July 23, 2008

Ina's Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic

I'd been meaning to try this dish for a while and Bastille Day was the perfect excuse. It was pretty simple to make ahead which is a big plus in my book. First, blanch the garlic for a minute or two so they're much easier to peel. Then, brown the chicken- make sure to get it nice and brown, this is all the color you're going to get! Then I made the sauce (all in my roasting pan), put them together, and stowed it in the fridge until just before dinner. Just before diner, I put it in the oven at 400 for about 30 minutes (I set my thermometer to beep at 165 so I know when it's done!). I used white grape juice instead of the alcohol (I know, it cooks out, but we don't have any and I was serving this to a pregnant woman anyways!) and it tasted amazing- especially considering I don't really even like grape juice. I think the fresh thyme really made the dish- I think my little windowsill herb garden has more than paid for itself.


Serve with potatoes, rice, or your carbohydrate of choice. :) The gravy is delicious (even though I accidentally forgot to include the cream) and tastes great served over rice with the left over chopped chicken for the next day. Two for one, that's what I'm all about.

Chicken with Forty Cloves of Garlic
from Barefoot in Paris by Ina Garten

3 whole heads garlic, about 40 cloves
2 (3 1/2-pound) chickens, cut into eighths
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons good olive oil
3 tablespoons Cognac, divided
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons heavy cream

Separate the cloves of garlic and drop them into a pot of boiling water for 60 seconds. Drain the garlic and peel. Set aside.

Dry the chicken with paper towels. Season liberally with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat the butter and oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. In batches, saute the chicken in the fat, skin side down first, until nicely browned, about 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Turn with tongs or a spatula; you don't want to pierce the skin with a fork. If the fat is burning, turn the heat down to medium. When a batch is done, transfer it to a plate and continue to saute all the chicken in batches. Remove the last chicken to the plate and add all of the garlic to the pot. Lower the heat and saute for 5 to 10 minutes, turning often, until evenly browned. Add 2 tablespoons of the Cognac and the wine, return to a boil, and scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Return the chicken to the pot with the juices and sprinkle with the thyme leaves. Cover and simmer over the lowest heat for about 30 minutes, until all the chicken is done.

Remove the chicken to a platter and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup of the sauce and the flour and then whisk it back into the sauce in the pot. Raise the heat, add the remaining tablespoon of Cognac and the cream, and boil for 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper, to taste; it should be very flavorful because chicken tends to be bland. Pour the sauce and the garlic over the chicken and serve hot.

5 comments:

  1. I've been wanting to try that recipe for a while now...yours looks delicious and is very inspiring!

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  2. That looks delicious and now that I have heard that it isn't too difficult and you can make it ahead, I am going to have to go for it!

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  3. That looks and sounds absolutely delicious!

    I love love love GARLIC. Good thing there is usually a lot of garlic in Lebanese food :).

    I really want her book for sure now! You helped me decide...THANK YOU!

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  4. We love garlic around here and this dish looks so good. It's been pretty hot around here lately though, so I think this will probably wait a while. By the way, what is that to the right of the chicken?? Some kind of stuffed bread? It looks tasty.

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  5. Thanks for the sweet comments everyone!

    Pamela- that is just baguette with goat cheese rounds on top for the salad. Simple and tasty! :)

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