Chicken With Forty Cloves of Garlic

Dinner, Favorite Cookbooks, Hungry, Sauces, , , , , , 23 Comments

I can’t believe we are already in the last week of October…. Has this month gone by quickly for anyone else? I’ll be honest, it’s been a crazy month and I feel like I haven’t had as much time for cooking as I would like. Work has become all-consuming to say the least and moments of peace feel like they have been few and far between.

In good news though, the weather finally turned cool enough this past weekend that I was able to light my fireplace which is something I always find so much comfort in.  Before we know it the leaves will begin to change color and life will be back to normal.

With the end of October is in sight and Halloween just a few days away I wanted to share with you a perfect dish for warding off all those creepy Monsters and Vampires…. Chicken with Forty (yes FORTY) cloves of garlic.

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Chicken with Forty Cloves of Garlic is a recipe that I’ve had on my culinary bucket list since I first saw Ina Garten make it many years ago. While all of that garlic might seem intimidating, don’t worry, unless you are a Vampire. The garlic cooks slowly with the chicken becoming sweet, tender, and caramelized in a rich sauce flavored with thyme, white wine and cognac.  Serve this delicious chicken and sauce over a bed of creamy mashed potatoes and you’ve got the perfect meal for a cool October night.

Enjoy!

Chicken With Forty Cloves Of Garlic 

Recipe by Ina Garten

Ingredients:

3 Whole Heads of Garlic, about 40 cloves

2 (3 1/2 pound) Chickens, cut in to eighths

Salt

Black Pepper

1 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

3 Tablespoons Cognac, divided

1-1/2 Cups Dry White Wine

1 Tablespoon Fresh Thyme Leaves

2 Tablespoons All Purpose Flour

2 Tablespoons Heavy Cream

Directions:

Separate the Cloves of Garlic…

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and drop them into a pot of boiling water for 60 seconds.  (This makes the peels slip right off and peeling all this garlic easy.)

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Drain the garlic, peel and set aside.

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season liberally with salt and fresh black pepper.  Heat the butter and olive oil a very large Dutch oven (or heavy bottom pot) over medium high heat.  In batches, sauté the chicken (skin side down first then turn) until nicely browned about 3 – 5 minutes per side.

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Transfer the chicken to a plate and continue to sauté the chicken in batches. Transfer the last of the chicken to the plate, reduce the heat to medium low and add all the garlic to the pot.  Sauté the garlic for 5 – 10 minutes until evenly browned.

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Add in 2 tablespoons of Cognac and the white wine and bring to a boil while scraping all the brown bits off the bottom of the pot.  Return the chicken to the pot with all the juices and sprinkle in the thyme leaves.

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Cover and cook on the lowest heat for 30 minutes, until all the chicken is done.

Remove all the chicken to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm.  In a small bowl whisk together 1/2 cup of the sauce with 2 tablespoons of flour then whisk back into the sauce in the pot.  Raise the heat, add the remaining tablespoon of cognac and the cream, and boil for 3 minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Pour the sauce and garlic over the chicken and serve hot.

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Posted by

My name is Melody and I am the cook and blogger behind Meals With Mel. I have a love for traveling, I share a joy for gardening, and I have a passion for cooking. Although I do some baking, I don't consider myself a baker as I can't stand having to measure. When it comes to cooking my philosophy is add a bit of this, a dash of that, a splash of something doesn't hurt, never forget some type of pepper and always add at least one clove of garlic. Thanks for stopping by my Spicy Texas Kitchen and I hope to see you again!!! Melody

23 thoughts on “Chicken With Forty Cloves of Garlic”

    1. Thanks Tonya 🙂
      I’m not always the best about taking lots of pictures… I get too caught up in the cooking and realize I have no pictures of the steps. I wonder if I can trade someone food for taking pictures for me?

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      1. Taking photos while cooking is quite challenging! After all, you don’t want to drop your iPhone or camera into a pot or get food all over it. I’m sure you’d have lots of volunteers for an assistant, especially if they got to eat what you were making! I’d do it if I weren’t so far away. 😉

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      2. It can be a bit of a challenge…. the hardest part it taking pictures while frying something, like the picture of searing off the chicken, it’s was popping and spattering all over the place and my poor phone was getting the brunt of it. Then one time I dropped my phone in hot wing sauce… That was a mess! Well if you are ever in Texas and hungry feel free to stop on by 🙂

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  6. Happy Halloween to you too! I too have trouble taking photos solo, and I have a huge DSLR Canon, no fancy iPhone thingy, lol! I first made this recipe YEARS ago from a Junior Farm League cookbook from the late 70s. You are right, the caramelized garlic is fantastic! We have gone below freezing in my neck of the woods at night now. My parents are coming up to stay in their condo here for 5 weeks on Friday, (they usually come in the summer to escape the Texas heat but my dad got injured and they had to delay) and I told them to bring sweaters and coats! Great dish, it’s wonderful you shared it. Perfect for Halloween. 🙂

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    1. Thanks Kathryn! Garlic and Halloween just go together don’t they 🙂
      Brrr!! Below freezing sounds wonderful as a Texan I’m ready for a winter wonderland…. It’s pouring down rain here today but at least it’s cool out.
      I envy your parents 5 weeks in the north west sound like a dream right now… I’m trying to talk the hubby in a winter trip up to Whistler, BC to see some snow in January.
      Happy Halloween!! 🎃

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  7. Hi Mel! I can’t believe there are actually 40 cloves of garlic in this dish!! I do love garlic though– and anything saucy with mashed potatoes. fun recipe!!
    And it is turning cooler here too at long last. Nice to snug under a blanket at bedtime after so many hot hot weeks! Happy autumn to you in Texas!!

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    1. Thanks Rhonda😀
      Yep 40 cloves of garlic, according to Doctor OZ…garlic is great for the immune system making this dish healthy right? Garlic and cold weather… I’m not sure anything could make me happier.

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