Juicy, tender, and perfectly seasoned, these masala lamb chops are easy to make and are sure to be a family favorite.
After a simple marinade and 4 hours of resting, these lamb chops are pan-grilled to perfection, with a caramelized exterior. If you love slightly smoked, charred meat but don’t like a gamier taste, try my one-pan tandoori chicken tikka recipe.
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If you’re one of those who always felt cooking lamb to be intimidating, this simple recipe is going to be an absolute game-changer. It is actually the perfect place to start experimenting with lamb recipes.
And while you’re at it, try my Masala lamb bowls too- it’s perfect to make for days when you’re looking to make a more filling and wholesome meal.
A Quick Look at the Recipe
⏲️Ready In: 40 minutes
👪Serves: 6.
🍽 Calories and Protein: 510 kcal + 75g protein.
📋 Main Ingredients: Lamb chops, ginger, garlic, and seasonings.
📖 Dietary Notes: Protein-rich and low in calories.
⭐ Why You’ll Love It: It is perfect to make and serve when you’re entertaining, especially teamed up with my 10-minute pea chutney.
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Ingredient Notes
Lamb chops: I buy an Australian rack of lamb sold at Costco. They're grass-fed and finished, and for those of you who eat HALAL certified, then you’re in luck too! If you buy chops from a Desi halal meat store, they are more likely to be goat chops, which cook similarly to lamb chops but are slightly tougher and less gamey.
Spices: Keeping it simple with just ginger, garlic, red chili powder, and salt.
Variations
- You can experiment with different seasonings and spices to bring a different layer of flavor to the lamb chops. I love the idea of using my homemade easy tandoori masala as well.
- If you don’t want to use a skillet as I did, you can also bake the lamb chops in the oven or air-fry them.
How to Make Masala Lamb Chops
Step 1: Add the lamb chops, ginger, garlic, and seasonings to a bowl.
Step 2: Mix well to ensure they’re nicely coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.
Step 3: Heat a cast-iron pan over high heat until screaming hot, then add a few chops at a time and sear for 3-5 minutes per side, or until cooked through.
You can also air-fry if you prefer. The plate on the left shows pan-fried chops, and the one on the right shows air-fried chops.
Step 4: Serve with your favorite Chutney, dip, or salad.
Pro Tips
- Don’t skip marinating the lamb. This step is actually what tenderizes the meat and makes it more flavorful. Hariyali Chicken Tikka skewers and my oven-baked chicken seekh kababs are a couple of other recipes where I recommend marination.
- If you buy a French rack of lamb, as I do, you will need to separate the chops. To do this, simply use a sharp knife to cut between them. If you get a particularly thick cut, simply use a hammer to pound the meat to even it out and help it absorb the marinade better.
- If you’re cooking these indoors, remember to scrape the bits of leftover meat between frying batches as they tend to burn and smoke up the kitchen. I've had my smoke alarm go off, so speaking from experience here!
- Use a screaming-hot cast-iron pan and sear the meat over high heat first to get a good char, and cook the lamb chops in batches so as not to crowd the pan.
Masala Lamb Chops FAQs
Store leftover lamb chops in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, then reheat as needed.
Using a cast-iron skillet is the easiest way to achieve the signature char we all love on grilled foods. That said, you can also air-fry or bake the chops if you prefer.
If you’re concerned about food safety, you can use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the lamb chops. Ideally, it should be 145°F or higher.
You can marinate the lamb chops and freeze them in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Then thaw them overnight in the refrigerator, and pan-fry them as usual.
Growing up, my mom served masala chops with a side of Tadka Daal and white rice (lentil curry and rice), but nowadays, I make a big batch of the chops with my favorite Kachumbar salad and some tangy Imli Chutney.
More Delicious Mains
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Masala Lamb Chops
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 pounds lamb chops
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons red chilli powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pink salt
Instructions
- Cut the rack of lamb to separate each chop. Mix all ingredients in a bowl and coat the lamb chops with the mixture. Marinate them for about an hours in the refrian erator.
- Take out of the fridge and let them come to room temperature ( about 15 minutes)
To Pan-Fry
- Heat a large pan and fry the chops in batches making sure not to overcrowd the pan. There is no need to use any fat as the lamb has enough to help sear the chops.
- Fry each side on high heat for 3-5 minutes per side (depending on how thick the meat is). Medium well is done at 145ºF/ 63ºC.
To Air fry:
- With the air fryer set to 400ºF/200ºC, Add the chops in a single layer to the air fryer basket. You will need to cook in severa batches so as not to over crowd the basket. Air-fry for 7-10 minutes, flipping the chops half way through Check the doneness with a meat thermometer.
- Add the chops to a platter as they finish cooking and serve with mint or imli ki chutney.
Notes
- When making these indoors, remember to scrape the bits of leftover meat between batches of frying, as they tend to burn and smoke up the kitchen. I’ve had my smoke alarm go off, so speaking from experience here!
- Marinate the lamb for at least an hour, and ideally overnight as that is the time needed for the spices to fully seep into the meat.
- Sear on high heat to get a good char on the meat.
- Make the lamb chops in batches so as not to crowd the pan.
Zeeshan Shah says
A really simple recipe that delivers on flavor!