Chicken with 40 Garlic Cloves

There is probably no need to ramble on about the wonderful benefits of including garlic in one’s diet, so I will just add that…

Garlic has been found to be most advantageous in the prevention of esophageal, stomach, and colon cancers. It also may play a role in prostate, breast, and lung cancer.

It’s best to add garlic at the tail end of your recipes, since over-cooking robs it of its health benefits.

The garlic in this recipe mellows as it roasts, imbuing the finished sauce with a subtle flavor. I have reserved 10 of the cloves to add in the last 10 minutes of cooking for the reason stated above.

Accompany the chicken with Root Vegetable Puree and Steamed Green Beans.

 Serves 8

•  2 organic free-range chickens, each 4 lb., cut into 8 serving pieces
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 40 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 Tbs. minced fresh rosemary
• 1 Tbs. minced fresh thyme
• Zest of 2 lemons
• 1 c. chicken stock
• 3 Tbs. unsalted organic butter, at room temperature, cut into pieces

Preheat an oven to 400°F.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a wide Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Working in batches, brown the chicken, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.

Add 30 garlic  cloves to the pan and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the chicken, rosemary, thyme and lemon zest and stir to combine. Cover the pan, transfer to the oven and roast for 20 minutes.

Baste the chicken with the accumulated juices. Continue roasting, uncovered, until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear when the meat is pierced with a knife, about 30 minutes more. Add remaining 10 cloves of garlic after first 20 minutes.

Transfer the chicken to a platter; leave the garlic in the pan. Cover the chicken loosely with aluminum foil.

Set the pan over medium heat and mash the garlic with the back of a spoon. Add the stock and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

Whisk in the butter a few pieces at a time. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the sauce to a sauce-boat.

Serve the chicken immediately and pass the sauce alongside.