Vampire-Proof Forty-Clove Garlic Chicken: French Braise with Thyme and Crusty Bread

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Pat the chicken thighs dry and season generously on both sides with salt and pepper.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 3 lb)
• 40 garlic cloves (about 4 heads), peeled
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
• 8 sprigs fresh thyme plus 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 crusty baguette, sliced and toasted
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Pat the chicken thighs dry and season generously on both sides with salt and pepper.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken skin-side down for 6 to 7 minutes until deeply golden, then flip and sear 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate.
3. Lower the heat to medium, add the butter and all 40 garlic cloves and cook, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes until the cloves are lightly golden and fragrant but not burnt.
4. Pour in the white wine and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it bubble for 2 minutes, then stir in the chicken stock, Dijon, thyme and bay leaves.
5. Nestle the chicken back in skin-side up, keeping the skin above the liquid. Transfer to the oven and braise uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes until the chicken reaches 175°F and the garlic is meltingly soft.
6. Rest the chicken on a platter. Mash a few of the garlic cloves into the pan juices with a fork to thicken the sauce, then taste and season.
7. Spoon the garlic and jus over the chicken, scatter with parsley and serve with toasted baguette for smearing the soft cloves onto the bread like butter.
8. Poulet aux quarante gousses d'ail is a Provencal classic that sounds alarming and tastes gentle: slow cooking tames the garlic into something sweet, nutty and spreadable, with none of the raw bite. Its sheer garlic count has made it a playful Halloween favorite, the dinner guaranteed to keep vampires at bay. Any leftover cloves are wonderful mashed into potatoes or whisked into vinaigrette.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 610 kcal
• Protein: 42g
• Fat: 34g
• Carbohydrates: 28g
• Fiber: 2g
• Sugar: 2g
• Sodium: 720mg