This North African Grilled Lamb Loin Chops recipe is packed with bright parsley and cilantro, warm spices, garlic, and fresh lemon. Perfect for summer entertaining or a special occasion. The best part? The same chermoula works as both a flavorful marinade and a fresh finishing sauce.
For a complete meal, pair these juicy grilled lamb loin chops with my Tzatziki Sauce, Spicy Roasted Potatoes, Garlic Rosemary Potatoes or my Jerusalem Chopped Salad. See below for many more pairings and serving ideas!
Grilled Lamb Loin Chops: Recipe at a Glance
Prep + Marinate Time
70 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
1 hr 30 mins
Servings
4 People
Calories*
1017 kcal
Difficulty
Easy
Main Ingredients
Lamb loin chops, olive oil, parsley, cilantro, lemon, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, and garlic.
Technique
Prepare the marinade in a food processor, season, marinate and grill the lamb.
*Calories are estimated
Table of Contents
- Grilled Lamb Loin Chops: Recipe at a Glance
- Why This Recipe Works
- Ingredients
- How to Make this Grilled Lamb Loin Chops Recipe
- Lamb Internal Temperature Chart
- Pairing and Menu Ideas
- Expert Tips
- Grilled Lamb Loin Chops Recipe FAQs
- Other Lamb Recipes
- North African Grilled Lamb Loin Chops (with Chermoula Sauce) Recipe
Why This Recipe Works
- It’s surprisingly easy. The food processor does almost all the work, and the marinade doubles as the serving sauce, keeping prep simple.
- Perfect for grilling season. Fresh herbs, bright citrus, and smoky grilled lamb make this an ideal recipe for spring and summer entertaining.
- Tested and Reliable: Groceries can be expensive! All my Main Dish recipes are tested by me, my team or recipe testers before posting.
Ingredients
Most of the ingredients are pantry and fridge staples, but the key here is to use a nice cut of lamb. Here’s what you will need:
- Lamb Loin Chops: I am using bone-in loin chops. They are usually found in the meat case, pre-cut and ready to buy by weight. Many grocers will carry frozen Australian or New Zealand lamb too. Ask the butcher. If lamb loin chops are not available, you can use a rack of lamb cut the ribs into chops yourself (or ask your butcher). Also try my Pistachio Crusted Rack of Lamb, Greek Marinated Lamb Chops and Middle Eastern Pulled Lamb.
- Fresh Herbs: Chermoula Sauce is made with both fresh parsley and fresh cilantro. You will definitely need both herbs to make this sauce that doubles as the marinade.
- Lemon: You will need both lemon zest and lemon juice for the sauce.
- Spices: There is where chermoula gets its smokiness and earthiness from. You will need ground cumin, ground coriander, smoked paprika and optional chili flakes for heat.
Refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for a full list of ingredients and quantities.
How to Make this Grilled Lamb Loin Chops Recipe
Step 1. Make the Marinade/Sauce. Add the parsley, cilantro, garlic, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes (if using), salt, and black pepper to a food processor. Blend until mostly smooth but still slightly textured. Transfer to a bowl.
Step 2. Season the Meat. Pat the lamb loin chops dry and season both sides with olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper. Arrange them in a single layer in a glass or ceramic baking dish.
Step 3. Marinate. Spoon about two-thirds of the chermoula over the lamb, making sure every chop is well coated. Reserve the remaining one-third of the sauce for serving. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour, although overnight produces the deepest flavor.
Step 4. Grill and Serve. Preheat a charcoal or gas grill. Sear the lamb over medium-high heat to develop beautiful grill marks before moving to medium heat to finish cooking. Cook until your preferred doneness is reached, checking with an instant-read thermometer. I personally love lamb cooked to medium doneness (check the temperature table below). Allow the chops to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving with the reserved chermoula, chopped cilantro, and optional sliced hot peppers.
Lamb Internal Temperature Chart
Lamb chops can be prepared to your preferred doneness level. Some people like the lamb on the rarer side while others prefer more well-done. It’s a personal choice. My personal preference for lamb is Medium.
My advice? To achieve the desired doneness, I recommended using a meat or instant-read meat thermometer (affiliate link) and inserting it into the thickest part of the meat without touching the bone.
- Medium Rare: Internal Temperature: 130-135°F (54-57°C). Slightly warmer and firmer than rare, with a pink and juicy center.
- Medium: Internal Temperature: 140-145°F (60-63°C).A warm, pinkish center with a firmer texture compared to medium rare.
- Medium Well: Internal Temperature: 150-155°F (66-68°C). A mostly browned and slightly pink center, with a firmer texture and reduced juiciness.
- Well Done: Internal Temperature: 160°F (71°C) and above. The meat will be fully browned, with little to no pinkness. It will be well-cooked and have a firmer texture.
Pairing and Menu Ideas
To complete the meal, pair the juicy lamb chops with a refreshing salad like my Traditional Greek Salad (Horiatiki), Greek Lentil Salad, Maroulosalata (Greek Lettuce Salad), Grilled Corn Peach Salad, Asparagus Potato Salad (with Peas and Herbs), No Mayo Coleslaw with Lemon Sumac Dressing, Grilled Asparagus White Bean Salad, Jerusalem Chopped Salad or Lebanese Fattoush.
A carb like my Mediterranean Yellow Rice, Vermicelli Rice, Saffron Rice, or Tahdig (crispy Persian rice). Garlic Mashed Potatoes or Mediterranean Pasta Salad would work too! Charred Zucchini with Garlic Yogurt would be a nice side.
Expert Tips
- Marinate the lamb overnight whenever possible. The herbs, garlic, and spices have more time to penetrate the meat, resulting in deeper flavor.
- Reserve part of the Chermoula Sauce before it touches the raw meat so you have a vibrant fresh sauce for serving.
- Let the lamb sit at room temperature for about 20–30 minutes before grilling so it cooks more evenly.
- Use a two-zone fire if using a charcoal grill. Sear over direct heat, then move the chops to a cooler section if needed to finish cooking without burning the herbs.
- An instant-read thermometer is the easiest way to avoid overcooking. Medium-rare to medium generally provides the juiciest results for loin chops.
- Allow the chops to rest for at least 5–10 minutes before serving so the juices redistribute throughout the meat.
- If your chermoula seems too thick after blending, add a small splash of olive oil or lemon juice until it reaches a spoonable consistency.
Grilled Lamb Loin Chops Recipe FAQs
Yes. The lamb can marinate overnight, making this an excellent recipe for entertaining. The chermoula can also be prepared a day ahead.
Store leftover lamb in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep any reserved chermoula in a separate container.
Absolutely. A cast iron grill pan or heavy skillet works very well, and you can also finish thicker chops in the oven after searing.
Other Lamb Recipes
Main Dishes
Levantine Recipes
Main Dishes
Levantine Recipes
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North African Grilled Lamb Loin Chops (with Chermoula Sauce)
Equipment
- Small food processor – Affiliate link
Ingredients
For the Chermoula
- ¾ cup Fresh flat leaf parsley – Leaves and stems
- ¾ cup Fresh cilantro (coriander) – Leaves and stems
- 2-3 Garlic cloves
- 2-3 tablespoon Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 Lemon zest – From 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoon Lemon juice – From 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon Ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon Ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon Smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon Red pepper flakes – Optional, use more or less
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black pepper
For the Lamb
- 2½ lb Lamb loin chops – about 8 chops
- 2 tablespoon Olive oil
- 2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper
- Chopped cilantro and hot chili peppers for garnish
Instructions
- Make the Marinade/Sauce. Add the parsley, cilantro, garlic, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes (if using), salt, and black pepper to a food processor. Blend until mostly smooth but still slightly textured. Transfer to a bowl.
- Season the Meat. Pat the lamb loin chops dry and season both sides with olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper. Arrange them in a single layer in a glass or ceramic baking dish.
- Marinate. Spoon about two-thirds of the chermoula over the lamb, making sure every chop is well coated. Reserve the remaining one-third of the sauce for serving. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour, although overnight produces the deepest flavor.
- Grill and Serve. Preheat a charcoal or gas grill. Sear the lamb over medium-high heat to develop beautiful grill marks before moving to medium heat to finish cooking. Cook until your preferred doneness is reached, checking with an instant-read thermometer. I personally love lamb cooked to medium doneness, which is 140-145°F (60-63°C). Allow the chops to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving with the reserved chermoula, chopped cilantro, and optional sliced hot peppers.
Notes
- Lamb Loin Chops: I am using bone-in loin chops. They are usually found in the meat case, pre-cut and ready to buy by weight. Many grocers will carry frozen Australian or New Zealand lamb too. Ask the butcher. If lamb loin chops are not available, you can use a rack of lamb cut the ribs into chops yourself (or ask your butcher).
- Fresh Herbs: Chermoula Sauce is made with both fresh parsley and fresh cilantro. You will definitely need both herbs to make this sauce that doubles as the marinade.
- Lemon: You will need both lemon zest and lemon juice for the sauce.
- Spices: There is where chermoula gets its smokiness and earthiness from. You will need ground cumin, ground coriander, smoked paprika and optional chili flakes for heat.
- Marinate the lamb overnight whenever possible. The herbs, garlic, and spices have more time to penetrate the meat, resulting in deeper flavor.
- Reserve part of the Chermoula Sauce before it touches the raw meat so you have a vibrant fresh sauce for serving.
- Let the lamb sit at room temperature for about 20–30 minutes before grilling so it cooks more evenly.
- Use a two-zone fire if using a charcoal grill. Sear over direct heat, then move the chops to a cooler section if needed to finish cooking without burning the herbs.
- An instant-read thermometer is the easiest way to avoid overcooking. Medium-rare to medium generally provides the juiciest results for loin chops.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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