500-degrees and grill chops for 4-6 minutes per side, until the internal temperature reads 135-degrees, for medium-rare.
- Let rest 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- Grill Pan: Cook on medium heat for 4-6 minutes per side.
- Broiler: Preheat your broiler to HIGH. Remove lamb from refrigerator 30-minutes before you plan to cook them. Broil for 5-8 minutes per side.
Equipment
Nutrition
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Love this recipe. The marinade makes the lamb so flavorful! Made this to go with spring pea risotto, it was a hit!
Thanks Leslie! That sounds like an amazing meal!