Lemon and Lavender Chicken | My Little Paris Kitchen

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When was the last time you used lavender in the kitchen? No, aromatherapy does not count. I’ve used lavender in shortbread and other baked goods but not much in savory applications. I came across this lemon and lavender chicken in a French cookbook called The Little Paris Kitchen by Rachel Khoo. Rachel is a British food writer who left England to study pâtisserie in Paris at Le Cordon Bleu. Before this, she had studied art and design and it shows with the hand-drawn illustrations that are used in her cookbooks.

While living in Paris, she fell in love with the cuisine. As she was working on her cookbook, she conducted a mini restaurant in her tiny kitchen. Rachel cooked on a small, two burner gas stove and what looked like a large toaster oven. After she wrote her cookbook, a BBC television show followed, where you can watch her make classic French dishes in her tiny kitchen with her signature red lipstick and cool, parisienne-hip style. She’s charming to watch and the food looks delightful. Rachel’s aim was to make all the French classics approachable and not so serious, adding her own special twists.

How do you use lavender in cooking?

The key to using lavender in savory applications is to not use too much of it. This recipe uses two tablespoons in the marinade for ten pieces of chicken. To use it, the lavender is crushed in a mortar and pestle. If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, just use a small bowl and the end of a rolling pin or something similar. It is also important to use culinary lavender versus dried lavender which is used for crafts or essential oils. So be sure to read the package and purchase lavender that is intended to be consumed. It will have less oils in it and will usually be English lavender. Sources can be found online and at specialty food shops. I’ve even seen it at World Market. For my local readers, I found some at Lotsa Pasta in their spice section.

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I was very intrigued when I found this recipe and had to try it right away. At the time, I was cooking for a client with severe food limitations due to a health issue and the only sweetener I could use was honey. She mainly only ate proteins and non-starchy vegetables and was hoping I could make their limited diet tastier. This recipe was one she and her husband loved. We found the delicate scent and flavors to be so enticing and amazingly good. If you didn’t know lavender was in it, the first bite is somewhat magical. Combined with the honey, lemon and thyme, it creates a sweet and savory flavor and the natural pan juices are delicious spooned over the chicken. Don’t disregard it and pour it down the drain!

What do you serve with this lemon and lavender chicken?

I would serve this simply with just some nice salad greens and a vinaigrette or a green vegetable. Green beans, broccolini or asparagus would complement it nicely. Maybe a nice baguette to mop up all those delicious juices? You really can’t go wrong. Just nothing overwhelming as to compete with the delicate flavor of the lavender. A crisp white wine would be nice too! Even though this dish seems summery, I think it would be nice anytime of the year and especially lovely on a cold, drizzly day. Would you try lavender in more savory dishes? This is a really great one to start and maybe inspire you to branch out with more culinary uses with lavender.

The video.