Fried lamb chops are a traditional Italian meat recipe especially from Rome and other parts of central Italy, such as Marche and Abruzzo.
Fried lamb chops, with their crispy breading and tender, flavorful meat, are one of the most popular traditional dishes in Italy, prepared especially for Easter lunch.
They are a delicious alternative to baked Rack of Lamb With Potatoes, also a classic Italian dish.
You can prepare breaded lamb chops even a little in advance but you must fry them only at the last moment so as not to ruin their crispiness.
Simple and quick to prepare, crispy and tasty, fried lamb chops really please everyone.
Whether it’s for a family Easter lunch or a dinner with friends, Fried Lamb Chops are sure to be a big hit!
Read also:
- Veal Milanese recipe
- Saltimbocca alla Romana | Roman-Style Veal Scallops
- Crispy Italian Chicken Cutlets
- Parmesan Pork Chops
Fried Lamb Chops Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 Min
- Cook Time: 10 Min
- Servings: 4
Ingredients
Note: We suggest two ribs per person. Obviously this is only indicative it depends on the size of the chops and above all on your appetite!
- 8 chops of lamb
- 2 or 3 sprigs of rosemary
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 2 eggs
- fine salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 100 g (3/4 cup ) of breadcrumbs
- 500 ml ( 2 cups) olive oil for frying or peanut oil
- 1 lemon
Directions
Step 1) – First of all, clean the lamb chops by removing the very fatty parts of the meat and any remaining rind.
Then, with a knife, free part of the bone from the meat surrounding it, so that you can hold the cutlet by the “handle”.
Step 2) – In a deep dish, beat the eggs with a pinch of salt and pepper, dip the chops and let them marinate in the egg for 10 minutes. Add garlic and rosemary for flavor.
Step 3) – Remove the chops from the egg one at a time and dip them in the breadcrumbs on both sides, pressing to get the breadcrumbs to stick well.
Step 4) – Fry them in plenty boiling oil. The oil must be hot but the flame low as the ribs must have time to cook inside. Flip the chops at least twice until the ribs are golden and crispy on both sides.
Step 5) – Drain the chops on absorbent kitchen paper to remove excess oil. Serve the fried lamb chops hot with a few drops of lemon.
Storage
Like all fried foods, breaded lamb chops should be enjoyed freshly cooked.
If they are leftover, you can store them in the refrigerator until the next day. Then reheat the ribs for 5 minutes in an oven preheated to 200°C (390 F). This way they will regain some of their crispness.
If you want to prepare the ribs ahead of time, you can also bread them the day before and keep them in the refrigerator until just before frying them.
How to Serve Lamb Chops
The ideal accompaniment for this tasty second course is a fresh salad that lightens the fried food.
The Roman tradition often matches them with Roman style Artichokes or with Roman style Spinach.
You can serve the breaded Lamb Chop with a slice of lemon to squeeze over to give a touch of freshness.
Lamb Chops Recipe: Some variants
Breaded Lamb Chops in Oven
It’s not quite the same thing, but if you want to bake breaded lamb chops in the oven, you can proceed in the following way to get a lighter dish.
Place the already breaded lamb chops on a baking sheet lined with baking paper and garnish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.
Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C (390 F) for about 20 minutes, turning halfway through cooking.
Parmesan and Herb-Crusted Lamb Chops Recipe
A very popular and widespread variant of the traditional recipe is that of parmesan and parsley crusted lamb chops.
In this variant you don’t have to use bread crumbs but flour. Add 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley and 50 g (3 1/2 tablespoons) of grated Parmigiano cheese.
Pass the ribs first in the white flour and then in the egg, parmesan and parsley batter, then fry.
How to Bread Chops: Some Tips
WITHOUT FLOUR
For a perfect and crunchy breading it’s necessary to dip the meat in the eggs and then in the breadcrumbs. DO NOT USE FLOUR, otherwise the breading will detach from the meat once cooked.
DOUBLE BREADING
If you want to make a higher and more consistent breading that looks just like a crunchy shell of meat, we recommend that you do a double breading.
Egg – Breadcrumbs, then again Egg – Breadcrumbs. Press well with your hands to make the breading adhere well to the meat.
FLAVORED BREADCRUMBS
If you want to have tastier chops, you can add spices or herbs to the breadcrumbs. For example, a mince of lemon zest, garlic and rosemary or thyme can be a great idea!
Lamb meat in the Italian tradition
Lamb recipes are all very old and typical of the Italian regions with a past dedicated to sheep farming.
Lamb was considered a delicacy by shepherds and was once consumed exclusively on feast days.
We find them mainly in the regions of central Italy, Lazio, Abruzzo and Marche and also in Sardinia.
Traditionally, garlic, rosemary and sage are widely used in the preparation of recipes with lamb. Some regional variations use more distinctive flavors such as juniper, oregano or mint.
Lamb meat lends itself to many types of cooking except for boiling which is not good for this type of meat.
With the lamb you can also prepare delicious ragù to season pasta or to fill delicious lasagna. However, the best-known traditional Italian recipes are baked lamb with potatoes, stuffed leg of lamb, fried cutlets and stewed lamb with tomato sauce.