Roasted Lemon, Herb, & Lavender Spatchcocked Chicken #SundayFunday

This weekend the Sunday Funday writers are sharing main dishes for smaller gatherings. Stacy of of Food Lust People Love is hosting.

Stacy of Food Lust People Love, Sue of Palatable Pastime, Rebekah of Making Miracles, Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm, and I coordinate this low-stress group; we only participate when we are inspired.

The Line-Up

• Bacon-Wrapped Sirloin Tip Roast from Palatable Pastime

• Confit Turkey Thighs from Food Lust People Love

• Dry Brined Roast Turkey Breast from Amy's Cooking Adventures

• Milk-Braised Pork Loin with Carrot Sauce from A Day in the Life on the Farm

• Nawabi Mutton Biryani with Burani Boondi Raita from Sneha's Recipe

• Roasted Lemon, Herb & Lavender Spatchcocked Chicken from Culinary Cam

• Stuffed Pork Loin Roast from Sid's Sea Palm Cooking

• Stuffed Turkey Breast with Gravy from Karen's Kitchen Stories

Roasted Lemon, Herb, & Lavender Spatchcocked Chicken

After a visit to a local lavender farm, I went quickly down the culinary rabbit hole.

Roasting a chicken is not for the faint of heart. I mean, anyone can stick a whole chicken in the oven and roast it till it's not raw. But, seriously, the number of mediocre roasted chickens I've made is embarrassing. And there is nothing worse than dried out chicken breasts. I chose to share this as my main dish for a small gathering because a chicken is like a mini turkey, right?

So, when I read about a technique that splits the chicken and flattens it, I knew I could marinate it easily and roast it to (near) perfection. I've tested it out a few times and it has changed my mind about roasted chicken. And - it's so easy - I will certainly add this to our dinner menu rotation.

Ingredients

• 1 whole 4-pound chicken

• 4 to 5 cloves whole garlic, peeled and minced

• 1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped

• 1/2 teaspoon fennel pollen

• 1/2 teaspoon lavender buds + a few lavender sprigs

• olive oil

• juice from 2 organic lemons

• lemon slices

• salt and pepper

Procedure

Spatchcock It

Place chicken on a cutting board, breast side down. With a sturdy pair of kitchen shears, cut along one side of the backbone, starting at thigh end. Turn chicken around and cut along other side. You can discard the backbone or save it for stock. Spread the chicken on a flat surface and press firmly on breastbone to flatten it.

Rub It

Rub the chicken with olive oil and sprinkle it liberally with salt and pepper. Massage the rosemary, garlic, lavender, and fennel pollen into the skin. Pour the juice from 1 lemon over the top. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before roasting.

Roast It

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the spatchcocked chicken flat in a roasting dish. Drizzle with the remaining lemon juice. Roast chicken for 40 minutes. Drizzle the chicken with olive oil and return to the oven.

Roast for another 30 to 35 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the skin is browned and crispy.

That's a wrap on my offer for this week. I am hosting next week when the group will be sharing mousse recipes.