Our 40 cloves Garlic Chicken recipe is a flavorful and delicious French dish all made in a single pan! I get so many compliments for this tender chicken and delicious sauce.
I love traditional French recipes so much, like French Onion Soup and Croque Madame. Or Disneyland’s inspired Monte Cristo Sandwich.
I put 40 cloves of garlic in my chicken…and you will too!
This is my favorite French dish to make from home; Poulet aux Quarante Gousses d’Ail or chicken with 40 cloves of garlic (aside from Crepes, which we make weekly). I use chicken thighs instead of a traditional whole chicken because it’s simpler but you can use chicken breasts or a whole young chicken, cut into pieces, skin-on. This is an EASY, fancy one-pan meal, great for a busy night where you want something delicious, but no so much clean-up. We serve garlic chicken with French Green Beans, Crusty Bread, and a salad.
How to make Garlic Chicken (Poulet aux Quarante Gousses d’Ail):
Boil Garlic: Bring 2 cups of water to a boil then separate the garlic cloves and add them to the water. Boil for 1 minute, drain water, and peel garlic.
Brown Chicken and Cook: Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of chicken then add to a very hot pan with butter and oil. Cook until the skin is golden brown. Spread the garlic cloves around chicken and add thyme and bay leaf. Cover and cook over medium low for 15-20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked.
Make Sauce: Place chicken on a plate and cover to keep warm. Pour wine into skillet then cook until liquid has been reduced by half. Whisk cornstarch into chicken stock then add to pan, cooking until sauce has slightly thickened. Add remaining 2 Tablespoons of butter then taste sauce and add more salt and pepper if needed.
Serve: Remove chicken to a serving platter and pour sauce over chicken. Spread the sweet cooked garlic cloves on top of a baguette or piece of crusty bread.
Serve With:
- French Green Beans (Hericots Verts)
- Roasted Vegetables or Mashed Potatoes
- No Knead Artisan Bread or a green salad
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40 Clove Garlic Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoons butter , divided
- 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
- 6 or 8 chicken thighs*
- salt and pepper
- 3 heads garlic
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme , or ½ tsp, dried
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 cup white wine*
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 3 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 Crusty bread baguette, for serving
Instructions
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Boil garlic: Add 2 cups of water to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Separate garlic cloves (you don’t need to peel them) and add to the water. Cook for 1 minute, then drain and peel garlic.
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Prep chicken: Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels and season well with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat a very large deep (preferably cast iron) pan or skillet over medium heat. Add 2 Tablespoons butter and oil until hot.
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Sear chicken: Add chicken, skin side down and cook for 5 minutes, until the skin is golden brown. Flip and cook on the other side for 3 minutes.
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Add garlic cloves around the chicken and add thyme and bay leaf.
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Cook: Cover the skillet and cook over med-low heat for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear when pierced with a fork. Transfer the chicken and garlic to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Discard the bay leaf.
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Sauce: Turn the skillet heat to medium-high and add the wine. Cook until the liquid has reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Whisk the cornstarch into the chicken stock and add to the pan. Cook until the sauce has slightly thickened, 2-3 minutes. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, or herbs, as needed. Remove from heat and stir in remaining 2 Tablespoons of butter. Place the chicken on a serving platter and pour sauce over the chicken.
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Serve with French green beans and a toasted baguette for spreading the cooked garlic cloves on.
Video
Notes
Wine: the white wine adds a great depth of flavor (and the alcohol mostly cooks out). If you’re not comfortable cooking with alcohol you can leave it out.
Nutrition
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I originally shared this recipe January 2020. Updated August 2024.
