Looking to elevate your everyday roast chicken? Try cooking with lavender! Traditionally an ingredient in Herbs de Provence, lavender can also be used alone to add a distinct, delightful flavor to your dishes. It is quite bold to taste, so pair lavender with other assertive flavors. In this recipe we use tangy balsamic, bright, acidic orange juice and sweet honey to balance the taste. Make sure to buy culinary grade lavender suitable for consumption, which can be found in spice and tea shops, as well as online. For this recipe, we suggest grinding the lavender to avoid larger bits in the glaze and sticking to the amount listed – a little goes a long way!
Recipe Difficulty: Intermediate
For a beautiful side dish, try our Easy Grilled Carrots Recipe.
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PREP TIME20 min
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COOK TIME40 min
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TOTAL TIME1 hrs
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SERVES4
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken (about 5 lbs.), quartered
- ½ cup honey
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup fresh orange juice
- 1 whole orange, sliced
- 2 tsp. lavender, ground
- ½ tsp. smoked paprika
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp. butter
Instructions
- Prepare your grill for indirect grilling at about 425 degrees. For instance on a 3-burner grill, turn the outside burners on, but leave the middle burner completely off. This will allow you to roast your chicken thoroughly, without burning it.
- Pat the chicken quarters dry, rub the skin lightly with butter, and then season with salt and pepper. Arrange orange slices at the bottom of a large grill-safe pan, placing the chicken quarters on top.
- Place the skillet onto the indirect heat zone over the burner that has been turned off. Allow the chicken to roast on the grill with the cover closed for about 20 minutes.
- In a small saucepan over low heat, whisk honey, balsamic, orange juice, lavender and smoked paprika until well blended.
- After chicken has roasted for 20 minutes, baste with the glaze every 5 minutes for about 20 more minutes. Ensure your chicken is completely cooked – it will be done when internal temperature reaches 165 degrees when thermometer is inserted into the thigh.
- Remove the entire pan carefully, serve and enjoy!