Pan-seared lamb chops bring restaurant‑quality flavor to a simple weeknight dinner at home. Seared in a hot skillet and finished with garlic rosemary butter, these chops cook quickly while staying juicy and tender.
You’ll find the full recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Be sure to check out the blog post itself for extra tips and tricks!
I cook a lot of meat in my cast-iron skillet, and lamb chops are right up there with the best things you can throw in a hot pan. They are small, they cook fast, and they have so much flavor.
I treat them a lot like I treat a good steak.
For seasoning, I keep it simple. Salt, pepper, and a little cumin. I prefer to sear in a cast-iron skillet, but any heavy skillet that can get nice and hot will work.
If you don't have a skillet handy, my Air Fryer Lamb Chops give you a hands-off way to get delicious chops.
Pan-Seared Lamb Chops at a Glance
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Serves: 4
- Best For: Weeknight dinners, date night
A Quick Look at The Ingredients
Ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions are on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Lamb rib chops: Rib chops are the smaller, leaner cut that comes from the rack of lamb. They have that long bone sticking out, which is why people sometimes call them lamb lollipops. You can also use loin chops if that is what you have, but the cooking time may be a wee bit longer, about 1-2 minutes.
- Kosher salt: I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If you are using table salt or a finer salt, use a little less.
- Black pepper: I use pre-ground black pepper. Fresh ground black pepper works too.
- Ground cumin: This is my little twist. A small amount goes a long way, giving the chops a warm, savory flavor.
- Neutral oil: Canola, avocado, olive oil for cooking, or grapeseed all work. You want a high-smoke-point oil for that hard sear.
- Unsalted butter: For basting at the end.
- Garlic: Two cloves, smashed with the side of a knife. You don't need to mince it. Smashed cloves perfume the butter without burning as fast.
- Fresh rosemary: Fresh rosemary holds up to the heat and infuses the butter.
How to Make Pan-Seared Lamb Chops
Step 1: Pull the lamb chops out of the fridge and pat them very dry with paper towels. I let them sit for about 20 minutes to knock the chill off.
Step 2: Mix the salt, pepper, and cumin in a small bowl. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over both sides and the edges of the chops, pressing it in so it sticks. Let the chops sit at room temperature while you heat the pan.
Step 3: Set a large cast-iron skillet over low heat and let it warm up for about 7 minutes. Then bump the heat to medium-high for another 3 minutes. You want the pan very hot. If you aren't using cast iron, you won't have to heat it for this long. Just bring the heat to medium-high.
Step 4: Add the oil and swirl to coat. Lay the chops in a single layer, making sure they don't touch. Let them sear for 3 to 4 minutes on one side. Then, flip the chops and sear the other side for 2 to 4 minutes. For medium rare, cook to an internal temp of 125 to 130°F; for medium, 135°F. An instant-read thermometer helps determine the inner temperature.
Step 5: Use tongs to stand the chops up on their fatty edge for about 10 to 20 seconds, just long enough to render some of the fat and crisp the sides.
Step 6: Drop the heat to medium-low. Add the butter, smashed garlic, and rosemary sprigs to the pan. As the butter melts and starts to foam, use a kitchen towel or oven mitt to tilt the pan toward you, then ladle the butter over the chops.
Step 7: Transfer the chops to a plate. Spoon a little of the pan juices over the top and let them rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Cast Iron vs Stainless Steel
I like cast iron for this recipe because it holds heat well and gives the deepest sear. Stainless steel works too and heats more quickly. A nonstick skillet will work, but you’ll get less crust.
Serving Suggestions
Lamb chops are rich, so I like to pair them with sides that have some brightness or starch to balance the plate.
- Garlic Mashed Potatoes soak up all that rosemary butter from the pan and are the classic pairing for a reason.
- Air Fryer Asparagus gives you a quick green side that hits the table alongside the chops.
- Honey-Roasted Carrots add a touch of sweetness that pairs well with the cumin and rosemary.
Tanya's Top Tips
- Use a thermometer. Lamb chops are small, and the window between perfect and overcooked is tight. An instant-read thermometer takes the guessing out. Pull at 125 to 130°F for medium rare, 135°F for medium. The temp will rise a few degrees as it rests.
- Don't crowd the pan. If the chops are packed in, the pan loses heat, and you end up with a gray, sad sear. Cook in two batches if needed.
- Let the pan get hot. The 7 minutes on low, followed by 3 minutes on medium-high, is what evenly heats cast iron all the way through and gives better control over the heat. Heating a cast iron to medium-high heat too fast can result in burnt meat.
Related Recipes
I hope you love these pan-seared lamb chops as much as we do. If you're looking for more lamb recipes or other ways to cook meat in a skillet, try these out:
- The Best Air Fryer Lamb Chops: If you want a hands-off method, the air fryer does a great job with lamb chops, too.
- Pan-Seared Steak: Same cast-iron method, bigger cut. Once you nail one, you can nail the other.
- Roasted Boneless Leg of Lamb: For when you're feeding a crowd or going big for the holidays.
- Braised Lamb Recipe: A low and slow option that gives you fall apart tender meat.
- Lamb Meatballs with Herb Yogurt Sauce: Another way to use lamb that comes together quickly on a weeknight.
Pan Seared Lamb Chops
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 to 6 lamb rib chops about 1 ¼ pounds total
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil canola, avocado, olive for cooking, or grapeseed
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 garlic cloves lightly smashed, skins removed
- 3 fresh rosemary sprigs
Instructions
- Remove lamb from the fridge and pat very dry with paper towels.
- In a small bowl, mix the salt, black pepper, and cumin. Sprinkle evenly over both sides and edges of the chops, pressing so the seasoning sticks. Let the chops sit at room temperature while you preheat the skillet.
- Place a large cast iron or heavy stainless steel skillet over low heat and warm it for about 7 minutes. Increase the heat to medium high and heat for 3 minutes more, until the skillet is very hot. A drop of water should sizzle on contact.
- Add the neutral oil to the hot skillet and swirl to coat the bottom in a thin, even layer. Add the chops in a single layer and sear without moving for 3 to 4 minutes, until well browned and a crust forms.
- Flip and sear the other side for 2 to 4 minutes, or until the internal temperature is about 125 to 130°F for medium rare, around 135°F for medium.
- Use tongs to stand the chops up on their fatty edge for 10 to 20 seconds to render and crisp the fat cap. Lean them against each other in the pan to hold them upright.
- Reduce heat to medium low. Add the butter, garlic, and rosemary to the pan. As the butter melts and foams, tilt the pan and spoon the butter over the chops for 30 to 90 seconds, until fragrant.
- Transfer chops to a plate. Spoon a little of the pan juices over the top and let rest 5 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
- For best results, use an instant-read thermometer. Pull the lamb at about 125 to 130°F for medium rare or 135°F for medium. Temperature will rise a few degrees as it rests.
- Store leftover lamb chops in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- This recipe is written for a cast iron or heavy stainless steel skillet. If using stainless steel, preheat over medium heat for 2 to 4 minutes, until the oil is shimmering, before adding the chops. A nonstick skillet will work, but you may not get as deep a sear.
