Baked Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic
Keith Ann Clotiaux (source unknown)
Yield: 6 servings
1 Tbsp olive oil
4 lbs bone-in chicken pieces, skinned
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
40 large cloves garlic, unpeeled (about 4 heads)
1 3/4 cups dry white wine
4 sprigs thyme or 1/4 tsp dried
2 Tbsp cognac
Chopped fresh parsley
12 (1/2-inch thick) slices of coarse bread
Yield: 6 servings
White rice would make a great accompaniment, as would a spinach salad with grapes, toasted walnuts and goat cheese. (Dec 1996)
Recipe history: When a cook wants a simple and delicious entree, this classic French chicken breast recipe with 40 cloves of garlic is healthy, low-calorie and a garlic lover’s nirvana. This recipe is a traditional French bistro dish which gathered steam in the U.S. in the mid-’60s and early ’70s when French cooking was making its mark, thanks largely to Julia Child’s influential cookbooks. Gourmet magazine published a recipe for it in April 1967, and James Beard added to its momentum with his version of the recipe in his cookbook Beard on Food (1974).
1 Tbsp olive oil
4 lbs bone-in chicken pieces, skinned
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
40 large cloves garlic, unpeeled (about 4 heads)
1 3/4 cups dry white wine
4 sprigs thyme or 1/4 tsp dried
2 Tbsp cognac
Chopped fresh parsley
12 (1/2-inch thick) slices of coarse bread
Preheat oven to 350˚F. Heat oil over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed, flame-proof casserole wide enough to accommodate the chicken in a single layer. Add chicken and season with salt and pepper. Sauté for 5 minutes then turn over and sauté another 5 minutes. If the bottom of the pan scorches a little, don’t worry; it won’t affect the flavor of the dish.
Remove the chicken from the pot. Add garlic, reserving 1 clove, and saute, stirring 3-5 minutes, until beginning to brown. Again, don’t worry about scorching. Spread cloves in a single layer and return the chicken pieces to the pot. Add wine, thyme and rosemary and cover tightly. Place casserole in the oven and bake for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, check the chicken. It should be tender and fragrant. If it isn’t quite cooked through or very tender, bake another 15 minutes. Remove casserole from oven. Heat cognac in a small saucepan and light with a match. Pour over the chicken and shake the casserole until the flames die down. Taste the sauce in the pot, adjust seasoning and sprinkle with parsley.
Toast the bread slices in an oven preheated to 350˚F until they began to color, about 10 minutes, then rub both sides with the cut side of the reserved garlic clove. To serve, place a couple of garlic crouton on each plate and top them with a piece of chicken or two, some of the sauce in the pan and several garlic cloves, which you can squeeze out onto the croutons.