Name: Broiled Lamb Loin Chops
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 165 min
Ingredients: ½ cup finely chopped shallots; ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, (divided); 3 large garlic cloves, (minced); 1½ teaspoons minced fresh rosemary; salt and pepper, (to taste); 6 lamb loin chops; shallot marinade; One 15-ounce can cannellini beans (or any white bean), (rinsed and drained); 2 medium Roma tomatoes, (chopped); salt and pepper, (to taste); 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil; 5 cups fresh spinach

Broiled Lamb Loin Chops are perfectly portioned and super easy to make for a weeknight dinner, and they are elegant enough to serve at a dinner party too. The prep on lamb loin chops is very easy. They’ll sit in a marinade for a couple of hours, and then the recipe comes together quickly with the lamb chops taking just minutes to cook.

Broiled Lamb Loin Chop on plate with white beans and spinach

About Lamb Loin Chops:

Lamb loin chops are also known as lamb t-bone chops or lamb porterhouse. They look like mini t-bone steaks. A lamb “rack” is taken from the rib section of the lamb, but lamb loin chops are cut from the lamb’s loin. They’re a tender, lean and flavorful cut of meat. And a big bonus is that they’re usually pretty reasonably priced too! If you have a middle Eastern market near you, check to see if they have good priced lamb chops. Lamb is more common in the Middle Eastern culture, so they tend to have more offerings.

My grandmother, who lived on a ranch, used to make leg of lamb and lamb roast for dinner. That’s when I fell in love with the rich and savory, buttery, tender, earthy flavor of lamb. I don’t make lamb roasts all that often, but lamb chops or rack of lamb are in my regular rotation of dinner recipes. And they’re a family favorite too!

Why cook lamb loin chops for dinner?

They look fancy, but they’re actually not.
Prep for marinating lamb chops does not take much time at all.
They’re fast cooking, so they can be made for a weeknight meal.

What’s the best way to cook lamb loin chops?

There are many ways to cook lamb loin chops successfully. You just need to choose the best method that works for you. And any of these methods will work for this recipe too. All of these methods are after marinating, and they should bring the lamb chops to medium rare.

Broiling: Broil for about 5 minutes per side, 3 to 4 inches from the heat.
Pan Frying: Pan fry in a skillet with oil for 3 to 5 minutes per side.
Grilling: Grill over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side.
Searing and Roasting: Sear in a hot oiled pan for 2 to 3 minutes per side, then transfer to a 400°F oven for 3 to 5 minutes.

ingredients displayed for making lamb loin chops with beans and spinach

Ingredients Needed:

The Basics: Olive oil, garlic and salt/pepper.
Shallots: These have a mild, sweet onion flavor. They’ll also help tenderize the meat.
Rosemary: Use fresh rosemary to bring in the most flavor.
Lamb Chops: We’re using lamb loin chops for this recipe. Pick them up from a butcher or at the meat counter of your market.
White Beans: Use canned white cannellini beans.
Tomatoes: Fresh Roma tomatoes are perfect.
Spinach: Use fresh spinach leaves.

How to make Broiled Lamb Loin Chops:

Place the lamb chops in a glass baking dish. Combine the marinade ingredients and pour them over the lamb chops. Alternately, you can do this in a large zip baggie.

Preheat the broiler, and move the lamb chops from the marinade to a baking sheet (or a rack set over a broiler pan). Broil about 5 minutes per side for medium rare (remove from heat at 125 degrees F, and it will rise to 130 given resting time).

Simmer the shallot marinade in a saucepan with the beans and tomatoes. Wilt the spinach in a separate pan.

To serve, add some of the white bean mixture to a plate and top with spinach and two lamb chops.

Recipe Tips

Invest in an instant read thermometer. You’ll use it!
The thicker the lamb chops you buy, the longer they will take to cook. Stick with lamb chops that are about 1-inch thick.
Lamb chops will cook more evenly (and quicker) if they are brought to room temperature before broiling.
A good serving size is two lamb chops per person. If you’re using small lamb chops, you may wish to serve three per person.
This recipe for broiled lamb loin chops would be delicious served with scalloped potatoes or mashed potatoes.
Serve a nice, light dessert after dinner. I suggest lemon sorbet. If you want something more decadent, go for a chocolate tart.

Temperature Guide for Cooking Lamb Loin Chops:

Rare: Pull from heat at 120°F (will rise to 125°F after resting). The center will be very red and cool, and the meat will be super tender.
Medium Rare (most common): Pull from heat at 125°F (will rise to 130°F after resting). The center will be red and warm, and the meat will be juicy and tender.
Medium: Pull from heat at 135°F (will rise to 140°F after resting). The center will be pink, and the meat will be firmer but still moist.
Medium-Well: Pull from heat at 145°F (will rise to 150°F after resting). The center will be slightly pink, and the meat will be more firm and less juicy.
Well Done: Pull from heat at 155°F (will rise to 160°F after resting). The center will not be pink, and the meat will have a drier, firm texture.

What you will love about this recipe:

The preparation is easy.
Lamb loin chops are less expensive than making a rack of lamb. And it’s way less expensive to make them at home instead of ordering them in a restaurant.
They’re the perfect spring dish, and they’d make a nice main dish for an Easter dinner.