Arnakia Paidakia — Greek Lamb Rib Chops with Garlic Yogurt

🎁 You have 30 days of free full access to every recipe. Join the Kitchen Club to keep it →
Palace of Knossos

📍 Where this dish comes from: Crete · Palace of Knossos
Discover the history of this region →
Arnakia Paidakia -- Greek Lamb Rib Chops with Garlic Yogurt, plated and ready to serve

If souvlaki is Greek street food, paidakia are Greek fine dining — individual lamb rib chops, the little handles perfect for picking up with your hands, marinated in lemon and herbs and charred on a very hot grill until the fat caramelizes and the meat inside stays rosy and sweet. Served with a cool garlic yogurt sauce, they are one of the most satisfying things you can eat on or off keto.

What You’ll Need

Ingredients for Arnakia Paidakia -- Greek Lamb Rib Chops with Garlic Yogurt

Arnakia Paidakia -- Greek Lamb Rib Chops with Garlic Yogurt

If souvlaki is Greek street food, paidakia are Greek fine dining -- individual lamb rib chops, the little handles perfect for picking up with your hands, marinated in lemon and herbs and charred on a very hot grill until the fat caramelizes and the meat inside stays rosy and sweet.
Print Recipe
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Greek
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 475kcal

Ingredients

  • 12 lamb rib chops (frenched if possible) about 3/4 inch thick
  • 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • Juice and zest of 1 lemon
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 tsp dried Greek oregano
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
  • Salt and cracked black pepper
  • 1 cup full-fat Greek yogurt
  • 2 garlic cloves finely grated
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp fresh mint chopped
  • Salt

Instructions

  • Combine olive oil, lemon juice and zest, garlic, oregano, and thyme. Coat lamb chops thoroughly. Marinate at least 1 hour, up to overnight.
  • Make garlic yogurt: stir together all sauce ingredients. Refrigerate.
  • Bring chops to room temperature 20 minutes. Pat gently dry -- surface moisture prevents the crust.
  • Grill on high heat 2 minutes per side for medium-rare -- rib chops are thin and cook fast. Watch them.
  • Rest 3 minutes. Serve over the garlic yogurt, with extra lemon alongside.

Nutrition

Serving: 3chops with sauce | Calories: 475kcal | Protein: 36g | Fat: 34g | Fiber: 0.5g
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Cooking Arnakia Paidakia -- Greek Lamb Rib Chops with Garlic Yogurt in the kitchen

Health Benefits

  • Lamb rib chops deliver the highest fat-to-protein ratio of any lamb cut, making them exceptionally well-suited to ketogenic eating.
  • The fat is rich in stearic acid, which does not raise LDL cholesterol and is converted to oleic acid by the liver — the same healthy fat as olive oil.
  • Garlic in the raw yogurt sauce provides allicin at maximum potency.

Pairs Well With

  • Tomato-Cucumber Salad with Herb Oil
  • Tzatziki Cauliflower Rice
Scroll to Top