My Lemon Thyme Lamb Chops recipe is an elegant 30 minute meal that’s as vibrant and delicious as it is quick and easy to put on the table. Treat yourself and your partner to something special tonight!
My Lemon Thyme Lamb Chops is a classic Provencal recipe
For today’s meal I’m escaping to the heart of France, where they’ve made it a point of pride to stop and smell the lavender. Every culture harbors a nugget or two of wisdom about food, and what I take from French country cooking is the courage to go ultra simple.
Lemon, good olive oil, fresh thyme, sea salt. And a hot fire. The flavors are rich and juicy. The meat cooks for a mere 2 minutes per side. Dinner is ready in a flash, and it’s magnificent. I’ve been rereading Patricia Wells’ Cooking in Provence in bed all week, can you tell?
Grilled lamb chops is a super elegant 30 minute meal
Lamb chops haven’t been on my radar much, I don’t know why. My mom made them all the time, but for some reason I’ve developed a cooking style that doesn’t focus on chops and roasts very often. But everything that goes around comes around, and I’m slowly finding myself tempted by these cuts again lately.
You’ll want the small lamb rib chops for this dish, they are only about a 1/2 inch thick.
The meat marinates for just 20 minutes, so after you’ve set the table and poured yourself a glass of Bordeaux it’s ready to hit the grill. If you serve these beautiful chops with couscous and a simple vegetable like I did, you’ll be amazed at how fast it all comes together.
I can already tell that my spring summer obsession is going to be grill marks. For the rest of the year I use a good heavy grill pan on the stove and it works just fine.
How to get great grill marks on your lamb chops
- The key is letting it get nice and smoking hot before the food touches down.
- Don’t shift the meat around, let it sit in one spot.
- Gently lift the meat up to check for browning before you flip.
- Grill marks not only look enticing, they enhance the flavor of whatever you’re cooking.
- I even grilled the lemons.
Sprinkle a little sea salt on after cooking so it doesn’t draw out the precious juices before their time. Lamb is so flavorful, you don’t need much in the way of seasonings. I love the simple fresh thyme and grilled lemon in this recipe.
The ideal temperature for lamb chops
- Aim for medium rare, or 145F on an instant read thermometer.
Some servings suggestions to go with your lemon thyme lamb chops
Depending on the season…
- Cauliflower Rice Tabbouleh
- Fattoush Salad
- Strawberry Salad with Arugula and Salted Caramel Walnuts
- Greek Lemon Potato Salad
- Winter Slaw with Citrus Vinaigrette
- Chopped Greek Salad
Lemon Thyme Lamb Chops
Ingredients
- 4 small lamb chops
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1 lemon, cut in half
- fresh thyme
- 1/8 cup olive oil
- sea salt
Instructions
- Put the lamb chops in a shallow dish and cover with 1/8 cup of oil, the lemon juice, and a couple of tablespoons of thyme leaves. Cover and let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. Turn the chops over a couple of times to allow all surfaces to marinate.
- Preheat a stove top grill pan on high heat for about 5 minutes. Lower the heat slightly and grill the chops for about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Don’t move them once you put them down so you will get nice grill marks. Grill the lemon alongside the chops.
- Serve right away sprinkled with sea salt and more fresh thyme leaves.
Not tried it yet , but this looks so yummy .
Would this BBQ well too .
I just want to comment that your recipes always look great, but also I love the look of your website. It’s very classy.. easy on the eyes.. and just so well done!
Thank you SO much Pamela, you’ve made my day 🙂
Has anyone ever let them marinate longer than 20 minutes? What might happen if it was longer…like two hours?
I think you’d be fine to let it go for an hour or two, Tina. The issue with lemon or other acids is that they break down meat over time, and can eventually make it tougher. I wouldn’t leave it overnight, but a couple of hours should be fine.
I made the lemon thyme lamb chops. They were quick, easy and delicious and full of flavor. My grill is being repaired so I seared them and finished them off in the oven. I will definitely be making these again soon! Thank you for the great recipe. Now that I have found you I can’t wait to make some more of your recipes.
Welcome in Lisa, it’s been too long since I’ve made lamb chops, thanks for the reminder!
Lisa,
How long did you put them in the oven and at what temperature?
Thanks,
Barbara
Hi, the recipe sounds delicious! thanks so much SUE!
I added garlic and they turn out perfect.
So glad to hear it!
Awesome recipe! Very balanced and the ingredients all look fantastic together! Great work and amazing result!
Thanks Elaine!
Hi, the recipe sounds delicious! What side do think would go nice with it?
I like couscous, Guilia, and some sort of green veggie like broccoli, green beans, or zucchini.
I LOVE this! Keeping as a go-to lamb recipe, for sure.
Much as I love a good lamb chop, I don’t think I’ve ever made them at home. That’s going to change with this recipe, because YUM.