Lavender Lemon Chicken

Submitted by Mamas Kitchen Hope

"Gorgeous roasted chicken in an amazing lemon butter sauce seasoned with thyme and lavender. Sure to 'wow' and delight your friends and family. Plain white or aromatic rice would make a wonderul side sure to showcase the delicious sauce. Bread, salad and a nice white wine would make this meal complete and rival a meal from any five star restaurant. From "Gabriella's Gastronomy" section of Splendid Palate. The recipe is copyrighted by the Splendid Palate 2002."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 20mins
• Ingredients: 12
• Serves: 4

ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup butter, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons dried lavender
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1⁄2 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon pepper
• 1⁄2 large onion
• 1 (4 -7 lb) broiler-fryer chickens, whole
• 1⁄4 cup dry vermouth
• 1⁄2 cup chicken stock
• 1 -2 tablespoon flour

directions

1. In a small bowl or mortar and pestle coarsely crush lavender and thyme. Then stir together with butter, zest, salt and pepper until well combined.
2. Spoon mixture onto a sheet of plastic wrap and form into a 4-inch log. Chill butter log until firm, at least 30 minutes, and up to 3 days.
3. Preheat oven to 400°F.
4. Rinse chicken and pat dry.
5. Slice herb butter and reserve 2 tablespoons for sauce.
6. Slide hand under skin of chicken breast to loosen skin from meat. Insert about 3/4's of the butter under the skin and spread the rest over the outside of chicken.
7. Truss chicken. Place the chicken in a flameproof roasting pan.
8. Slice the onion into large pieces and scatter around the chicken.
9. Roast bird in middle of oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of a thigh (be careful not to touch bone) registers 170° to 175°F.
10. It will take roughly 55-65 minutes for a four pound chicken and 8 minutes more per every pound over that.
11. Lift chicken and tilt, emptying any juices from cavity into roasting pan.
12. Remove the chicken to a platter, cover loosely with foil.
13. Sauce: Add vermouth to pan. Place pan over high heat; bring vermouth to boil, scraping up any browned bits and onions.
14. Strain the mixture into cup with pan juices.
15. Spoon fat off and pour back into the pan. Add reserved 2 tablespoons herb butter and bring to a simmer - or melt butter before adding to pan.
16. When butter has completely melted add flour and whisk until smooth.
17. Serve sauce with chicken.

Reviews

[vtgirlindublin]

Brilliant recipe. The taste was so familiar and yet different than any roast chicken. Instead of vermouth I used chicken stock with the juice of half a lemon mixed in. Also, to make the gravy smooth I mixed 2 teaspoons of cornstarch into the reserved butter. Rich, aromatic and a hint of herbs.

 

[realbirdlady]

A pretty and tasty chicken. The lavender adds a little something extra to traditional seasonings, without calling too much attention to itself. I made this with half a chicken. I think the lavender butter would also work with fillets - pound them flat and roll the butter inside. The instructions for making the gravy possibly could be improved, so that someone not familiar with this technique could have better success. There is stock mentioned in the ingredients, but not called for in the instructions. It's also unclear how to make the determination of how much flour to add.

 

[Outta Here]

Great flavor combination! The skin crisped up nicely and the meat stayed juicy! Thanks for this new addition to my Sunday dinner repertoire!

 

[gabriellatrue]

so glad you liked it! I have many more recipes at My Life As A Reluctant Housewife <a href="http://mylifeasareluctanthousewife.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">My Life As A Reluctant Housewife</a>

 

[ncmysteryshopper]

Wonderful Chicken!!! The lavender was perfect - just a subtle hint and the aroma was so wonderful. The chicken was super moist! The lavender butter under the skin is a wonderful idea!!! I used fresh thyme instead of dried. Perfect dinner.... thanks to mama!