Chicken with Forty Cloves of Garlic

Health score
25%
Chicken with Forty Cloves of Garlic
100 min.
6
996kcal

Suggestions

There’s something irresistibly comforting about a rustic chicken dish that fills the kitchen with the aroma of garlic, herbs, and wine. Chicken with Forty Cloves of Garlic is exactly that kind of recipe—a slow-simmered, deeply flavorful classic that turns simple ingredients into a luxurious meal. Don’t let the forty cloves of garlic scare you; after a gentle bath in butter, olive oil, and dry white wine, the garlic becomes sweet, mellow, and almost buttery, adding richness rather than sharpness.
This dish is perfect for a leisurely lunch or a cozy dinner, especially when you’re cooking for a crowd. With six generous servings and a hearty 996 kcal per portion, it’s a true main course that feels indulgent yet homely. The chicken is browned to a beautiful golden color, then slowly simmered with thyme, Cognac, and wine until tender and infused with flavor. A final touch of cream and a silky, flour-thickened sauce brings everything together into a glossy, restaurant-worthy finish.
What makes this recipe so appealing is the balance of elegance and ease. You don’t need fancy techniques—just a Dutch oven, some patience, and good ingredients. Serve the chicken with crusty bread or creamy mashed potatoes to soak up every drop of the garlicky sauce, and watch it become a regular in your lunch and dinner rotation. If you love bold yet comforting flavors, this is the kind of dish that makes you fall in love with cooking all over again.

Ingredients

  • servings pepper black freshly ground
  • pound chickens cut into eighths
  • tablespoons cognac divided
  • 1.5 cups cooking wine dry white
  • tablespoons flour all-purpose
  • tablespoon thyme leaves fresh
  • tablespoons heavy cream 
  • servings kosher salt 
  • tablespoons olive oil good
  • tablespoon butter unsalted
  • heads garlic whole

Equipment

  • bowl
  • frying pan
  • paper towels
  • whisk
  • pot
  • aluminum foil
  • spatula
  • dutch oven
  • tongs

Directions

  1. Separate the cloves of garlic and drop them into a pot of boiling water for 60 seconds.
  2. Drain the garlic and peel. Set aside.
  3. Dry the chicken with paper towels. Season liberally with salt and pepper on both sides.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. Add salt and pepper, to taste; it should be very flavorful because chicken tends to be bland.
  9. Pour the sauce and the garlic over the chicken and serve hot.

Nutrition Facts

Calories996kcal
Protein29.34%
Fat66.77%
Carbs3.89%

Properties

Glycemic Index
35.33
Glycemic Load
2.98
Inflammation Score
-10
Nutrition Score
33.068695928739%

Flavonoids

Malvidin
0.04mg
Catechin
0.46mg
Epicatechin
0.33mg
Hesperetin
0.24mg
Naringenin
0.23mg
Apigenin
0.03mg
Luteolin
0.53mg
Kaempferol
0.04mg
Myricetin
0.23mg
Quercetin
0.27mg

Nutrients percent of daily need

Calories:995.74kcal
49.79%
Fat:68.21g
104.93%
Saturated Fat:20.05g
125.33%
Carbohydrates:8.94g
2.98%
Net Carbohydrates:8.39g
3.05%
Sugar:0.87g
0.97%
Cholesterol:342.89mg
114.3%
Sodium:467.67mg
20.33%
Alcohol:8.69g
100%
Alcohol %:2.27%
100%
Protein:67.45g
134.9%
Vitamin B3:25.17mg
125.83%
Vitamin B6:1.45mg
72.36%
Vitamin A:3445.63IU
68.91%
Selenium:47.89µg
68.41%
Phosphorus:677.49mg
67.75%
Vitamin B12:3.84µg
63.94%
Vitamin B2:0.71mg
41.97%
Vitamin B5:4.08mg
40.79%
Zinc:5.24mg
34.91%
Iron:6.06mg
33.66%
Folate:106.85µg
26.71%
Potassium:872.56mg
24.93%
Manganese:0.46mg
23.02%
Magnesium:85.89mg
21.47%
Vitamin C:15.54mg
18.83%
Vitamin B1:0.28mg
18.72%
Copper:0.29mg
14.5%
Calcium:78.94mg
7.89%
Vitamin E:0.79mg
5.24%
Vitamin K:3.78µg
3.6%
Fiber:0.55g
2.2%