Looking for delicious grilled lamb recipes for Spring? Mint, tarragon and parsley are the basis for the grilled lamb marinade and a tangy, bright mint chimichurri finishes the grilled lamb loin chops. This is an easy, healthy and satisfying low-carb, paleo meal. Mint Chimichurri Lamb Chops are great for weekend grilling and entertaining.
Lamb is arguably one of the foods most associated with Spring… I mean, yes, there’s asparagus and baby lettuces, not to mention the first crop of strawberries, but to me, lamb is like Spring with an exclamation point at the end. My favorite preparation will always be a whole leg of lamb, but since there’s only two of us, those occasions are few and far between. So the next best thing are lamb chops with a bright, fresh herbal sauce. Mint Chimichurri Lamb Chops are here… Fire up the grill.
I love lamb. In my family we would always fix a leg of lamb at Christmas and Easter, thus it became synonymous with “special occasion” food to feed a crowd. They would roast it with lots of garlic and fresh herbs and serve it with au jus or gravy made from the drippings.
Being empty nesters, a whole leg of lamb would overwhelm Scott and I, so I scale it back to a couple of lamb chops. And actually, I think I like this better because it’s not a whole roast — and everyone gets a bone to nibble on! (By nibble, I mean two hands and a disturbingly aggressive intent to glean every last morsel from the bone.)
The recipe for the marinade is perfect for 2 lamb chops or 12, so use as many as you need… but because the marinade is primarily fresh herbs, it has a short shelf life — a day or so.
Coat the lamb with the marinade and let it rest to absorb the flavors.
I thought grilled vegetables would be a nice accompaniment for the lamb. I used fresh squash, zucchini and sweet peppers, but sliced eggplant, red onions or thick slices of par-cooked sweet potato would be great with these grilled lamb loin chops. The marinade adds a fresh flavor while the tantalizing char and slight smokiness from the grill will take the veg to another level of flavor. In other words, Yum! 😛
The penultimate for this grilled lamb recipe is the mint chimichurri. It’s chunky and vibrant, the ideal condiment for dunking a seared piece of lamb. The mint chimichurri is a chunky blend of mint, tarragon and parsley with finely minced shallots, red pepper flakes, red wine vinegar and olive oil. Don’t forget the salt and pepper. A quick whisk and the the chimichurri is done.
Full Disclosure: Scott is my grill-master, but he gives me the 4-1-1 on temperatures and timing. We have a Weber Genesis gas grill and it’s a workhorse, but if you don’t have one, these chops can be made in a grill pan.
The vegetables will take between 10-12 minutes on a hot grill (425°-450°). Depending on how thick your chops are, figure 10-15 minutes for medium rare.
With the exception of the marinating time, this is a pretty quick meal to make. Quicker if you have a grill-master and can split the tasks like we do. While Scott handles the meat and veg, I assemble the mint chimichurri. We didn’t even have time to finish a glass of wine while we were prepping the meal — that’s fast!
Grilled lamb loin chops and tender grilled vegetables are always a treat, but when they’re paired with that herbaceous grilled lamb marinade and the spiky mint chimichurri, these simple ingredients really shine. Pair with a fruity Shiraz or chilled sparkling rosé for a light, delicious Spring or Summer meal.
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Mint Chimichurri Lamb Chops
INGREDIENTS:
For Marinade:
- ½ cup mint leaves
- ½ cup parsley leaves
- 2 large cloves garlic
- ¼ cup tarragon leaves
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 lemon zested and juiced
- ½ cup olive oil
For Grilling:
- 8 lamb chops about 1 1/2-2" thick
- 1-2 large zucchini sliced in 1/2" thick slices on a bias
- 1-2 large squash sliced in 1/2" thick slices on a bias
- 1-2 large sweet peppers stem, seeds and ribs removed, cut into quarters
For Mint Chimichurri
- ¼ cup mint leaves finely minced
- ¼ cup parsley leaves finely minced
- 2 tablespoons tarragon leaves finely minced
- 1 medium shallot finely minced
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 3 ½ tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
DIRECTIONS:
For The Marinade:
- Combine all ingredients in a mini food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
For The Chops & Vegetables:
- Pat the lamb chops dry with a paper towel. Pour half of the marinade over the lamb and coat all sides evenly. Cover and refrigerate for an hour.
- Coat the vegetables with the remaining marinade and let sit at room temperature for an hour.
For The Mint Chimichurri:
- In a small bowl, combine the chopped mint, parsley, tarragon, shallots, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper, whisk to combine and set aside.
For Grilling:
- Preheat the grill to a medium high heat, about 425-450°. Take the lamb out of the fridge and let it warm up for about 10 minutes in the ambient air while the grill heats.
- Place the lamb on the grill, followed by the vegetables and cook for 5-8 minutes until a nice char has developed on one side and the lamb releases easily. Turn the lamb and vegetables and continue to cook for an additional 5-7 minutes depending on the doneness you desire and the thickness of your chops. 130° for medium rare (that's how I like it.)
- Transfer the lamb and vegetables to a serving platter. Serve, lightly napped with the mint chimichurri.
NUTRITION:
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The recipe looks delicious. But, please, it’s “a whole leg of lamb would overwhelm Scott and me,” not “a whole leg of lamb would overwhelm Scott and I.”
my bad.
Great recipe Lisa! I will make it again tonight for my husband birthday dinner.
My husband & I love lamb chops, this recipe by far is our favorite!! The marinade & sauce is excellent on both the lamb & veggies. I also have substituted the tarragon with fresh oregano. So glad to have this in my recipes, it’s a WINNER!!
Thank you, Tara! I’m glad you and your hubby enjoy it. It’s always a hit here too!
I love lamb chops but I love this recipe for lamb chops most of all. I love the flavor combination here, and I bet these were literally incredible.
I have never made lamb before but I’ve been itching to try it as I love the flavors of lamb and chimicurri. I love your approach with the lamb chops because I am not comfortable cooking a leg of lamb just yet, maybe next Easter, but I think this would be a great introduction to me making this delicious dish at home. Do you think if I make it, Mother Nature will get her act together and bring on the spring weather?! Wishful thinking I know…
Spring has sprung here, Megan — I’m sure it’s coming to your neck of the woods soon!