These Broiled Lamb Chops are a delicious and healthy dinner perfect for holidays, weeknights, and everything in between. Paired with a refreshing mint chimichurri, they’re a satisfying and flavorful meal! Gluten-free, low-carb, and Whole30-option.
Family Traditions & Holiday Favorites
If you’re new around here, you might not know that my husband is from New Zealand. Like most of us, he’s fond of the foods he grew up eating and often requests them, especially around the holidays. The only problem is that his favorite meals look pretty different from mine. While my childhood staples were things like Broccoli Cheese Soup and Peanut Butter Waffles, he ate New Zealand staples like pavlova.
That being said, his dad (my father-in-law) is a heck of a cook, especially when it comes to marinades and broiled meats and would make broiled lamb chops every Christmas and Easter. So, without fail, whenever the holidays come around, my husband requests I do the same.
Why Pair Mint and Lamb?
When looked at at a chemical level, lamb and mint are the perfect pair! You see, lamb is characterized by the presence of branched-chain fatty acids that are released while it cooks, creating a truly unique flavor. Meanwhile, mint is rich in chemicals known as branched-chain ketones which are chemically related to lamb and deliver similar aromas. Therefore, when following the common culinary guideline of pairing foods with similar flavor profiles, lamb and mint are a match made in heaven!
Read more about the combination here.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Technically, the only things you’ll need for these broiled lamb chops are the lamb chops and basic seasoning! However, I highly recommend pairing them with green beans, carrots, or your veggie of choice, and don’t forget to marinate them in the mint chimichurri sauce! It’s the secret to creating tender lamb with a tantalizing flavor.
Mint Chimichurri Sauce
This mint chimichurri recipe doubles as both a marinade and a sauce. Made with healthy fats, fresh vegetables, herbs, and a touch of honey, it’s the perfect balance of sweet and spicy to add a nice kick to your lamb chops.
- Parsley – Fresh parsley is a must for chimichurri! Choose leaves without brown spots or blemishes.
- Mint – You absolutely need fresh mint to make this recipe. Mint is used to add a refreshing lightness to this dish.
- Garlic – For the best flavor, use whole garlic cloves, and mince them yourself.
- Lime Juice – Lime juice is used to enhance the flavor of the rest of the ingredients and adds extra zip to the sauce.
- Raw honey – Omit for a Whole30 option.
- Serrano pepper – Serrano peppers are similar in taste to jalapenos but with more spice.
- Olive oil – Combines the ingredients, creating a rich flavor and smooth sauce.
- Salt & Pepper to Taste – Use as little or as much as you like.
What Temperature to Cook Lamb
A common complaint I hear when it comes to lamb is that it’s hard to cook. The truth is, lamb is a very lean protein, making it easy to overcook, especially when it comes to thin cuts such as lamb chops. Luckily, this temperature chart makes it easy to create the perfect lamb every time!
For medium-rare lamb chops, the internal temperature should reach 140-145°F. However, you don’t want to wait for your lamb chops in the oven to reach that temperature! Doing so will leave you with dry meat. Instead, pull it out of the oven when the internal temperature reaches 135°F. Then, it will continue to cook as it rests, and the juices will redistribute, resulting in incredibly tender chops!
How to Make Broiled Lamb Chops
Below is an overview of how to make this recipe. Please be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for the complete details and nutrition information.
- Prep the Lamb – For thinner cuts, such as lamb chops, it is best to trim most of the border fat allowing ¼-inch of the fat to remain.
- Make the mint chimichurri sauce. Place all of the ingredients except for the olive oil, salt, and pepper into a food processor.
Flavor Tip: If you want an extra spicy sauce, save a few of the seeds from the serrano peppers, and add them to the food processor with the other ingredients.
- Pulse until all of the ingredients are well-combined. Then, slowly add in the oil, salt, and pepper while running the food processor on low. You’ll know it’s done when the sauce is thick and mostly smooth with small pieces of herbs still visible.
- Marinate the lamb chops in ½ cup of the chimichurri sauce for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours, and reserve remaining for brushing (half way through cooking) or serving.
- Place an oven rack 6 inches under the broiler. Arrange the lamb on a baking sheet or broiling pan, and cook it under the broiler for 4-6 minutes. Then, remove the lamb from the oven, flip it over, brush chops with any additional marinade, and place the pan back in the oven for an additional 4-6 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches desired doneness.
Note: Broiling times will vary based on thickness of chops. If using loin chops instead of rib chops, broil 1-2 minutes more minutes per side. Or until desired doneness.
To Broil Lamb Chops in the Air Fryer
I love to make lamb chops in the air fryer for a super quick dinner that requires very little cleanup. For the best air fryer lamb chops, take a look here!
What to Serve with Broiled Lamb Chops
Broiled lamb chops are such a great dish to serve with a wide variety of veggies! A few of my favorite sides include:
You can even pair it with an additional side sauce such as an herbed yogurt sauce or raita.
Broiled Lamb Chops with Mint Chimichurri Sauce
- Total Time: 1 hour 12 minutes
- Yield: 4–5 chops 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Quick and easy, these lamb chops are made in the broiler in minutes and made with a mint chimichurri sauce for added tenderness and flavor!
Ingredients
For the Mint Chimichurri Marinade:
- 1 ½ cups (1 bunch) flat-leaf parsley, torn
- 1 cup mint leaves with the stem
- 2 teaspoons serrano or jalapeno pepper (½ a pepper with or without the seeds)
- 2 garlic cloves
- ½ lime, juiced
- 1 Tablespoon honey or agave nectar
- ½ cup olive oil
- Kosher salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- 4–5 bone-in lamb chops (1 ½ to 2 inches thick) *See notes
- Fresh mint for garnish (if desired).
Instructions
- Make the mint chimichurri sauce by placing the parsley, mint, pepper, garlic, lime, and honey into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until well combined.
- While the food processor is running, slowly add the olive oil in a steady stream. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Coat the lamb chops in ½ cup + of the mint chimichurri sauce marinade for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours. Reserve remaining for brushing (halfway through cooking) or for serving.
- Place an oven rack 6-inches under the broiler. Preheat broiler for 5 minutes.
- Place the lamb on a baking sheet or broiling pan. Cook under the broiler for 4-6 minutes per side or until the lamb has reached your desired doneness. Brush with extra sauce (if desired) halfway through cooking, if desired.Total broil time will vary based on the thickness of the chops and cut of meat. See notes.**
- Remove chops from oven and let them rest 5 minutes before serving.
- Serve with remaining mint chimichurri sauce and fresh mint, if desired.
Notes
- For thinner chops, it is best to trim most of the fat around the border, still allowing ¼-inch of the fat (or so) to remain.
- Broiling times will vary based on thickness of chops. If using loin chops instead of rib chops, broil 1-2 minutes more minutes on each side. Or until desired doneness.
- Degree of doneness – Between 120°F to 125°F for rare chops, 135°F to 145°F for medium-rare chops, or 160°F to 170°F for chops that are well done. Chops should be pulled from the heat once 5-10 °F below the desired internal temperature. This is because the chops will continue to cook while resting.
- Prep Time: `1 hour
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Main
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chop
- Calories: 191
- Sugar: 3.8
- Sodium: 195.9
- Fat: 12.3
- Saturated Fat: 5.4
- Carbohydrates: 7
- Fiber: 1.8
- Protein: 14.5
- Cholesterol: 43.5
What a great recipe!
So glad you liked it!!
This is the perfect spring dish. We savored every bite!
This was a huge hit at my house!! It was so good and really amazing!
so glad! Thank you for reporting back.
Omg this is incredible!! This sauce is everything!
Tried the marinade for Christmas on my rack of lamb. It was tasty!
Wonderful!! Thanks for feedback Cindy!
This quick lamb recipe is Paleo, gluten-free, low carb, and Whole30-option.
Lamb and chimichurri are a match made in heaven! Perfect for Easter!
I still haven’t reintroduced lamb back into my diet, so THANK YOU for posting this enticing-yet-doable recipe. The accompanying marinade sounds wonderful as well; and the lamb vs. sheep information is fascinating!
I love that you appreciate my nerdy facts. Thank you Liz! and let me know if you try this as an intro back into your diet. <3
really nice tweak to the standard mint jelly, which is kinda unappetizing to me. Chimichurri and fresh mint, much better, thank you
I agree! My husband is from New Zealand and does not like the mint jelly but love the chutney! So this is a great alternative. Let me know if you try it!