Marinated Lamb Chops with Rosemary and Garlic

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. 

Recipe FAQs

What to serve with them

• Mushroom Risotto
• Greek Roasted Potatoes
• 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.

More lamb recipes

• Grilled Rack of Lamb with Pistachio Basil Pesto
• Lamb Rib Chops
• Braised Lamb Shoulder
• Lamb Chops with Olive Relish
• 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

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