These Chinese-style lamb cutlets were one of the most popular dishes I served when I ran my restaurant. Customers loved the small lamb pieces coated in a concentrated, savory sauce, especially when served with steamed rice.
It is quite different from the usual way of cooking lamb. Instead of grilling or pan-frying a whole lamb chop, the lamb shoulder is cut into small cutlets, marinated with Maggi Seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, and oyster sauce, then cooked until nicely browned before being coated with the sauce.
I rarely see this style of lamb cutlet these days, so I want to bring this old restaurant favorite back and share it with you. The seasoning blend gives it a distinctive taste that is difficult to reproduce with ordinary soy sauce. It is easy to see why this was such a popular dish in my restaurant.
Content
Note: Click any item to jump straight to that part of the post.
Note: This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my privacy policy for more info. I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Why This Recipe Works
Deep savory flavor – Maggi Seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, oyster sauce, and light soy sauce give the lamb its distinctive savory taste without needing additional salt.
Small cutlets are easy to cook and share – Cutting the lamb shoulder into small pieces makes it easier to cook evenly and also suits the way Chinese dishes are usually shared at the table.
A concentrated restaurant-style sauce – Instead of a thin gravy, the sauce is reduced until it becomes concentrated and coats the lamb, giving each piece a glossy finish.
Made for steamed rice – The seasoning is strong, so the lamb works particularly well with plain steamed rice. Fresh cucumber, tomato, and lettuce add a crisp, refreshing contrast to the rich lamb.
Ingredients Breakdown
Lamb shoulder – Lamb shoulder works well for this recipe when cut into thin slices and then divided into small cutlets. I usually trim away the excess fat because lamb shoulder can be quite fatty.
Maggi Seasoning – This is the key seasoning that gives the lamb its distinctive savory taste. It is not the same as light soy sauce. If you cannot find Maggi Seasoning, Golden Mountain Seasoning from Thailand is a suitable alternative because the flavor is quite similar.
Worcestershire sauce – Worcestershire sauce adds another layer of savory flavor. It is not traditionally Chinese, but it has become a familiar ingredient in Chinese restaurant cooking.
Supporting seasonings – Oyster sauce adds savory richness to the marinade, while light soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil are used in the finishing sauce to balance and round out the flavor.
Cornflour – Added to the marinade to help it cling to the lamb and give the finishing sauce a glossy coating.
Vegetable oil – Used for cooking the lamb. Because the lamb will release some of its own fat as it cooks, you do not need a large amount of oil.
How to Prepare Everything Before Cooking
Prepare the lamb
Ask your butcher to cut the lamb shoulder into thin slices, about 1 to 1.5 cm thick. Trim away any excess fat if you prefer a less fatty dish. I normally do this because lamb shoulder can contain quite a lot of fat.
Cut the slices into smaller portions. Depending on the size, one chop can usually be divided into about three pieces. If necessary, use a cleaver to cut through the bone.
Prepare the marinade
Combine the Worcestershire sauce, Maggi Seasoning, oyster sauce, and cornflour.
Add the lamb and mix thoroughly so that every piece is evenly coated with the marinade.
I recommend marinating the lamb for at least 2 to 3 hours. Longer is fine.
Prepare the sauce
Mix the Worcestershire sauce, Maggi Seasoning, sugar, light soy sauce, and sesame oil in a bowl.
The complete ingredient quantities and measurements are provided in the recipe card below.
Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions
1. Cook the marinated lamb
Heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan, wok, or grill pan. Cook the marinated lamb over medium heat until both sides are nicely browned.
Once the lamb is cooked and nicely browned, remove it from the pan and set it aside. If there is a lot of oil left in the pan, discard the excess before preparing the sauce.
2. Bring the sauce to a boil
Clean the wok or pan if necessary. Pour in the prepared sauce and bring it to a boil.
Let the sauce reduce until it becomes concentrated enough to coat the lamb.
3. Return the lamb to the sauce
Put the cooked lamb cutlets back into the pan.
Toss the lamb gently in the sauce until it thickens and coats the surface of each piece. The cornflour from the marinade will help the sauce become glossy and cling to the lamb.
Once the lamb is evenly coated and the sauce has become concentrated, remove the pan from the heat.
4. Serve with rice and fresh vegetables
Transfer the lamb cutlets to a serving dish and serve with steamed rice.
I like to arrange fresh lettuce, cucumber, and tomato around the lamb. They are not part of the lamb recipe itself, but they work particularly well with a strongly seasoned dish like this. The fresh vegetables provide a crisp, refreshing contrast to the rich lamb and concentrated sauce.
A Few Tips From My Kitchen
Trim the excess fat
Lamb shoulder can be quite fatty, so I usually trim away the excess before cooking.
You do not need to remove every bit of fat. Some fat adds flavor, but removing the excess keeps the finished dish from becoming unnecessarily greasy.
Give it time
Although the old recipe stated a shorter marinating time, my experience in the restaurant was to marinate the lamb for at least 2 to 3 hours.
There is also no problem with marinating it longer. When we prepared this dish in the restaurant, we often made larger batches, divided the marinated lamb into portions, and froze them for later use. This made it much easier to have the lamb ready whenever we needed it.
Maggi Seasoning is not soy sauce
This is worth emphasizing because it is easy to assume that Maggi Seasoning is simply another type of soy sauce.
It is a separate seasoning product with its own distinctive flavor. If you cannot find it, Golden Mountain Seasoning from Thailand is an option I would consider because the flavor is quite similar.
Keep the sauce concentrated
When you finish the lamb in the sauce, do not leave it swimming in liquid.
The sauce should reduce enough to cling to the lamb and give each piece a glossy coating. This is the texture I remember from serving this dish.
Worcestershire sauce belongs here
You may wonder why Worcestershire sauce appears in a Chinese-style lamb recipe.
It is certainly not a traditional Chinese ingredient, but Chinese restaurant cooking has evolved over the years as different culinary influences came together. Worcestershire sauce became a familiar ingredient in many Chinese restaurants and is used in dishes that combine it with more familiar Chinese seasonings.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Using light soy sauce instead of Maggi Seasoning
They are not interchangeable. Maggi Seasoning gives the lamb its distinctive flavor, while light soy sauce is used separately in the finishing sauce.
Leaving too much fat on the lamb
Lamb shoulder can be quite fatty. Trim away the excess fat to prevent the finished dish from becoming unnecessarily greasy.
Not marinating long enough
Give the lamb at least 2 to 3 hours to marinate. This is not a dish I would rush if you want the best flavor.
Making the sauce too watery
The finished sauce should be concentrated enough to coat the lamb. You want a glossy coating, not a pool of thin sauce on the plate.
Using too much cooking oil
Lamb releases some of its own fat as it cooks, so you usually do not need a large amount of oil. If a lot of oil is left after browning the lamb, remove the excess before adding the sauce.
Variations
Charcoal-grilled lamb – If you have an outdoor charcoal grill, you can grill the marinated lamb cutlets instead of cooking them in a pan. The charcoal will give the lamb a different grilled character.
Grill-pan version – A stovetop grill pan works very well for this recipe. This was the method we used in my restaurant because we did not have an outdoor grill.
Wok-fried version – You can also stir-fry the small lamb cutlets in a wok. This is a practical option if you are already preparing other Chinese dishes on the stove.
More Recipes to Try
Cumin Lamb
If you enjoy lamb with an Asian flavor, my Cumin Lamb is another recipe you might like. It is completely different from these lamb cutlets, using a dry-fry method and cumin for a more aromatic, spiced flavor.
Chinese Steamed Eggs
I often like to serve a milder dish alongside something strongly seasoned like these lamb cutlets. Chinese Steamed Eggs works well for that because the soft, delicate egg custard provides a gentle contrast to the rich lamb and savory sauce.
Malaysian-Style Lamb Curry
For another way to enjoy lamb, try my Malaysian-Style Lamb Curry. Instead of quickly cooking small lamb cutlets, this recipe takes the lamb in a completely different direction with a rich Malaysian curry.
Quick Takeaways
This is an old restaurant favorite of mine, made with lamb shoulder, Maggi Seasoning, and Worcestershire sauce. The small cutlets and concentrated sauce give it a distinctive flavor that is quite different from a typical lamb chop.
Cut the lamb into small pieces, marinate it for at least 2 to 3 hours, and keep the finishing sauce concentrated enough to coat the meat. Serve it with steamed rice and fresh vegetables, and you have the Chinese-style lamb cutlet I used to serve in my restaurant.
Chinese-Style Lamb Cutlets
Make Chinese-style lamb cutlets with lamb shoulder, a savory marinade, and a concentrated sauce. An old restaurant favorite served with steamed rice.
Ingredients
For the Lamb and Marinade
- 600 g lamb shoulder chops
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp Maggi Seasoning
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp cornflour
For the Sauce
For Cooking
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
Instructions
- Cut the lamb shoulder into slices about 1 to 1.5 cm thick, then cut into smaller cutlets. Trim excess fat if desired.
- Combine the Worcestershire sauce, Maggi Seasoning, oyster sauce, and cornflour. Add the lamb and mix well.
- Marinate the lamb for at least 2 to 3 hours.
- Mix the Worcestershire sauce, Maggi Seasoning, sugar, light soy sauce, and sesame oil in a bowl.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan, wok, or grill pan. Cook the lamb over medium heat until both sides are nicely browned.
- Remove the lamb and discard excess oil from the pan if necessary.
- Pour the prepared sauce into the pan and bring it to a boil.
- Return the lamb to the pan and toss gently until the sauce thickens and coats the lamb.
- Transfer to a serving dish and serve with steamed rice, lettuce, cucumber, and tomato.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 2 servingsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 689Total Fat: 39gSaturated Fat: 8gUnsaturated Fat: 31gCholesterol: 188mgSodium: 7380mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 2gSugar: 10gProtein: 62g
This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix on 9/26/2026
Thanks for your support, KP Kwan.
Hello, I was wondering what kind of things would be good to serve with the lamb?
Hi Beth,
Tomatoes, lettuce or any salad are suitable. Some Chinese restaurants serve the lamb on top of a large piece of lettuce on a plate and garnish with slices of tomatoes and cucumbers at the side.
KP Kwan
Hi, this is KP Kwan. I am happy to see you in this comment area, as you have read through my recipe. I am glad to reply any questions and comments as soon as possible.