Grilled Lamb Chops with Ranchero Sauce
A fabulous dinner you can make in minutes! Our Chipotle Lime Grilled Lamb Chops with Ranchero Sauce is juicy, zesty and so inviting, lamb just may end up on the weekly menu rotation.
Just like you, there are nights I want to avoid the kitchen… Nights I’m too tired to think about what I might make for dinner. Nights I wish no one needed to be fed.
However, there are certain ingredients that can always inspire a change of heart about cooking. No matter how exhausted I am, or what happened on a given day, if these certain said ingredients are set in front of me, I will suddenly burst into a full-tilt toothy grin. Suddenly, cooking dinner is a pleasure.
What could possible get me so excited?
- Drunken goat cheese
- Squash blossoms
- Fresh thai basil
- Piquillo peppers
- Lamb chops
I’m sure you have your own list of favorite ingredients for cooking. However, today’s dish is especially exciting to me because it has two of my happy ingredients, and takes very little time to cook.
Lamb chops are my all-time favorite red meat to prepare. Hands down.
They are remarkably tender and juicy, with a rich meaty flavor. Plus, you never want to over-cook a lamb chop, so they take almost no time to grill.
There are two types of lamb chops normally found at your market. Lamb Loin Chops as I’m using today look like tiny T-bone steaks, and Lamb Rib Chops cut from a “rack of lamb” look like little meaty lollipops.
Both are suitable for this Grilled Lamb Chops with Ranchero Sauce recipe.
Along with tasting ridiculously luxurious and succulent, lamb chops offer many healthy benefits like lean protein, vitamin B12, niacin, zinc, selenium, iron and riboflavin.
So you can feel good about eating red meat again!
My simple Grilled Lamb Chops with Ranchero Sauce recipe is a perfect “reward dinner” for fast mid-week meals, yet it’s elegant enough to serve at a dinner party.
I can imagine serving this at an outdoor summer gathering with grilled veggies, crusty homemade bread, and a classy cocktail.
The fresh creamy ranchero sauce is loaded with zesty tang from the tomatoes and smoky-sweet piquillo peppers. (Squeal!!!) The grilled lamb chops are lovingly charred on high for only two minutes per side to achieve a perfectly-pink juicy center. Then simply stack a couple grilled lamb chops on a plate and drape the sauce over the top. Perfecto!
The combination of the meaty essence and the silky bold sauce are almost too much to bear. I have a feeling Grilled Lamb Chops with Ranchero Sauce is going to be a new favorite for you as well. You may even add lamb as a “regular” on the menu.
You’ll be surprised at how versatile this Grilled Lamb Chops with Ranchero Sauce recipe is!
Grilled Lamb Chops with Ranchero Sauce
Ingredients
For the Grilled Lamb Chops:
For the Ranchero Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 shallots peeled and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 15 ounces tomato sauce
- 12 ounces roasted piquillo peppers or roasted red peppers
- 4.5 ounces green chiles
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Place the lamb chops in a baking dish and drizzle with oil, chipotle pepper, lime zest and salt. Rub the lamb chops on all sides and set aside to marinate. Preheat the grill to high heat.
- For the Ranchero Sauce: Place a skillet over medium heat and add the oil and shallots. Saute the shallots for 2 minutes. Then add the garlic and saute another 1-2 minutes. Add all remaining ingredients, except for the heavy cream. Simmer the ranchero sauce for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Using an immersion blender, puree the ranchero sauce until smooth. Then stir in the heavy cream. Salt to taste.
- Place the lamb chops on the grill. Grill for approximately 2 minutes per side for medium temperature. Serve the grilled lamb chops warm with creamy ranchero sauce!
Nutrition
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by the Tri-Lamb Group. All lamb-loving opinions are my own.
I want to avoid the kitchen a lot in the summer but I’m all for the grill! These are beautiful!
Those would all get me excited to be in the kitchen or on the grill!!
These chops look right up Josh’s alley and Im thinking I can use that yummy ranchero sauce over some grilled veggies :)
lamb chops are my husbands favorite!! I gotta make him this gorgeous recipe!
So delicious Sommer! I LOVE the ranchero sauce. With the lamb, its absolute flavor perfection.
I never think to buy lamb chops……. adding to my grocery list! Thank you
O.M.G! These pork chops look off the charts. and the ranchero sauce? forget about it!
What a great flavorful sauce. I need to give lamb chops a try at home.
These are perfectly cooked and look so good! We are huge lovers in my home too.
Next time Eric makes lamb chops, I’m going to remember this sauce. He’s going to go crazy over it.
We love lamb!! I seriously could eat lamb every day! So good!!
I need to treat my hubby to some grilled lamb chops this summer—yours look divine!!!
Beautiful recipe Sommer!