40 Clove Garlic Chicken is a classic French recipe made by many celebrity chefs and hugely popular for its tender chicken combined with tons of buttery browned garlic cloves. Now don’t fret, with the name “40 clove garlic” – it may look like loads of garlic, but it mellows as it slowly roasts, creating a beautiful sweet and savoury flavour with flavours from fresh thyme and bay leaves. Chicken is smothered in a rich sauce of white wine, corn flour and chicken stock.
Jump to:
Why This Chicken Recipe Works
- If you like classic French recipes, this one is perfect for you.
- This is an easy one-pan recipe that is easily made on the stovetop or in an oven.
- It’s rustic, elegant and simple to make.
- Now don’t fret, with the name “40 clove garlic” – it may look like loads of garlic, but it mellows as it slowly roasts, creating a beautiful sweet and savoury flavour.
- It’s a perfect dish for cosy weeknight dinners or for Sunday family lunch.
Ingredients
- Chicken thighs – best to use chicken thighs with bone and skin on. I used boneless chicken thighs.
- Garlic – I put 40 cloves of garlic, don’t fret by that number. You’ll see how that loads of garlic makes the dish mellow into a beautiful, buttery brown, sweet savoury flavour.
- Bay leaves – use fresh or dried bay leaves.
- Fresh Thyme – to add freshness to the dish.
- Olive oil – Use extra virgin olive oil.
- Butter – add unsalted butter.
- Dry white wine – use cognac, chardonnay or sauvignon blanc.
- Corn Flour – to thicken the sauce.
- Chicken stock – Use low-sodium chicken stock.
- Salt – pepper -to taste.
Ingredients Additions & Substitutions
- Heavy cream – to enrich the sauce, consider adding 1-2 tablespoons of heavy cream in the end.
- Chicken – you can use a whole chicken with skin on or use chicken legs and wings with skin on.
- Herbs – fresh thyme can be substituted with fresh parsley or tarragon.
40 garlic cloves?! Here’s an easy way to peel it!
Separate the garlic cloves from the garlic head. Boil water in a large saucepan. Add garlic cloves with skin on. Cook for 1 minute. Drain and allow it to cool until it’s safe to handle. Peel garlic; the skin comes off easily.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Heat a large cast-iron pan. Add olive oil and butter.
Step 2: Place the chicken thighs, skin-side down, and sear for 5 minutes.
Step 3: Flip and cook the chicken on the other side for 3 minutes.
Step 4: Distribute garlic cloves to the pan and spread them across the pan. Add bay leaves and stick fresh thyme sprigs to the pan between chicken thighs.
Step 5: Reduce the heat to the lowest setting, then cover the pan with the lid.
Step 6: Allow chicken to simmer in the fan for 12 to 15 minutes. Note: If using chicken thighs with bones, you have to cook them longer. Monitor the internal temperature of the chicken for its doneness. If the internal temperature reaches 165°F and clear juices run off the meat, the chicken is cooked.
Step 7: Transfer chicken and roasted garlic to a plate. Discard bay leaves and thyme.
Step 8: Cover the chicken with aluminium foil and let it sit.
Step 9: Into the same pan, pour dry white wine.
Step 10: Whisk well and cook it down until it reduces to half.
Step 11: Whisk corn flour with a little chicken stock. Whisk well until no lumps are left.
Step 12: Pour into the pan and whisk vigorously until the sauce begins to thicken.
Step 13: Pour the low-sodium chicken stock into the pan and whisk well.
Step 14: Allow it to cook down a bit until it thickens and coats the back of the ladle.
Step 15: Remove pan from heat. Adjust the seasoning if needed, add a dash of pepper and salt. And 2 tablespoons of butter.
Step 16: Whisk until it blends well and turns the sauce velvety, silky smooth.
Arrange roasted chicken thighs and garlic on the sauce. Smother chicken thighs with the sauce. Add a few fresh thyme leaves.
Serves best with a crusty baguette to mop up the sauce. Accompany it with sauteed green beans and mashed potatoes or mashed cauliflower on the side.
Tips To Make the Best Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic
- Use a large cast-iron pan or other heavy-duty pan with a covering lid.
- Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs = juicier, maximum flavour chicken.
- Pat the chicken dry before adding it to the pan to get crispy chicken skin while searing.
- Don’t rush the cooking process. Cooking slowly on low heat makes it develop rich flavours.
- Butter swirled into the sauce at the end creates a luxurious, restaurant-quality smooth sauce.
Recipe FAQs
Now don’t fret, with the name “40 clove garlic” – it may look like loads of garlic, but it mellows as it slowly roasts, creating a beautiful sweet and savoury flavour.
Yes, and don’t worry, there’s a trick to easily remove the skin from garlic. Scroll up to read the trick again.
Cognac, chardonnay, or sauvignon blanc are the best dry white wines to use to make the sauce. Usually, the alcohol in the wine cooks off, but if you are not comfortable using wine, leave it out.
I used boneless chicken thighs in the recipe. It was good. But for great results, I recommend you use chicken thighs with bone and skin on, for chicken stays juicier and develops more flavour.
Yes absolutely. You can make it 2 days in advance. Allow it to cool completely and store it in the fridge covered with aluminium foil. It reheats beautifully.
Don’t forget to Subscribe to CurryTrail Recipes below to get our newest recipes delivered straight to your inbox.
If you love this recipe, keep in touch, and don’t miss out on any of Currytrail’s recipes. Follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram.
📋40 Clove Garlic Chicken
Ingredients
- 6-8 chicken thighs with bone and skin
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of butter + extra
- 40 cloves garlic peeled
- 2 bay leaves dried or fresh
- 6-8 fresh thyme leaves
- ½ cup dry white wine Cognac, chardonnay, or sauvignon blanc are best
- 3 teaspoons corn flour
- 2 cups chicken stock
- Salt & pepper – to taste
Instructions
- Heat a large cast-iron pan. Add olive oil and butter. Place the chicken thighs, skin-side down, and sear for 5 minutes.
- Flip and cook the chicken on the other side for 3 minutes.
- Distribute garlic cloves to the pan and spread them across the pan.
- Add bay leaves and stick fresh thyme sprigs to the pan between chicken thighs.
- Reduce the heat to the lowest setting, then cover the pan with the lid.
- Allow chicken to simmer in the fan for 12 to 15 minutes. Note: If using chicken thighs with bones, you have to cook them longer.
- Monitor the internal temperature of the chicken for its doneness. If the internal temperature reaches 165°F and clear juices run off the meat, the chicken is cooked.
- Transfer chicken and roasted garlic to a plate. Discard bay leaves and thyme.
- Cover the chicken with aluminium foil and let it sit.
- Into the same pan, pour dry white wine. Whish well and cook it down until it reduces to half.
- Whisk corn flour with a little chicken stock. Whisk well until no lumps are left.
- Pour into the pan and whisk vigorously until the sauce begins to thicken.
- Pour the low-sodium chicken stock into the pan and whisk well. Allow it to cook down a bit until it thickens and coats the back of the ladle.
- Remove pan from heat. Adjust the seasoning if needed, add a dash of pepper and salt. And 2 tablespoons of butter.
- Whisk until it blends well and turns the sauce velvety, silky smooth.
- Arrange roasted chicken thighs and garlic on the sauce. Smother chicken thighs with the sauce. Add a few fresh thyme leaves.
- Serves best with a crusty baguette to mop up the sauce. Accompany it with sauteed French beans and mashed potatoes or mashed cauliflower on the side.
Video
Notes
- Use a large cast-iron pan or other heavy-duty pan with a covering lid.
- Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs = juicier, maximum flavour chicken.
- Pat the chicken dry before adding it to the pan to get crispy chicken skin while searing.
- Don’t rush the cooking process. Cooking slowly on low heat makes it develop rich flavours.
- Butter swirled into the sauce at the end creates a luxurious, restaurant-quality smooth sauce.
Nutrition
Created by Jyothi Rajesh
Thank you for stopping by.
I’m Jyothi Rajesh (Jo for short) and i’m the founder of the food blog, Curry Trail where I share my culinary Adventures. I live in Bangalore, India. I’m a mom of two beautiful kids. My passion is creating and sharing delicious and easy recipes for the home cook. I have been blogging since 2007 and many of my recipes have appeared in both online and print publications over the years. Learn more about Jyothi Rajesh.
Leave A Reply!