Cilantro-Lime Lamb Chops with Cucumber-Pea Salad
By Claudia CatalanoPublished on March 10, 2026
Time
45 minutes
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Before You Begin
Look for domestic lamb, which is typically grass-fed and finished on grain and has a less gamy flavor and better fat marbling than imported lamb. Lamb loin chops, which are slightly thicker than rib chops, can also be used; cook them for an additional 1 to 2 minutes per side. If you don’t have a cast-iron skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking; proceed with step 3 as directed. Have time to plan ahead? The lamb chops can be marinated for up to 2 hours. In a pinch, you can use a combination of 1 tablespoon finely chopped peanuts and 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds for the dukkah. Mini Persian cucumber looks nice in this salad, but you can sub one large English cucumber, quartered lengthwise and sliced thin. If you prefer, grill the marinated lamb chops.
Instructions
- Process 3 cups fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil, 1 stemmed and seeded serrano chile, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1 tablespoon water, 1 tablespoon honey, 2 large garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon table salt, and 1 teaspoon ground cumin in blender until smooth, about 1 minute, scraping down sides of blender jar as needed. Measure out and reserve ⅓ cup marinade.
- Add remaining marinade and 8 lamb rib chops, 1¼ to 1½ inches thick, trimmed, to 1-gallon zipper-lock bag. Seal bag, turn to distribute marinade, and refrigerate for 15 minutes, flipping halfway through marinating.
- Heat 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes. Remove lamb chops from bag, allowing excess marinade to drip off, and season with remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Arrange lamb in even layer in hot skillet and cook until well browned and meat registers 120 to 125 degrees (for medium-rare) or 130 to 135 degrees (for medium), 2 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to plate and let rest while preparing salad.
- Toss 5 thinly sliced Persian cucumbers, 2 cups thawed frozen peas, reserved marinade, and remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice together in bowl. Spread 1 cup plain Greek yogurt evenly among four plates. Arrange salad and lamb chops on top of yogurt. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons dukkah and drizzle with extra oil. Serve.
Time
45 minutesYield
Serves 4Ingredients
Ingredients
Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
One double-duty blend of cilantro, garlic, serrano, and lime juice works as both a marinade for quick-cooking lamb rib chops and a dressing for the snappy salad. For a little extra kick, we leave the seeds in the serrano chile, but you can decide whether you’d prefer it to be milder.
Before You Begin
Look for domestic lamb, which is typically grass-fed and finished on grain and has a less gamy flavor and better fat marbling than imported lamb. Lamb loin chops, which are slightly thicker than rib chops, can also be used; cook them for an additional 1 to 2 minutes per side. If you don’t have a cast-iron skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking; proceed with step 3 as directed. Have time to plan ahead? The lamb chops can be marinated for up to 2 hours. In a pinch, you can use a combination of 1 tablespoon finely chopped peanuts and 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds for the dukkah. Mini Persian cucumber looks nice in this salad, but you can sub one large English cucumber, quartered lengthwise and sliced thin. If you prefer, grill the marinated lamb chops.
Instructions
- Process 3 cups fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil, 1 stemmed and seeded serrano chile, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1 tablespoon water, 1 tablespoon honey, 2 large garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon table salt, and 1 teaspoon ground cumin in blender until smooth, about 1 minute, scraping down sides of blender jar as needed. Measure out and reserve ⅓ cup marinade.
- Add remaining marinade and 8 lamb rib chops, 1¼ to 1½ inches thick, trimmed, to 1-gallon zipper-lock bag. Seal bag, turn to distribute marinade, and refrigerate for 15 minutes, flipping halfway through marinating.
- Heat 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes. Remove lamb chops from bag, allowing excess marinade to drip off, and season with remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Arrange lamb in even layer in hot skillet and cook until well browned and meat registers 120 to 125 degrees (for medium-rare) or 130 to 135 degrees (for medium), 2 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to plate and let rest while preparing salad.
- Toss 5 thinly sliced Persian cucumbers, 2 cups thawed frozen peas, reserved marinade, and remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice together in bowl. Spread 1 cup plain Greek yogurt evenly among four plates. Arrange salad and lamb chops on top of yogurt. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons dukkah and drizzle with extra oil. Serve.
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