Lavender, Lemon, and Herb Roasted Chicken

Welcome back to our culinary corner, where we celebrate the art of cooking with nature’s finest ingredients! Today, we’re thrilled to share a delightful recipe for Lavender, Lemon, and Herb Roasted Chicken, featuring a star ingredient that embodies the essence of our organic winery: our very own dried organic lavender. Harvested from McNab Ranch, nestled in the breathtaking Mendocino County hills, this lavender not only adds a unique floral note to our dish but also symbolizes our unwavering commitment to biodiversity. Our wine club members will receive a tin of our organic lavender with their September Wine Club Shipment, and continue to receive our best pricing and other club exclusives year-round. Learn more about our wine club program.

At McNab Ranch, we cultivate a diverse array of flora along perennial pathways along our grapevines, which serve as vital corridors for essential pollinators and beneficial insects. These floral freeways not only enhance the beauty of our landscape but also play a crucial role in restoring naturally circular ecosystems. By nurturing these habitats, we ensure that our grapevines and other plants thrive in harmony with nature, allowing us to bring you our delicious and flavorful organically farmed wine.

In this recipe, the aromatic combination of lavender and lemon creates a symphony of flavors that will tantalize your taste buds. The bright citrus notes of lemon perfectly complement the delicate floral essence of lavender, while the herbs add a fragrant depth that elevates the dish to new heights. As the chicken roasts, the enchanting aroma will fill your kitchen, inviting everyone to gather around the table in anticipation. Pair with our Single Vineyard ‘The McNab’ Cabernet Sauvignon, which hails from the same vineyard as the dried lavender included in your shipment.

This roasted chicken recipe is not just a feast for the senses; it’s an invitation to savor the flavors of our land and celebrate the bounty of nature. Whether you’re preparing a special family dinner or a gathering with friends, this dish is sure to impress and inspire. So, roll up your sleeves and get ready to indulge in a culinary experience that honors the beauty of organic ingredients and the joy of home-cooked meals!

Cuisine: Lavender Lemony Herb Roasted Chicken

Author: Bonterra Hospitality Manager, Paula V.

Ingredients

1 5lb Organic Whole Chicken
2 tbsp Fresh Organic Thyme, minced, plus 6 sprigs set aside (for the cavity)
2 tbsp Bonterra Organic Estates Dried Regenerative Organic Lavender
2 large Organic Lemons, zested
1 head Organic Garlic, cut in half, horizontally
4 sprigs Organic Fresh Rosemary (for the cavity)
1 stick Organic Unsalted Butter, Softened
1 tbsp Organic Olive Oil, or Organic Olive Oil Spray
1 tsp Kosher or Sea Salt
1 tsp Organic Course Ground Black Pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Remove the giblets from the chicken cavity and discard if you don’t want to use them for another recipe. Rinse the chicken with cold water, pat dry and set aside.
Remove the cloves out of the top half of the garlic head, peel and mince. Save the bottom half for the cavity.
In a medium mixing bowl, add the softened butter, minced garlic, thyme, lavender, lemon zest, salt and pepper and stir until combined.
Cut 1 of the zested lemons in half and stuff the cavity of the chicken with the two lemon halves, rosemary sprigs, thyme sprigs, and remaining half of the garlic head. Make sure not to overstuff the cavity, so if only half of a lemon fits, only use half.
Place the chicken on a cutting board or clean surface. Use your fingers to gently separate the chicken skin from the meat, be careful not to tear the skin (it’s fine if you do, just try not to). Use a rubber spatula turned upside down to reach the back of the chicken if needed. Do this for the body, legs and wings on both sides of the chicken.
Use the spatula, turned upside down or your hands to insert the herbed butter mixture under the skin. Make sure you spread it out evenly and get as much herbed butter mixture under the skin as possible.
Use kitchen twine to tightly tie the legs together, and set the chicken breast side up in a cast iron skillet, on a roasting rack, or in a roasting pan. Place any remaining lemons in the pan on the sides and either rub the olive oil on the outside of the chicken, or spray with the olive oil spray to coat the bird.
Place the pan on an oven rack, in the lower 1/3 of your oven. I usually use the rack one up from the bottom. Roast the chicken for 70 minutes and use an instant read thermometer to check the internal temperature in the thickest part of the thigh. The chicken is done when it reads 165 degrees.