These Mediterranean Spiced Lamb Chops use ras el hanout spice blend to make a flavorful marinade before they’re grilled to juicy perfection! I serve them up with a chunky cucumber-yogurt chutney and the cooling flavors pair perfectly with the spiced lamb. If you’re looking to mix up your grilling routine, these easy grilled lamb chops are absolutely perfect!
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Ras el Hanout is My Favorite Spice Blend EVER
If you’ve never tried ras el hanout, prepare to have your life changed! This warm, North African spice blend features dozens of flavorful spices like cumin, coriander, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, black pepper, and more. It pairs so perfectly with the lamb and the charred flavor from the grill.
Then, as a cooling condiment, I make a quick and easy cucumber-yogurt chutney. It’s just a handful of fresh ingredients but it makes all the difference and really complements the lamb!
Serve it all up with some warm, grilled pita and you’ve got a really special meal that’s perfect for bbqs, dinner parties, and more. I love an elegant dinner that really takes hardly any effort at all.
Helpful Cooking Tools
Key Recipe Ingredients
You can find the full list of ingredients, quantities & method in the recipe card at the end of the page.
- Rack of lamb. I like to buy a whole rack of lamb and break them down into lamb chops myself, but you can also ask your butcher to do this!
- Ras el hanout. Ras el hanout is a Moroccan spice blend that can be found in any Middle Eastern market or online.
- Olive Oil. Use any good olive oil here.
- Lemon zest. The lemon zest plays perfectly off the ras el hanout!
- Pomegranate Molasses. Pomegranate molasses is a staple in Middle Eastern cuisine and adds the perfect touch of sweetness to the marinade. It helps add a bit of caramelization as the lamb cooks on the grill.
- Cucumber-yogurt chutney. I use a mix of greek yogurt, cucumber, shallot, garlic, and fresh herbs like mint and cilantro to make a fresh and zesty sauce to pair with the spiced lamb chops.
How to Make Grilled Spiced Lamb Chops
- Â Make the marinade. The marinade is so easy to make! All you need to do is mix the spices, garlic, lemon zest, and molasses into the olive oil with salt and pepper.
- Prep the lamb. Pat the racks of lamb dry and trim away any excess fat. Cut them into thick chops (about 1 inch thick or so) and set them aside. You can also ask your butcher to cut the rack of lamb into chops for you!
- Marinate the racks of lamb. Coat the meat really well and use your hands to massage the ras el hanout marinade into the meat. Marinate for at least 2-4 hours before grilling.
- Make the chutney. I find the flavors of the chutney are best if you give it a couple of hours in the fridge before serving! Then, the flavors really have a chance to meld.
- Grill the lamb. After preheating the grill and clearing it of any debris, grill the lamb chops over direct heat for 3-4 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 130-135 F. Make sure to let the lamb rest for at least 10 minutes, then serve it up with the chutney on the side.
Buying & Breaking Down Lamb Chops
There are two types of lamb chops that work well in this recipe: rib chops and loin chops. Either will work, but the rib chops are my favorite and are what I used in this recipe for spiced lamb chops.
Rib chops: These are the equivalent of a ribeye steak on a cow, and are recognizable by the long, thin rib bone extending from the tiny lollipop of meat. They’re a bit more expensive, but they’re so tender and flavorful.
Loin chops: they sit between the ribs and the leg of the animal — it’s the lamb equivalent of a porterhouse steak. There’s more meat on a loin chop than on a rib chop, and the meat, although ever so slightly less tender and flavorful than a rib chop, it’s still delicious and a great option for this recipe.
In an effort to cut down on cost, I typically buy the whole rack of lamb (a rack of rib chops) and trim/cut them myself. I recommend heading to your local butcher because they can also do that for you if you’re less than comfortable with a knife.
Understanding Lamb Cooking Times
Lamb cooking times will depend on the heat of your grill and the cut and thickness of your lamb chops. I provide estimated cook times, but the best way to ensure that your lamb is properly cooked is to use a simple probe thermometer.
An important thing to remember: as your lamb chops rest, the temperature will come up an additional 5-10 degrees–this is known as carryover cooking. Always pull your meat 5-10 degrees shy of your desired temperature.
- Rare lamb: This will have a cool, red center. Aim for a pull temperature of 115°F and as the lamb chops rest, they should come up to 120-125°F.
- Medium-rare lamb: The lamb will still be quite red in the center but still warm throughout. Aim for a pull temperature of 125-130°F and as the steak rests it’ll come up to about 135°F.
- Medium lamb: The inside of the lamb will be warm and pink. Plan to pull the chops at 135°F an with carryover cooking you should end up around 140°F.
- Medium-well lamb: Your lamb will mostly be brown with just a tiny hint of pink. Your target temperature is around 145-150°F, so pull the chops around the 145°F mark.
I find that lamb is best served medium and so I typically pull it between 130-135°F so that it finishes at a temperature of 140°F.
Serving Suggestions
Because this dish is so fresh and summery, I like to serve it with lighter sides like fattoush salad, grilled asparagus, or a simple cucumber-tomato salad. The cucumber-yogurt chutney is like a chunky and fresh tzatziki and pairs so perfectly with the grilled lamb.
In terms of carbs on the side, I love serving grilled lamb chops with simple steamed rice or rice pilaf, grilled vegetable pasta salad, or a simple lemon dill potato salad if I’m going for backyard BBQ vibes. My summer tomato orzo would also pair perfectly with the lamb!
If you do give this recipe a try, I love hearing about it! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram.
More Lamb Recipes to Try
Grilled Lemon-Garlic Lamb Chops
White Wine Braised Lamb
Chermoula Rack of Lamb
Greek Smash Burgers
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Spiced Ras el Hanout Grilled Lamb Chops
Ingredients
Lamb Chops
- 1 large rack of lamb (8 lamb chops)
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon ras el hanout
- 4 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cucumber-Yogurt Chutney
- 1 1/2 cups full-fat greek yogurt
- 1 cup diced persian (baby) or english cucumber
- 1 small shallot, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
- 2 tablespoons minced cilantro leaves
Instructions
- Prep the lamb chops. Pat the racks of lamb dry and trim away any excess fat. Cut them into thick chops (about 1 inch thick or so) and set them aside.
- Marinate the lamb. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, ras el hanout, pomegranate molasses, salt, and pepper. Coat the chops evenly with the marinade and transfer to a ziplock bag or into a baking dish covered with plastic wrap. Let them marinade in the fridge for 2-4 hours.
- Make the chutney. In a mixing bowl, combine the yogurt, shallot, cucumber, garlic, lemon zest, cumin, mint, and cilantro and stir well. Season to taste with salt and pepper and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Prep your grill. Remove the lamb from the fridge 30 minutes before you plan to cook. Preheat an outdoor grill to medium heat. If using charcoal, spread the lit charcoal briquettes in an even layer. The grill should sit at 450-500 F. Clean the grates of any debris.
- Grill the lamb chops. Remove the chops from the marinade and shake off any excess. Grill the lamb chops over direct heat for 3-4 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 130-135 F. Remove the lamb from the grill and transfer to a serving platter. Loosely tent them with foil and let them rest for 10 minutes. Serve the lamb chops with the chutney on the side.
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