Midweek Magic: Herbes de Provence and Herb Lemon Roast Chicken and Potatoes
In our previous post, I spoke briefly about how one of the most powerful tools in your intentional kitchen arsenal are herbs and spices (What Does An Intentional Kitchen Look Like?). The ease at which you can find most herbs and spices in today’s markets make them the perfect addition to impart intention to an easy weeknight meal.
This dish showcases a blend called Herbes De Provence. Herbes De Provence is an umbrella term for a mixture of herbs that have been used in the traditional cuisine of the Provence region of Southern France. The blend became popularized for the global market in the 1960’s and can now be found pretty commonly in most larger supermarkets spice aisles. While there is no exact distinction for what the blend is, it can typically be found to contain savory, oregano, rosemary, thyme, basil, marjoram, and fennel. Here in North America, the mixture famously includes lavender flowers.
As I said before, Herbes De Provence blends are fairly common to find pre-made for those times when you need a quick addition to your dish. However, if you have the time, it is simple to put together a mix at home. Not only do you get to choose exactly which herbs you want in your blend, it also offers you an extra opportunity to infuse even more personal intention into your dish. The following is the blend I like and some of my personal associations with the herbs in it:
Rosemary: Rosemary has long been used in both culinary and medicinal applications by many cultures. I often use rosemary in dishes where I wish to ensure protection and health to those I am feeding, as it is a wonderful herb for purification and cleansing. It is also a lovely addition to workings in the realms of love, luck-drawing, and mental restoration.
Thyme: Thyme has been used by many cultures back into antiquity; even being recorded for use in embalming in Ancient Egypt due to it’s strong antifungal and antibacterial properties. Thyme is one of my favorite herbs to turn to when I need something in a dish to help boost mental clarity and reinforce courage in a situation.
Basil: Basil has to have one of the most recognizable herbal flavors and to me, an alluring and nostalgic scent and is easily one of my favorite herbs. I use it in dishes where I want to promote harmony and happiness, especially in the home.
Marjoram: Marjoram is a multi-purpose member of the mint family that has heavy associations to the moon and moon based deities. I personally use marjoram in dishes that I want to imbue with extra joy and positive energy, especially for those who might be struggling with depression or difficult personal situations.
Oregano: A close cousin of Marjoram, Oregano is popular in Italian, Greek, and Mexican cuisine. Oregano is also a fabulous medicinal herb; Oil of Oregano is a potent natural antifungal and antibiotic that many people use during cold and flu season to help stave off illness. I enjoy using it in recipes to help promote peace and protection and is an excellent addition for warding spellwork.
Fennel: Fennel has long been utilized in many rituals and workings to banish evil spirits, negative energy, and ward off illnesses. Tinctures of fennel and teas featuring it in the mix help to soothe anxiety. Personally, I like using it in workings where I want to gain heightened perception of a situation or perhaps need to adopt a different perspective to help aid overcoming obstacles in daily life.
Tarragon: Tarragon is a delicately flavored herb that is very often synonymous with French cuisine, however is also prolific in Eastern European and Western Asian dishes. Tarragon packs a big intentional punch when used in kitchen spellwork, being used in workings for luck, confidence, happiness, and even love. My number one association with Tarragon is using it in dishes designed to aid in restoration for worn out bodies and minds.
Lavender: As I said previously, Lavender is not seen in this blend outside of North America, however I really enjoy the subtle floral scent and taste it imparts. I also love the intentions that it brings to the party; the most famous being Lavender’s stress soothing properties. Beyond that, I also find it to be an excellent herb to use in gentle love and relationship spell work and bake with it often for those purposes.
When you have chosen the herbs you want in your blend, all you have to do is combine them. I enjoy using my mortar and pestle for this as I feel more in control of the grind I get. I also personally like the chance to imbue the blend with more of my intentions as I grind it by hand. If you do not have a mortar and pestle, you can absolutely use an electric spice grinder or just mix by hand in a bowl and the blend will be just as powerful and delicious!
Once you have your blend all mixed up and intentionally charged, you can store it in a cool, dry place in any airtight container you’d like. I personally like mason jars for this as they are easy to find and keep the herbs well. You can use this blend any time you wish to imbue yourself and your loved ones with a sense of peace, stress reduction, protection, happiness, mental clarity, and body/mind restoration.
Today, I chose to use our herb blend to help super charge a quick and easy sheet pan meal to extra magickal status. Consisting of budget friendly chicken thighs and baby potatoes roasted with a tangy lemon honey vinaigrette, this delicious and simple to put together meal is perfect to whip up and unwind after a hectic day. It is sure to satisfy your belly and help you refuel and refortify your spirit!
Herb Lemon Roast Chicken and Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. dried Rosemary, ground (protection, purification)
- 2 Tbsp. dried Sweet Basil (happiness, harmony)
- 2 Tbsp. dried Marjoram (positivity, joy)
- 2 Tbsp. dried Thyme, ground (courage, mental clarity)
- 2 Tbsp. dried food grade Lavender flowers, ground (stress relief, love)
- 2 Tbsp. dried Oregano, ground (joy, health)
- 1 Tbsp. dried Fennel seed, ground (soothe anxiety, overcome obstacles)
- 1 Tbsp. dried Tarragon (restoration, confidence)
- 1 1/2 lbs. chicken thighs, boneless and skinless
- 1 lb. baby potatoes, cut in half
- 1 large lemon, zested and juiced
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 Tbsp. honey
- 2 Tbsp. Herbes de Provence blend
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 2 tsp. salt, or to taste
- 2 tsp black pepper, or to taste
Instructions
- Blend together all of your herbs in either a mortar and pestle or electric spice grinder, setting your intention as you blend, and roughly grind. Set aside 2 Tbsp for dish and store the rest of the mixture in an airtight container.
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. and prepare a sheet tray with foil or cooking spray.
- Pat your chicken thighs dry with a paper towel and place on a prepared sheet tray, keeping room on one side for the potatoes.
- Cut your baby potatoes to approximately bite size pieces, either in half or quarters if larger, and place on sheet trey next to the chicken.
- In a small bowl, place the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, and honey and mix to combine. Set aside.
- Season your chicken and potatoes with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Herbes de Provence.
- Drizzle your lemon and olive oil mixture evenly over the potatoes and chicken and toss with your hands or tongs to coat all sides.
- Place your sheet tray into your preheated oven and roast for 18-20 minutes, or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked and the potatoes are fork tender and lightly golden.
- Garnish with extra lemon slices and serve with a side vegetable or salad and enjoy!
