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This traditional French Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic turns basic items into a fancy, fragrant meal. Juicy chicken thighs cook alongside whole garlic cloves that turn mild and sweet during the cooking time. You'll end up with a deep, flavorful sauce that's perfect for dunking crusty bread. Don't worry about the large amount of garlic—the slow cooking makes it mellow and sophisticated, not overwhelming at all.
It all comes down to watching your heat and giving the garlic plenty of time to soften up.
Key Ingredients Breakdown
- Whole garlic cloves
- Chicken thighs for juiciness
- A good dry white wine
- Herbs picked fresh
Using top-notch stuff really changes how good this tastes in the end.
Step-by-Step Cooking Guide
- 1. Get everything ready first.
- Take care when peeling garlic so cloves stay whole - don't smash them or you'll let out too much flavor too early. Give chicken thighs a good coating of salt and pepper. Get a heavy oven-safe pan really hot over medium-high heat. Pour in oil and wait till it shimmers.
- 2. Brown the chicken pieces
- a few at a time so they're not crowded, about 4-5 minutes each side until they're golden. This builds your flavor base. Take chicken out and set it aside. Turn heat down to medium and toss in all the garlic cloves.
- 3. Toss in your herbs and spices
- with the garlic, stirring carefully so you don't break the cloves. Cook until you can smell everything, around 2 minutes. Pour in wine and scrape all the tasty bits off the bottom. Let it cook down by half to make flavors stronger.
- 4. Put the chicken back in,
- pour in broth, and cover it tight. Move to your preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes until chicken feels tender and garlic gets soft enough to spread.
- 5. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes
- before you dish it up. The garlic should squish easily into the sauce. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve hot with some crusty bread nearby.
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Don't rush when cooking the garlic - it needs time to work its magic.
Keeping Leftovers Fresh
Pop any extras in a sealed container and they'll last about 3 days in the fridge. The sauce might get thick when cold - just add a splash of broth when warming it up. If you want to freeze it, it'll stay good for 2 months in a freezer container. Thaw in your fridge overnight and warm slowly on the stove. Add fresh herbs after you've warmed it up.
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Tasty Pairing Ideas
Dish this up hot over creamy mashed potatoes, fluffy rice, or with chunks of baguette for soaking up sauce. Try it with some roasted veggies or a simple green salad on the side. Smear the soft garlic cloves on bread for extra yumminess. Drink the same white wine you cooked with for a perfect match.
Fixing Common Problems
If your garlic starts getting too brown, just turn the heat down. Got runny sauce? Let it bubble uncovered a few minutes longer. When chicken seems tough, just cook it a bit more. If the sauce tastes too tangy, drop in some butter. Bitter garlic usually means cloves got squashed during cooking.
Prep-Ahead Options
You can peel all the garlic up to 2 days before and keep it in a sealed container. Get the chicken seasoned and herbs ready a day ahead. When having friends over, do all the stovetop work earlier, then finish in the oven right before everyone eats.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- → Should I actually use 40 garlic cloves?
- Yep, they get sweet and buttery once cooked - not strong or overpowering
- → Which wine should I pick?
- Any dry white like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio works great
- → Will chicken breasts work too?
- Sure, but thighs stay juicier and taste better
- → Any tricks for peeling garlic fast?
- Try shaking cloves between two bowls or grab a silicone garlic peeler
- → Can I cook this beforehand?
- Absolutely, it warms up nicely within 3 days if stored right