These lamb chops are grilled to perfection and are easy and quick thanks to a nifty combination of mint and cilantro that you can use either as a marinade or as a simple finishing sauce, depending on how much time you can spare.

These lamb chops take their flavor from a quick, simple, nifty little trick that works wonders at banishing boredom from the weeknight dinner table. Here’s the trick. If you’ve got no time to use the cilantro mint mixture as a marinade, no worries. Just reserve the mixture as a finishing sauce instead. The herb sauce also works admirably on shrimp as well as sea scallops. Originally published July 15, 2010.–Renee Schettler Rossi
Lamb Chops With Cilantro and Mint Sauce
Ingredients
- For the cilantro-mint marinade and sauce
- 2 teaspoons minced ginger
- 1/4 cup packed mint leaves
- 1/4 cup packed cilantro leaves
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup mild vegetable oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- For the lamb chops
- 8 rib lamb chops, up to 3/4-inch (18 mm) thick
- Mint or cilantro leaves for garnish (optional)
Directions
- Make the cilantro honey marinade and sauce
- 1. In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, combine the ginger, mint, cilantro, honey, vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper and process until completely blended and smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning accordingly.
- 2. Place the lamb chops in a resealable plastic bag and pour in 1/4 cup marinade and sauce. Turn the lamb in the bag to coat it evenly. Close the bag and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours, turning it once or twice. Cover and refrigerate the remaining unused marinade and sauce separately.
- Grill the lamb chops
- 3. Prepare a grill or an oiled grill pan over medium-high heat. Transfer the lamb to the grill or the grill pan, discarding the used marinade. Cook the lamb for 5 to 7 minutes per side for medium-rare, depending on the thickness. Transfer the lamb to a cutting board and let rest for a few minutes.
- 4. Place the lamb chops on serving plates, criss-crossing the bone ends for a pretty presentation if you like. Spoon the remaining refrigerated marinade and sauce over the top and, if desired, garnish with mint or cilantro leaves.
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I cannot wait to try this! You can’t go wrong with the lamb and mint combo.
Terry, let us know how it turns out!
I keep a photocopy of this recipe in my kitchen. At all times. It bears a bewitching sweet-tart lilt, an impressive enough look, and a relatively hassle-free practicality given there are no hard-to-find ingredients, fussy techniques, or time-consuming cleanup. As a happy consequence, I never have to compromise taste when I need a simple, go-to recipe. It fancies up not just lamb but shrimp, salt-baked fish, even grilled or takeout rotisserie chicken.
Give me lamb chops any day of the week! It’s my favourite of all meats and this recipe looks like a winner! The marinade appeals to me a lot and I will definitely give it a try but will only add the salt just before I cook the chops. Salt draws out the water of the meat and can sometimes leave it dry when cooked. Has anyone else heard of this?
Thanks…
This recipe is my go-to lamb recipe, Tonia, so I can vouch for it, with or without the marinade! And yes, we’re very familiar with the notion of salt drawing out moisture. However, in a marinade situation, I dare say this is preferable, as it facilitates a sort of osmosis in which the lamb’s excess moisture is drawn out and the marinade solution is drawn in…does that make sense to any of you more science-minded folks?
Just to let you know that this dish made the list of the 25 mouthwatering dishes from different blogs…Cheers!
Denise, why thank you for telling us. Such great company. I’ve added a link to your comment so that all our readers can see the 24 other great recipes. Happy New Year!
Is there any harm in marinating for 12-24 hours? I’m trying to plan ahead! :)
April, nope. I think you’ll be fine.