Lavender Lemon Chicken

Ingredients

 * ⅓ – ½ cup butter, room temperature
 * 2 teaspoons dried culinary lavender
 * 1 teaspoon dried thyme
 * 3 garlic cloves, minced
 * ½ teaspoon lemon zest
 * 1 teaspoon salt
 * ½ teaspoon pepper
 * ½ large onion
 * 1 x 4 – 7 pound chicken
 * ¼ cup dry vermouth
 * ½ cup chicken stock
 * 1 – 2 tablespoons flour or Wondra

Directions

 * 1) Rinse chicken; pat dry.
 * 2) Reserve 2 tablespoons herb butter for gravy.
 * 3) Slide hand under skin of chicken breast to loosen skin from meat  and place in slices of the herb butter.
 * 4) Spread remaining herb butter over outside of chicken.
 * 5) Truss chicken.
 * 6) Place the chicken in a flameproof roasting pan.
 * 7) Slice the onion into large pieces and scatter around the chicken.
 * 8) Arrange birds in a flameproof roasting pan.
 * 9) Roast bird in middle of oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part  of a thigh (be careful not to touch bone) registers 170° to 175°F.
 * 10) It will take roughly  55 – 65 minutes for a four pound chicken and 8 minutes more per every pound  over that.
 * 11) Lift chicken and tilt, emptying any juices from cavity into roasting pan.
 * 12) Remove the chicken to the platter, cover loosely, and make the following sauce.
 * 13) Add vermouth to pan.
 * 14) Place pan over high heat; bring vermouth to boil,  scraping up any browned bits and onions.
 * 15) Strain the mixture into cup with pan juices.
 * 16) Spoon fat off.
 * 17) Pour back into the pan.
 * 18) Bring to a simmer; melt reserved  2 tablespoons herb butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
 * 19) Add flour or Wondra; whisk until smooth.
 * 20) Serve with gravy.