Chervil is the most elegant of herbs. It combines a light anise fragrance with parsley’s cleansing freshness. The leaves are delicate and are perfect in sauces or soups. If unavailable, use parsley.–Silvena Rowe
LC Honeyed Sweetness Note
When used in just the right dose and in tandem with just the right flavors, honey can make even the most savory of recipes slightly and pleasingly sweet. This is one of those recipes.
☞ Contents
Lavender and Honey Glazed Chicken
Ingredients
For the lavender and honey chicken
- 3 tablespoons Madeira
- 1 teaspoon dried lavender flowers
- 5 tablespoons honey
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 chicken breast halves (skin-on and bone-in)
For the sauce
- 3/4 cup pine nuts lightly toasted
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped chervil leaves (or substitute flat-leaf parsley)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Make the lavender and honey chicken
- About 2 hours in advance of dinner, pour the Madeira into a saucepan, add the lavender flowers and honey, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and let bubble for 2 minutes. Let stand for an hour so the flavors can infuse. Season with salt and pepper.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C).
- Arrange the chicken in a broiler pan and brush with the honey and lavender mixture. Roast for 45 to 50 minutes, until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest parts reads 165°F. Reserve some of the cooking juices for the sauce.
Make the sauce
- In a large bowl, combine the pine nuts, chervil, olive oil, honey, and 3 tablespoons of the cooking juices from the chicken. Season with salt and pepper.
- Slice the chicken, if desired, and spoon the sauce over the top. Serve immediately.
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Recipe Testers’ Reviews
Who can pass up a good honey-glazed chicken with unique ingredient additions? The first task was to find chervil, which I could not. I looked for it at several grocery stores and specialty shops. The Italian parsley substitution worked well. The recipe did not specify how much sauce to pour on the chicken before roasting, so I used half. Halfway through the roasting I basted the chicken with the remaining sauce. The result was a beautiful golden brown skin with a lovely, sticky, crispy texture. The lavender was not an overpowering flavor, but was quite delicate. Even though these flavors would typically be found in a cup of afternoon tea, my family really enjoyed it. The boys in the house especially liked it, so I will be adding this recipe to my chicken collection.
I thought this was a fabulously simple recipe, and the sauce infused a lovely flavor in the chicken while also helping keep the meat moist. It was a deliciously fresh, bright, and sophisticated way to prepare what I don’t generally think of as a particularly sophisticated meat. And EASY! I love when a recipe uses just a few simple ingredients and yields such a fantastic result. I did not previously stock lavender in my spice cabinet, but am excited now to be on the lookout for recipes that incorporate it!
This is a flavorful, delicately seasoned dish. The honey imparts a sweetness that pairs well with the chervil, lavender, and pine nuts. However, the amount of pine nuts was excessive. This is the only thing I would change next time — 1/4 to 1/2 cup would be adequate. Be sure to use only Mediterranean pine nuts, not those that come from China, or you may experience “pine mouth syndrome.”
Originally published September 20, 2011
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If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #LeitesCulinaria. We'd love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
Anna Scott
I am always drawn to recipes that use lavender as a spice. I love the fresh taste it imparts on everything from meats to vegetables. This recipe was no exception! I loved the taste of the Madeira, honey, and lavender infusion. This chicken was a wonderful Mediterranean-tasting dish that went well with some sautéed kale and roasted Greek potatoes. I couldn’t find chervil at my local market so I used parsley; I think it tasted very good in the pine nut sauce. My only suggestion would be to maybe grill the chicken instead of roasting it. I think the grilled taste would make this recipe even more delicious. The recipe overall was very well-written and the end result was very unique indeed.