Roast Chicken with Rhubarb Lavender Butter
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
- 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ½ cup Girl Meets Dirt Rhubarb Lavender Spoon Preserves
- 4 small lavender sprigs dried or fresh
- Kosher salt
- Whole chicken, 3-4lb
Method:
1. At least one day prior to cooking, pat the chicken very dry (a wet chicken will spend too much time steaming before it begins to turn golden). Slide a finger under the skin of each of the breasts, making 2 little pockets, then use a fingertip to gently loosen a pocket of skin on the outside of the thickest section of each thigh. Push a lavender sprig into each of the 4 pockets.
2. Using about 3/4 teaspoon sea salt per pound of chicken, season the chicken liberally all over. Sprinkle a little of the salt just inside the cavity and on the backbone. Twist and tuck the wing tips behind the shoulders. Cover loosely and refrigerate.
3. Heat the oven to 450°F and arrange a rack in the middle.
4. Make Rhubarb Lavender compound butter: combine butter and jam in a small bowl until smooth and uniform. (Can make up to a week in advance, store in refrigerator, allow to soften at room temperature before using)
5. Roast chicken breast side up for 30 minutes until well browned. Flip and roast for another 10-20 minutes, depending on size. Remove briefly from oven and flip a final time so breast side is up.
6. Spread/brush room temperature compound butter liberally over the chicken.
7. Return to oven to re-crisp the breast skin and caramelize butter for 5-10 minutes. Total oven time will be 45 minutes to 1 hour. Aim for internal temperature of 165 degrees. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before carving.
