Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic

[walton_eats]

I've tried several recipes for this dish. This is the absolute *best*. So simple, so savory, so *good*.



Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic

1 whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 - 3/4 cups dry white wine
10 sprigs fresh thyme
40 cloves garlic, peeled
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350F. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in wide fry pan or braiser over high heat. Add chicken and brown on both sides (do in two batches if necessary). Remove chicken and add garlic, tossing in hot oil. Add wine and deglaze pan. Turn off heat and add chicken back to pan, skin side up, in one layer. Tuck thyme between chicken pieces. Cover and bake for one hour. Remove cover, increase heat to 375F and bake an additional 30 minutes, until chicken is done and skin is crispy.

Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Serve with crusty bread to spread the wonderful soft garlic on, and with mashed potatoes or rice dressed with the pan juices.

Comments

[fimbrethil.livejournal.com]

This looks wonderful. I'll make it straight from the recipe once but then I'm wondering how the addition of mushrooms and/or small red potatoes would turn out.

[klwalton.livejournal.com]

I think it would turn out fine; neither of those ingredients would fight the flavors already in the dish, and mushrooms and thyme are a marriage made in culinary heaven as far as I'm concerned.

I love these kinds of very basic dishes which are delicious as they are but can stand up to some playing.