We recently threw a barbecue dinner, and as I mentioned in last week’s video, we grow all sorts of lavender. I made a marinade for chicken legs with lavender honey, lemon juice, herbes de Provence, dry sherry, garlic and soy sauce and used half of it for the glaze.
The glaze was thickened with tapioca starch; I used it as soon as the grill marks were visible on the chicken. I reinforced the lavender flavor with soaked sprigs of lavender. If you don’t have fresh lavender, fresh rosemary would work fine too.
1. Info for Lavender Grilled Chicken Recipe
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins
- Servings: 6
- Calories: 332kcal
2. Ingredients for Lavender Grilled Chicken Recipe
- 4 pounds chicken legs, without the skin
- ½ cup lavender honey
- ¼ cup dry sherry
- 6 cloves garlic, finely minced
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- juice of 1 lemon, + extra
- ¼ cup olive oil, + extra for grilling
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons allspice
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt (or regular salt)
- 2 tablespoons herbes de Provence, chopped
- 6 sprigs fresh lavender
- 2 tablespoons tapioca starch
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, freshly cracked
3. Directions:
- For the lavender marinade: In a blender, combine the lavender honey, dry sherry, garlic, soy sauce, lemon juice, paprika, allspice, herbes de Provence, cayenne pepper (if using), ginger and black peppercorns. Mix until well distributed. Reserve ¼ cup and use the rest for the marinade.
- Add baking powder to the marinade. Clean the chicken thoroughly. Ensure that the skin is still there and gently pat the chicken dry with a paper towel. Coat with marinade and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Remove from the refrigerator. Rinse the chicken one more time and pat dry with paper towels. Cover and brush the chicken on both sides with the lavender marinade. Season the chicken with 2 teaspoons of kosher salt and black pepper. Let sit until it’s back to room temperature (at least 30 minutes) before cooking. Warm the reserved lavender sauce in a small saucepan. In a small bowl, dissolve the tapioca starch with 4 tablespoons water. Pour into the sauce and stir continuously until thickened. Set aside over low heat.
- Remove the chicken 15 minutes before cooking to bring it back to room temperature. Reserve the marinade on the side. Pat dry the chicken using paper towels.
- Brush the hot barbecue grill with oil. Place the chicken on the grill and cook for 8-10 minutes over medium heat. Once grill marks are visible, baste the meat often with the reserved lavender marinade. Flip the chicken pieces and cook for an additional 7-8 minutes, brushing one more time with the remaining marinade.
- Remove the chicken from the grill. Drizzle with the remaining lemon juice and loosely cover with foil. Allow to rest for at least 10 minutes.
- A thermometer should register 165°F in the thickest part of the piece of chicken.
- The chicken should have a dry layer on the outside and be very moist on the inside.
- We served the chicken with sweet potatoes cooked in the coals on the side.
- Voilà!
