Lavender, Lemon, and Honey Spatchcocked Roast Chicken Recipe

By
Kerry Saretsky
a photograph of Kerry Seretsky, a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Kerry Saretsky

Kerry Saretsky interned at Serious Eats in 2008, and wrote the French in a Flash recipe column. She also writes her own blog on modernized French cuisine called French Revolution Food.

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Updated August 29, 2018
20140306-Spatchcocked-Lavender-Lemon-Honey-Roast-Chicken-1.jpg
Kerry Saretsky

Spatchcocking the chicken means it roasts more quickly, and stays juicier for it. I make a simple, Provence-inspired compound butter full of lavender blossoms, thyme leaves, lemon, honey, and olive oil. Rub this all over a salted and peppered spatchcocked chicken, and roast at 400 degrees for forty-five minutes. I roast lemon wedges alongside to play up the Provençal sweet-and-sour flavors of the chicken. The skin comes out fragrant and scorched; the meat bright and juicy. I serve the chicken with its pan juices and roasted lemons on top of warm toasted pain au levain.

Recipe Details

Lavender, Lemon, and Honey Spatchcocked Roast Chicken Recipe

Active 5 mins
Total 60 mins
Serves 3 to 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 whole small chicken (3 to 3 1/2 pounds)

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 tablespoon juice and 1 teaspoon zest from 1/2 lemon, the other half cut into wedges

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons dried lavender

  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped

  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1 tablespoon honey

  • 1 tablespoon butter, softened

  • 1 loaf hearty sourdough bread

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F with the rack in the center. Cut the backbone out of the chicken with kitchen shears. Lay the the chicken breast-side-up in an enameled baking dish. Press down on the breast bone to break, so that the chicken lies flat. Season generously, front and back, with salt and pepper.

  2. In a bowl, mix together lemon juice, lemon zest, lavender, thyme, and the olive oil, and honey. Stir to combine. Add the butter, and using a fork, mash the mixture together until homogenous

  3. Slather the lemon, lavender, and honey butter all over the top and underside of the chicken. Roast for 20 minutes. Nestle lemon wedges under chicken and return to oven. Continue roasting until until golden with charred bits and an instant read thermometer inserted into breast registers 150°F and the thighs and legs register at least 165°F, 15 to 25 minutes longer.

  4. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Cut it in half. Serve with pan juices and roasted lemon wedges, along with bread for soaking up juices.

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
1012Calories
52gFat
73gCarbs
61gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 3 to 4
Amount per serving
Calories1012
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 52g67%
Saturated Fat 15g76%
Cholesterol 245mg82%
Sodium 1912mg83%
Total Carbohydrate 73g26%
Dietary Fiber 4g13%
Total Sugars 11g
Protein 61g
Vitamin C 25mg126%
Calcium 114mg9%
Iron 9mg52%
Potassium 755mg16%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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