How Long To Cook Thick Lamb Chops

Inherently flavorful, lamb chops require minimal effort to taste good. Simply season them with salt, pepper, garlic, and rosemary, then quickly fry them in a cast-iron skillet.

The result: wonderfully juicy meat with browned, crisp, delicious fat. Even the leftovers are good!

Lamb isn't as popular in the United States as beef, and that's unfortunate. Lamb meat is very flavorful and as long as you don't overcook it, it's tender and juicy.

Pan-fried lamb chops are surprisingly easy to make. It's one of those dishes that they serve you at restaurants, and it seems all fancy and complicated. But in fact, it's as easy as fast food (though certainly not as cheap). Since they're quite expensive, I don't make them very often. But when I do, everyone raves about them. They are so juicy and delicious!

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Ingredients
Instructions
Expert tip
Frequently asked questions
Recommended side dishes
Storing leftovers
Related recipes
Recipe card

Ingredients

You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this tasty recipe. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:

Single-rib lamb chops: I usually buy them at Whole Foods at the meat counter, although I often spot them at the supermarket too.

Kosher salt and black pepper: If using fine salt, you should reduce the amount you use, or the dish could end up too salty.

Spices: I use garlic powder and dried rosemary. Sometimes I add a sprinkle of cumin as well. Another tasty option instead of the rosemary, and the one I use in the video below, is dried thyme.

Ghee: Perfect for high-heat cooking and very flavorful! You can also use avocado oil, or even olive oil - especially if it's marked as suitable for high-heat cooking.

Instructions

Making this recipe is easy! My preferred method is pan-frying the chops in a cast-iron skillet. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full details. Here's an overview of the steps:

Your first step is to season the chops with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and dried rosemary.

Then you cook them in a cast-iron skillet for 2-3 minutes per side. If they're thick, you should also cook the edges, especially the ones with the fat strip.

Before serving, let them rest for a few minutes. That's it!

A photo collage showing the steps for pan-frying lamb chops.

Expert tip

Lamb chops are usually are quite thin, and lamb is best cooked to medium-rare (unless it's slow-cooked, such as these slow cooker lamb shoulder chops). So your main concern when frying these chops is to avoid overcooking them. Unless very thick, they only need 2-3 minutes per side on high heat.

That's why I don't remove them from the fridge prior to cooking them. Cooking them chilled helps ensure that I don't accidentally overcook them. (I do the same with steaks).

Frequently asked questions

What are lamb chops?

They are taken from the ribs of the lamb. What we call a rack of lamb is when the ribs are cooked together. The chops are exactly the same ribs but cooked individually.

These chops contain lots of fat, both marbled inside the meat and a layer of fat that surrounds the ribs. This fat is tender and flavorful (more so than beef fat, in my opinion), and when browned in a cast-iron skillet or grilled it turns into a delicacy.

What seasonings go best with lamb?

Apart from salt and pepper, I like to season lamb with any of the following: garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and cumin. Paprika and smoked paprika are also good with lamb.

Why are my chops tough?

When it comes to rib chops, which is what we're cooking here, they shouldn't be tough if you avoid overcooking them. As for shoulder chops, those are indeed tough and require low and slow cooking to become tender.

Recommended side dishes

Since this recipe is ready so quickly, I like to serve it with a side dish that I can make ahead and keep in a warm oven until it's time to eat.

I usually go with roasted Brussels sprouts or with roasted cherry tomatoes. A simple salad also goes well with this dish and nicely balances out its richness. Good options include cucumber salad, arugula salad, and tomato salad.

Storing leftovers

Although they taste best when fresh, you can keep cooked chops in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. To prevent them from drying out, reheat them very gently, covered, in the microwave on 50% power.

Pan fried lamb chops in a cast-iron skillet.

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Recipe card

Pan-Fried Lamb Chops

Lamb chops are inherently flavorful and require minimal effort to taste amazing. Simply season them with salt, pepper, garlic, and rosemary, then quickly pan-fry.

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 5 mins

Rest time 5 mins

Total Time 20 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Greek

Servings: 3 servings

Calories: 350 kcal

▢ 6 single-rib lamb chops about ½-inch thick
▢ ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
▢ ¼ teaspoon black pepper
▢ ½ teaspoon garlic powder
▢ ½ teaspoon dried rosemary or thyme
▢ 1 tablespoon ghee for frying

Sprinkle the lamb chops with kosher salt, pepper, garlic powder, and dried rosemary.
Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat, about 3 minutes. Add the ghee and brush to coat.
Add the lamb chops. Depending on their thickness, cook them for 2-3 minutes on each side, aiming for an internal temperature of 135 degrees (medium-rare).
If the chops are thicker than ½-inch (some are ¾-inch thick), cook the edges too for about 1 minute, especially the edge with the strip of fat.
Remove the cooked chops to a platter, loosely cover them with foil, and allow them to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

The CDC recommends cooking whole cuts of lamb to 145°F, then allowing the meat to rest for 3 minutes before eating.

Nutrition info is from fitday.com and assumes the fat, as well as the lean parts, are eaten.

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