Chicken With 40 cloves of Garlic

Recipe for: CHICKEN WITH 40 CLOVES OF GARLIC 

Ingredients: 

• 1 free-range chicken, 3-4 lbs (or you can use chicken joints)
• 3-4 whole heads of garlic, separated into cloves, but unpeeled
• 6 fresh thyme sprigs (or other herb such as rosemary)
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 sprigs fresh tarragon (if available)
• 300ml dry white wine
• 1-2 red peppers, de-seeded & cut into wedges (optional)
• 1 large red onion, peeled & cut into large wedges (optional)
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges (optional) 

Method: 

1. preheat oven to 180C/ fan 170C
2. place the chicken on a rack in a large casserole dish or roasting tray (with lid, or use foil to seal).  Season with salt & pepper
3. if using joints, throw in some red peppers, sliced red onion & lemon wedges (see optional ingredients)
4. arrange the garlic cloves and herbs all around the chicken
5. pour the wine over the chicken, then cover with lid or foil
6. cook for 1½ - 1¾ hours (less for joints) or until the chicken is cooked through & the juices run clear
7. transfer the chicken & garlic to a warmed carving/. Serving dish
8. strain the cooking juices into a warmed jug or gravy boat
9. carve the meat into joints and add any juices to the gravy jug
10. skim off or pour off any fat on the top of the juices
11. serve the chicken joints with garlic cloves & a little of the liquid, handing round the rest of the juices in the jug 

What else you need to know: 

1. surprisingly, this is not too garlicky – roasting the garlic cloves makes them go soft & sweet, losing their pungency.  Squeezing out the flesh from the papery cases to add into the chicken juices is delightful.