Ever since my magical trip to France this summer, I’ve been wanting to use the Herbs de Provence that I brought back from the market there (pictured below)! One thing I learned during my travels is that unlike American-made blends of Herbs de Provence, the classic French recipe does not have lavender in it, an ingredient that I didn’t particularly like in the blend! There are some variations but the classic recipe includes dried rosemary, thyme, savory and oregano – a mix I can definitely get behind. I assume the lavender must have been added due to the many lavender fields in the region (which was one of the most favorite parts of my visit – pictured below!) but I prefer lavender in soap, or surprisingly in my iced coffee!
Of course this recipe wasn’t planned, it came together before Shabbat with a lonely bulb of fennel from the fridge, a half head of cabbage that was leftover from testing a salad recipe, some oranges from the bin and shallots I had – and it was absolutely amazing! It’s time to use up more of the jar of Herbs de Provence, I’m obsessed!
Herbs de Provence Roast Chicken with Fennel & Orange
1 whole chicken (about 3lb)
2 oranges, quartered (reserve one quarter for sauce)
2 shallots, peeled and quartered
1/2 large green cabbage, sliced into wedges
1 fennel, trimmed and sliced into wedges
handful of fresh rosemary
1 small head garlic
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp whole grain mustard
1 tbsp herbs de Provence (see note)
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp honey
zest and juice of 1/4 orange
salt and pepper, to taste
Pat the chicken dry and place in a roasting pan. Fill the cavity with a quarter of an orange, rosemary and garlic and tie the legs with kitchen twine. Place the remaining orange segments (reserve one for the sauce), shallots, cabbage and fennel around the chicken.
In a bowl, combine the minced garlic, mustard, herbs de Provence, olive oil, honey, orange zest and juice, salt and pepper. Rub the mixture over the chicken. Drizzle the vegetables with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Roast, uncovered at 425 degrees for approximately one hour, basting occassionally with the pan juices, until the vegetables are caramelized and the chicken is cooked through.
NOTE: Herbs de Provence is fairly easy to find in many major or gourmet markets, Trader Joes also carries a blend. For a lavender-free kosher blend on Amazon, you can try this!
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