French · Dinner · All year
40-Clove Garlic Chicken
4.6 community
15m
Prep
60m
Cook
Easy
Level
580
kcal
Provence's magic trick: forty whole cloves braise into sweet, spreadable nubs beneath crisp chicken, and the pan sauce tastes like garlic's better nature.
What you need
Ingredients
Servings
4
8
🍗 Chicken Thighs ›
bone-in
40 cloves
🧄 Garlic ›
about 3 heads, peeled, whole
150 ml
🥂 White Wine ›
150 ml
🍲 Chicken Stock ›
3 sprigs
🌿 Thyme ›
2 tbsp
🧈 Butter ›
1 tbsp
🫒 Olive Oil ›
1/2
🥖 Baguette ›
for spreading duty
Add all to shopping list
Mise en place
Before you start
15m
Prep
60m
Cook
75m
Total
4
Serves
Equipment
Large skillet
Chef's knife
Cutting board
Prep checklist
Chicken Thighs — bone-in
Garlic — about 3 heads, peeled, whole
Baguette — for spreading duty
3 steps
Method
1
Brown the thighs skin-down in oil until deeply golden, 8 minutes; remove. Tumble in all 40 cloves and toss 2 minutes until blond.
2
Deglaze with wine; add stock and thyme, nestle the chicken skin-up above the liquid, and braise uncovered at 180°C for 40–45 minutes.
Learn the technique ›
3
Rest the chicken; mash a few cloves into the juices with the butter for an instant sauce. Serve with baguette — the remaining cloves spread like butter and taste like roasted honey.
💡
Braised garlic is a different vegetable from raw: sweet, mild, and dangerous on bread.
From the chef
Notes
Taste before serving and adjust salt and acid — the last 30 seconds of seasoning matter more than any single ingredient.
Afterwards
Keep, reheat & pair
Storage
Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of water.
Freezing
Freezes well up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating
Reheat gently: covered in a 160°C oven for 15 minutes, or in a pan over medium-low with a splash of water or stock. The microwave works at 50% power in short bursts — full blast toughens proteins.
Make ahead
Most braises and sauces improve overnight. Sear-and-serve dishes: do every step up to the final cook, then finish fresh.
Wine pairing
A white Côtes du Rhône or dry rosé, in provençal spirit.
Beer pairing
Match intensity: lagers for delicate dishes, amber ales for roasted flavors, stouts for the rich and braised.
On the plate
Serve it with
Sides
·
Baguette (structural)
·
Green beans
·
A crisp salad
Garnish
Fresh herbs added off the heat
A squeeze of lemon
Flaky salt
Taste map
Flavor profile
Sweet
Salty
Sour
Bitter
Umami
Heat
Per serving
Nutrition
580
kcal
44g
protein
14g
carbs
38g
fat
3g
fiber
520mg
sodium
Asked and answered
FAQ
How do I know chicken is done?
An instant-read thermometer says 74°C at the thickest point, touching no bone. Visual backup: juices run clear, and the meat at the bone is no longer pink. Breasts get dry past 74°C; thighs actually improve up to 85°C as their collagen melts.
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My notes
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