Ethiopian Spiced Lamb Chops

I was having a friend over for dinner and wanted to make something special. I know he really likes lamb, so I decided to make lamb chops. Since he also likes my Ethiopian seasoning blend, I decided to use them to season the lamb. They were amazing!!

I pan seared the lamb chops in a cast iron skillet, turning them to brown all all sides. They were thick chops and I wanted to cook them through, without burning the outside. So, once I browned them, I turned the heat down to let them cook more gently for a few more minutes. I cooked them about three more minutes per side. They came out great. Very tender, an even pink color throughout, with a nice brown exterior.

The Ethiopian spices complimented the lamb nicely. I’ve used this spice blend with chicken, beef and pork in the past. I can see using these spices with lamb again. They worked so well together.

So here is the recipe. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Ethiopian Spiced Lamb Chops

4 lamb chops, about 3-4 oz. each

1 T. paprika

1 t. each cayenne pepper, cumin, garlic powder, salt and ginger

½ t. allspice

¼ t. cinnamon

Combine seasonings and rub all over the surface of the lamb chops. Heat a skillet until hot. Place lamb chops in skillet and brown on all sides. Turn down heat and allow chops to cook until cooked to your preference. I like lamb rare, and these were pretty thick chops. They took about three minutes per side to cook, once browned.