Description
Ina Garten’s chicken with 40 cloves of garlic emerges as a classic French-inspired dish with rich, aromatic depth. Tender roasted chicken bathes in mellow garlic sauce, inviting diners to savor its comforting and elegant simplicity.
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg (3.3 lbs) chickens, cut into 8ths
- 3 whole heads of garlic (approx. 40 cloves)
- 30 mL (1 fl oz) good olive oil
- 15 g (0.5 oz) unsalted butter
- 45 mL (1.5 fl oz) Cognac (divided)
- 375 mL (12.7 fl oz) dry white wine
- 2 tbsps plain flour
- 30 mL (1 fl oz) double cream
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Garlic Preparation: Blanch garlic cloves in boiling water for one minute, then peel and set aside at room temperature.
- Chicken Seasoning: Thoroughly dry chicken pieces with paper towels, then generously season with kosher salt and black pepper, ensuring comprehensive coverage.
- Browning Process: Heat Dutch oven with butter and olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear chicken pieces in batches, positioning skin-side down first and cooking until golden brown, approximately 3-5 minutes per side. Transfer browned chicken to a separate plate.
- Garlic Sautéing: In the same pot, reduce heat and gently sauté garlic cloves until uniformly golden, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
- Deglazing and Liquid Addition: Pour Cognac and wine into the pot, increasing heat to boil and scrape browned bits from the bottom using a wooden spoon.
- Braising Chicken: Return chicken pieces to the pot, sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves. Cover and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes until chicken is thoroughly cooked.
- Sauce Creation: Remove chicken to a serving platter and tent with foil. Whisk cooking liquid with flour, then reintegrate into the pot. Raise heat, add remaining Cognac and cream, boiling for 3 minutes to develop a rich, velvety sauce.
- Final Seasoning: Taste and adjust sauce with additional salt and pepper to balance flavors.
- Serving: Elegantly drizzle sauce and roasted garlic over chicken, serving immediately while piping hot.
Notes
Master Garlic Peeling Technique: Quickly blanch cloves in boiling water for 60 seconds to easily slip off skins without crushing delicate flesh.
Chicken Browning Pro Tip: Pat meat completely dry before searing to achieve that perfect golden-brown crust without steaming the surface.
Sauce Rescue Strategy: Whisk flour with cooking liquid separately to prevent lumps, ensuring a silky smooth sauce every single time.
Temperature Control Trick: Adjust stovetop heat dynamically during browning – lower if fat starts burning to maintain ideal caramelization without scorching.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 540
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 36 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 24 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 7 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 42 g
- Cholesterol: 150 mg