Chicken with 40 cloves of garlic—the garlic mellows in the oven and lends wonderful, rich flavor to the slow-cooked chicken!

Chicken with 40 cloves of garlic—the garlic is mellow and lends wonderful flavor to the slow cooked chicken!

When you tell someone you’re about to serve Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic, you see their eyes immediately widen and you can imagine their thoughts…I won’t be able to talk to anyone for days…40 cloves of garlic! 

Forty cloves of garlic seems like a lot, but after slow roasting in the oven, the garlic becomes mellow and flavorful. Chicken with 40 cloves of garlic is French in origin, with James Beard bringing a simple version to American cooking back in the 70s.

My version is quite similar, with just a few tweaks and additions.

Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 whole, cut-up chicken
  • 40 cloves of garlic, peeled
  • 2 medium onions, chopped
  • 4 stalks of celery, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1 ½ cups dry white wine
  • 6 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 4 sprigs fresh parsley
  • Additional olive oil for drizzling

I start with a whole cut-up chicken and generously salt and pepper.

Chicken with 40 cloves of garlic—the garlic is mellow and lends wonderful flavor to the slow cooked chicken!

Then brown the chicken in olive oil and butter, just until lightly browned. Remove the chicken from the pot and add the 40 cloves of garlic…be prepared to feel your mouth water as the garlic aroma surrounds you.

You can take the time to peel 40 cloves of garlic if you have masochistic tendencies, or you can take the easy road like I do and buy one of the jars of already peeled cloves found in the produce section of most grocery stores.

These usually hold slightly more than 40 cloves, but I just throw them all in the pot. And the jar doesn’t keep long, so buy it and use it quickly or you’ll find your garlic growing things that you don’t want to eat.

Chicken with 40 cloves of garlic—the garlic is mellow and lends wonderful flavor to the slow cooked chicken!

Once the garlic is lightly browned, toss in the chopped onion and celery. Now it really starts smelling great. Allow the vegetables to cook for about five minutes or so, just until they start to get tender.

Chicken with 40 cloves of garlic—the garlic is mellow and lends wonderful flavor to the slow cooked chicken!

Pour in the wine and scrape the bottom to release all the tasty bits of chicken and garlic, then place the chicken right on top of the vegetables, drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with dried thyme and rosemary.

Lay your fresh herbs across the chicken and cover the pot.

Chicken with 40 cloves of garlic—the garlic is mellow and lends wonderful flavor to the slow cooked chicken!

Cook in a 375 oven for about an hour. I strongly suggest you grab a glass of wine and hang in the kitchen, so you can inhale the goodness emanating from your oven.

I added some roasted potato wedges, though mashed potatoes or polenta would probably be better. And definitely sliced French bread for spreading the roasted garlic.

Enjoy!

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5 from 2 votes

Chicken with Forty Cloves of Garlic

Chicken with 40 cloves of garlic—the garlic is mellow and lends wonderful flavor to the slow cooked chicken!
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 1 hour 20 minutes
Total: 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients 

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 whole, cut-up chicken
  • 40 cloves of garlic, peeled (I use the jar from the produce department)
  • 2 medium onions, chopped
  • 4 stalks of celery, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1 ½ cups dry white wine

Bouquet garni: (tie them together with kitchen twine)

  • 6 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 4 sprigs fresh parsley
  • Additional olive oil for drizzling

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 375°. 
  • Salt and pepper chicken pieces generously on both sides. In a large Dutch oven, heat olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces, a few at a time, and brown on each side.
  • Remove chicken from the pot, turn heat down to medium-low, and add the garlic, sautéing until lightly browned. Toss in the chopped onion and celery and stir for a few minutes until tender.
  • Remove from heat and place the chicken back in the pot on top of the vegetables. Drizzle olive oil on top of the chicken and sprinkle the dried herbs over the chicken and vegetables.
  • Add the bouquet garni to the top of the chicken and cover the pot. Place in the oven and roast for about thirty minutes, until all the chicken is done.

Nutrition

Serving: 6servings, Calories: 352kcal, Carbohydrates: 13g, Protein: 16g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 66mg, Sodium: 83mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 3g
Course: Chicken
Cuisine: American
Calories: 352
Keyword: chicken with forty cloves of garlic
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Lucy standing behind a counter with a cheese board and glass of wine.

About the author

Hi, I’m Lucy! I’m a home cook, writer, food and wine fanatic, and recipe developer. I’ve created and tested hundreds of recipes so that I can bring you the best tried and true favorites.

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3 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I’ve tried a similar recipe and loved it, so definitely want to try your version soon. Love the photography too!!

  2. 5 stars
    I’ve tried a similar recipe and loved it, so definitely want to try your version soon. Love the photography too!!