June is when lavender begins to come into its own. The first colour appearing in the fields, and that unmistakable scent starting to carry on the warm air. It’s the moment it naturally finds its way into the kitchen too, used with a light touch to bring something soft and unexpected to summer cooking.
In this dish, lavender is kept deliberately subtle, just enough to add a gentle, aromatic note that sits quietly alongside honey, lemon, and herbs. The sweetness and acidity balance beautifully with the richness of the chicken, while thyme and fennel keep everything grounded.
It’s the kind of recipe that feels impressive but unfussy. A single tray, a warm oven, and something you can bring to the table and share, ideally with a few early potatoes on the side and a glass of something cold.
Don’t worry about the lavender being too floral. Used sparingly, it adds a gentle lift rather than dominating the dish.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Juice of ½ lemon and 1 tsp finely grated zest
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges (about 1cm thick)
- 2 tsp fennel seeds
- 1–1.5g culinary dried lavender grains
- Leaves from 4 sprigs thyme, chopped
- 8 whole sprigs thyme
- 12 chicken thighs, bone in and skin on
- 2–3 red onions, peeled and cut into wedges
- 2 heads of garlic, cloves separated but skin left intact
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C / 190°C fan / gas mark 6.
In a small bowl, mix together the honey, olive oil, lemon juice and zest, and season with salt and pepper.
Using a mortar and pestle, lightly crush the fennel seeds with the dried lavender grains. Add this mixture to the bowl along with the chopped thyme.
Using kitchen scissors, trim any excess skin from the chicken pieces.
Choose a roasting tin where the chicken can lie in a single layer with a little space around each piece. Scatter the onion wedges and garlic cloves across the base.
Place the chicken on top and pour over the honey mixture. Toss everything together with your hands, finishing with the chicken skin-side up.
Season the chicken skin and scatter over the thyme sprigs.
Roast for 30 minutes, then remove from the oven and tuck the lemon wedges among the chicken.
Spoon some of the juices over the lemon and chicken, then return to the oven for a further 10–15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the skin is golden and slightly sticky.
Transfer to a serving dish, spooning over the juices, onions, and garlic.
To serve
Serve with roasted baby potatoes tossed in olive oil. These can cook on another shelf in the oven. For something a little different, add a handful of black Provençal olives to the potatoes for the final 10 minutes of cooking. As it's summer, a fresh green salad of your choice works perfectly with this dish.
If you love bringing natural fragrance and colour into your cooking, explore our culinary range!
