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Want a dinner that will wow but is so easy to make? 40 clove garlic chicken is just the showstopper. Tender, juicy chicken thighs braised in a delicious wine sauce with 40, yes 40, cloves of garlic!
This might be my new favorite dish! 40 cloves of garlic sounds overwhelming, but don’t worry, this isn’t a potion to ward off vampires. The garlic adds subtle flavor, but not overpowering, and the cloves become so soft and tender.
40 Cloves of Garlic
The star of this dish, and also the hardest part, is 40 peeled cloves of garlic. Now I know there are lots of tips and tricks to peeling garlic, but this one does the trick for me, especially with such a large amount to peel.
Start with a small pot of boiling water. Count out 40 cloves of garlic, removing as much of the excess papery skin as you can. Drop the cloves in the water and boil for 1-2 minutes. You don’t want to cook the garlic or boil out the flavor. Drain and cool, and now you can peel with easy, without getting that garlic smell stuck on your fingers. Peel the cloves and set them aside.
Chicken Thighs
Now that the garlic is prepped, it is time to make the chicken. Start with 8 chicken thighs, bone-in and skin on. Season liberally with salt and pepper and dredge in all purpose flour. Add a drizzle of olive oil to a dutch oven or large pot over medium high heat. Sear the thighs on both sides for 2-3 minutes or until golden, working in batches if needed so you don’t overcrowd the pan. Set the chicken aside.
Add the peeled garlic to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes or until fragrant. Pour in 1/2 cup of dry white wine and simmer until the wine has reduced by half. Pour in 1 1/2 cups of chicken stock and add the chicken back to the pot. Also add in 2 sprigs of rosemary, 2 bay leaves, and 1 tbsp of Italian seasoning or dried thyme. Cover and reduce the heat to medium, allowing the chicken to simmer for 20-25 minutes.
The flour coated chicken will help thicken the stock and wine to create a nice glossy sauce to coat the chicken. I finished mine with 2 tbsp of butter, just to add a bit more flavor and sheen to the sauce.You’ll want to serve this right away over rice, egg noodles, or pasta. Or, serve this 40 clove garlic chicken with with some pieces of nice crusty bread to smear those soft garlic cloves on.
Want More Chicken Recipes?
- Avocado California Chicken
- Chicken Tetrazzini
- Baked Chicken With Peach Barbeque Sauce
- Buttermilk Braised Chicken
- Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas
- Spatchcock Mojo Chicken
40 Garlic Clove Chicken
Ingredients
- 40 cloves garlic unpeeled
- 8 chicken thighs bone in, skin on
- salt and pepper
- ⅓ cup all purpose flour
- 2 tbsp olive oil for frying
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1½ cups chicken stock
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp italian seasoning or dried thyme
- 2 tbsp butter
Instructions
- In a small pot of boiling water, add garlic cloves and boil for 1-2 minutes. Drain and let cool, then peel and set aside
- Season thighs liberally with salt and pepper and dredge in flour. Add oil to a dutch oven or large pot over medium high heat and sear chicken thighs 2-3 minutes per side or until golden. Work in batches if needed to not overcrowd the pan.
- Set chicken aside and add garlic to the same pot. Cook for 2 minutes or until fragrant.
- Add wine to deglaze the pan and let it reduce by half. Add in chicken stock and place the thighs back in the pot.
- Add rosemary, bay leaves, and italian seasoning and cover, reducing the heat to medium.
- Let the thighs simmer for 20-25 minutes, remove the lid, and finish with butter.
- Serve immediately over rice, egg noodles, or pasta
