40 Cloves of Garlic Chicken

I admit it, I love chicken.  And happy that it is the new brussels sprouts  & kale in NYC!  Don’t let the amount of garlic scare you away as the flavors meld to produce a mellow flavor.  The garlic cloves become soft and sweet, and are great squeezed out of their skin onto a baguette. But don’t forget to also mop up the aromatic sauce with that bread.

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 – 4 Lb Organic Chicken
• Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
• One-half lemon
• 1/4 tsp. sweet paprika
• 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 40 cloves unpeeled garlic, separated (around 2 heads)
• 1/2 cup dry white wine (remember, all that is left is the taste of the wine as the alcohol cooks off, so use a good bottle that you would like to drink)
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 2 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
• 1 cup chicken broth
• Toasted baguette slices for serving

Preparation (heat oven to 400)

• Pat chicken very dry and season inside and out with 2 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper
• Squeeze the juice form the lemon half and set juice aside
• Put the juiced lemon half in the chicken’s cavity, cross the legs and tie them together, tuck the wings under the chicken
• Dust the breasts and legs with the paprika
• Heat the oil in a 3-4 quart dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add the chicken, breast side down, and cook until the skin is browned.  Turn and cook the back and sides until browned. (around 2-3 minutes per side).  Transfer the chicken to a plate (pour off and discard the oil left in the pot).
• Return the pot to medium-high heat.  Add the garlic and wine, stir to deglaze the browned bits from the bottom.
• Return the chicken to the pot, setting it breast side up on top of the garlic. Add the herbs, and pour the broth over the chicken.  Bring to a boil.  Cover and transfer to the oven.
• Cook, basting every 20 minutes, till 160 degrees (45 minutes to 1 hour)
• Uncover & continue to cook until the thermometer is 165 – 170 (about 10 minutes).
• Transfer to cutting board and garlic to serving plate (cover both loosely with tin foil to keep warm)
• Strain liquid from pot into small saucepan (discard the herbs).  Spoon off as much fat as possible.  Bring to boil over Medium-high heat.  Simmer till reduced to 3/4 cup (5 minutes).  Season to taste and add the reserved lemon juice.
• Carve the chicken and transfer to serving platter with the garlic.  Serve with the sauce and baguette slices.

Serve with a White Burgundy, Chablis, or Red Burgundy!