Indulge in the decadence of this honey lavender chicken recipe. It combines both savory and sweet flavors for a truly luxurious meal.
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Why You Will Love This Honey Lavender Chicken Recipe
This roasted honey lavender chicken recipe is a truly decadent meal. The fragrant dried lavender combined with honey, lemon, and fresh herbs gives the chicken thighs a luxurious savory-sweet flavor. You can pair this dish with honey-roasted carrots or brown butter-mashed white sweet potatoes. Here are some more reasons why you will love this recipe:
- Easy to make and elegant to serve for events. This recipe is easy to make throughout the week, and special enough to serve on holidays such as Mother's Day or Easter.
- We use fresh and simple ingredients. I love cooking simple meals that are packed full of flavor and healthy ingredients.
- This meal is unique. Cooking with lavender is a great way to up your culinary game. All your friends and family members will be impressed with this meal.
What Is The Best Lavender To Cook With?
The key to cooking or baking with lavender is to use the right amount and to make sure the lavender is of high quality. When searching at the grocery store or online, you want to look for organic culinary lavender, that is vibrant purple-blue and aromatic without being too perfumey.
Honey Lavender Chicken Recipe Ingredients
You’ll need the following ingredients to make this amazing honey lavender glazed chicken recipe.
Ingredient Notes
- Bone-In Chicken Thighs: I recommend using organic bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. You could also use bone-in chicken breasts or a combination of thighs and drumsticks.
- Honey: Adds a touch of sweetness. A trick to help thin out honey is to warm it in the microwave for a few seconds if needed.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Helps keep the chicken thighs moist and tender while roasting.
- Lemon Juice & Lemon Zest: The acid from the lemon juice helps tenderize the meat while the zest adds flavor.
- Dried Lavender: Look for organic culinary French lavender.
- Fresh Thyme Leaves: A savory herb that helps balance the sweet flavors. If you're not a fan of thyme, minced rosemary sprigs would also make a great option.
- Salt & Black Pepper: A teaspoon of salt and a few grinds of black pepper helps draw out the moisture of the chicken while enhancing the flavor.
Find the printable recipe with full instructions and measurements below.
Honey Lavender Chicken Recipe Instructions
Follow the step-by-step instructions below to make roasted honey lavender chicken.
Prepare The Chicken
- Crush the lavender. Using a mortar and pestle crush the lavender into fine pieces. (If you don't have a mortar, place lavender in a bag and crush it with a rolling pin). Dump the crushed lavender buds onto a cutting board and use a sharp knife to finely mince any remaining large pieces.
- Marinate the chicken. Put the crushed lavender into a large bowl along with the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, honey, fresh thyme, salt, and black pepper. Whisk together until combined. Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel then and add them to the bowl. Toss well to coat in the marinade. Cover and leave to marinade for 2 hours or up to four hours (in the refrigerator).
- Roast chicken. When ready to roast, preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the chicken pieces in a baking dish in a single layer, skin side up. Pour the remaining marinade over the top. Roast for 20 minutes.
- Baste the chicken and continue to roast. Remove the baking dish from the oven, and baste the chicken pieces with the pan juices. Roast again for 10 minutes, then remove the chicken from the oven basting once more. Cook the chicken for 5 minutes (35 minutes total roasting time, or until the chicken is fully cooked and the internal temperature registers 175°F). Turn on the top oven broiler and broil for 2 minutes to crisp up the skin. Watch the chicken carefully to avoid over-browning.
Make The Glaze
- Make the glaze. Remove the chicken from the oven and allow it to rest for 5 minutes. Carefully transfer the chicken pieces to a plate, and pour the leftover juices into a small saucepan. On medium heat bring the sauce to a simmer. Then reduce to medium-low heat while whisking continuously until thick, about 8-10 minutes.
- Brush the glaze on top of the chicken thighs. Using a pastry brush, coat the tops of the chicken thighs with the glaze. Transfer the pieces to a serving platter and serve immediately.
Storage
- To store: Enjoy portions throughout the week by storing them in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
- To freeze: Store leftovers in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Then thaw them in the fridge the day before you plan to reheat them.
FAQ
The marinade can start to break down the fibers of the meat, causing it to become mushy. Anything longer than 4 hours is not recommended.
Yes, just make sure the lavender is organic and culinary grade.
Yes, you can eat lavender! Lavender is an herb just like rosemary and thyme and can be used in a variety of dishes.
Glazing chicken is a culinary technique intended to enhance the flavor, texture, and appearance of chicken's final result. Although this is technically an optional step, it adds so much depth and flavor to the dish.
More Easy Chicken Recipes
Looking for some more easy weeknight dinners? Here is a quick overview of some of my favorites:
I hope you love this roasted honey lavender chicken recipe as much as I do! If you make it, I’d love to hear how it turned out in the comment box below. Your review will help other readers in the community.
Recipe
Roasted Honey Lavender Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 bone-in chicken thighs, patted dry with a paper towel
- 2 tablespoons culinary lavender, crushed and minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- zest of one lemon
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Crush the lavender. Using a mortar and pestle crush the lavender into fine pieces. (If you don't have a mortar, place lavender in a bag and crush it with a rolling pin). Dump the crushed lavender buds onto a cutting board and finely mince any remaining large pieces.
- Marinate the chicken. Put the crushed lavender into a large bowl along with the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, honey, fresh thyme, salt, and black pepper. Whisk together until combined. Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel and add them to the bowl. Toss well to coat in the marinade. Cover and leave to marinade for 2 hours or up to four hours (in the refrigerator).
- Roast chicken. When ready to roast, preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the chicken pieces in a baking dish in a single layer, skin side up. Pour the remaining marinade over the top. Roast for 20 minutes.
- Baste the chicken and continue to roast. Remove the baking dish from the oven, and baste the chicken pieces with the pan juices. Roast again for 10 minutes, then remove the chicken from the oven basting once more. Cook the chicken for 5 minutes (35 minutes total roasting time, or until the chicken is fully cooked and the internal temperature registers 175°F). Turn on the top oven broiler and broil for 2 minutes to crisp up the skin. Watch the chicken carefully to avoid over-browning.
- Make the glaze. Remove the chicken from the oven and carefully transfer the pieces to a plate. Pour the leftover juices into a small saucepan. On medium heat bring the sauce to a simmer. Then reduce to medium-low heat while whisking continuously until thick, about 8-10 minutes.
- Brush the glaze on top of the chicken thighs. Using a pastry brush, coat the tops of the chicken thighs with the glaze. Transfer the pieces to a serving platter and serve immediately.
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