Chicken with 40 cloves of garlic

Dear Ina Garten,

Thank you for creating recipes that are always successful. Much love,

DesperateHousediva

I have seen many recipes for Chicken with 40 cloves of garlic over years in various places and have been intrigued. I love both chicken and garlic. Forty cloves of garlic should be the minimum for all recipes... Well, maybe not ALL...

When I came across Ina's recipe I knew it was going to work out, there was no question in my mind. I have had success with every Ina recipe I've ever made and this recipe is no exception. It's fantastic, it's simple, and it makes you feel FANCY. I love recipes that make me feel both accomplished and successful. I served the chicken with sautéed greens (swiss chard) and moroccan couscous (whole wheat couscous cooked in chicken broth, tossed with sultana raisins & sautéed shallots...)

CHICKEN WITH 40 CLOVES OF GARLIC

from Ina Garten

3 whole heads of garlic (this is about 40 cloves

2 small chickens, cut into eighths (I just used one chicken cut into parts...)

S&P

1 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsps olive oil

3 Tbsps Cognac (or plain brandy,) divided

1.5 cups dry white wine

1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tsp dried)

2 Tbsps flour

2 Tbsp heavy cream (optional... but delicious...)

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.