Grilled Lamb Chops with Minted Tzatziki & Grilled Greek Salad
Giving the romaine hearts a quick turn on the grill imparts a smoky taste to this Greek salad that's incredibly appealing. The combo of tender lamb and salad is definitely entertaining-ready.
Fat Fighter
Lamb is unique in that it is the richest source of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), an omega-6 fatty acid found at its highest levels in grass-fed ruminant animals. It has been shown to lower the risk of heart disease and diabetes, and it may help reduce body fat.
Ingredients
8 lamb rib chops (about 2½ lb total)
1/4 cup avocado oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ small English cucumber, seeded and chopped finely, patted dry (1 cup)
1 cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt (TRY: Stonyfield Organic Whole Milk Greek Yogurt)
1 tbsp chopped fresh mint
½ tsp raw honey
1 tsp sea salt, divided
1 tsp black pepper, divided
3 romaine hearts, halved lengthwise
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
3 tbsp chopped Kalamata olives
Preparation
1. Pat lamb chops dry. Place on a plate and let come to room temperature.
2. Preheat a grill to high. Meanwhile, in a small unheated skillet, combine 1 tbsp oil and garlic; heat on medium-low. When mixture begins to sizzle, cook for 30 seconds then immediately transfer to a medium bowl. Let cool slightly. Fold in cucumber, yogurt, mint, honey and 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper. Cover and set aside in the refrigerator.
3. Rub lamb with 1 tbsp oil; sprinkle with ½ tsp each salt and pepper. Place on preheated grill and cook until seared on bottom, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook 2 to 3 minutes more, or until nicely browned and cooked to desired doneness.
4. Meanwhile, rub romaine with 1 tbsp oil; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper. When lamb comes off grill, add romaine, cut sides down. Grill, turning often, until grill-marked and leaves loosen, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board; chop. Transfer to a bowl and toss with tomatoes and olives.
5. Divide lamb among 4 plates. Spoon some of the tzatziki onto each plate, then divide salad among plates. Drizzle salads with remaining 1 tbsp oil and serve with any remaining tzatziki on the side.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size 1/4 of recipe
- Calories 750
- Carbohydrate Content 13 g
- Cholesterol Content 144 mg
- Fat Content 60 g
- Fiber Content 3 g
- Protein Content 41 g
- Saturated Fat Content 20 g
- Sodium Content 711 mg
- Sugar Content 9 g
- Monounsaturated Fat Content 30 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat Content 5 g