40 Clove Garlic Chicken is a classic, comforting Provencal roasted chicken dish perfect for chilly winter dinners. The silky sauce is bright and flavorful, with a mild garlic note that is neither overpowering nor sharp or bitter.
Be sure to serve a loaf of crusty, French bread and spread a clove of the roasted garlic on top. The garlic, when roasted, becomes buttery, rich, and sweet, and very spreadable. It’s delicious!
I like to serve the 40 Clove Garlic Chicken with Savory Mushroom Risotto, Sauteed Haricots Vert, and Mousse Au Chocolat for dessert.
This is a classic French one-pot cafe-style meal originating in the Provence region. It was brought stateside when James Beard presented the dish to Julia Childs, who adored it so much that she recreated the recipe in the 1970s.
Trussing a chicken involves using kitchen twine to tie the legs and sometimes the wings close to the body. Often the wings are tucked beneath the bird instead of using twine.
Trussing allows the chicken or turkey to:
To truss:
If you would like a great tutorial with photos, The Spruce has all the information you might need.
40 Clove Garlic Chicken is a classic, comforting Provencal dish perfect for chilly winter dinners. The silky sauce is bright and flavorful, with a mild garlic note that is neither overpowering nor sharp or bitter.
1 whole chicken, about 4 pounds
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 onion, unpeeled and quartered
1 stalk celery, cut into four pieces
2 carrots, stemmed and cut into pieces
2 tablespoons butter, room temperature, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
3–4 large heads of whole garlic, cut in half crosswise. Count to ensure you have 40-45 cloves. If too many, break a few cloves off the head to use in another dish.
½ cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 bunch fresh poultry seasoning, tied with cooking twine
2 cups chicken stock
4 teaspoons cornstarch, dissolved into two tablespoons of water, chicken stock, or white wine to make a slurry.
2 tablespoons of room-temperature butter, cut into four pieces
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Remove the neck and giblets from the chicken.
Rinse the cavity with cold water and pat it as dry as possible with paper towels.
Sprinkle the cavity with salt and pepper.
Stuff the chicken with the onion, celery, and carrots, taking care to stuff the neck cavity as well.
Tie the legs together with cooking twine (trussing) and tuck the wings under the chicken.
Place a large Dutch oven over medium heat and melt two tablespoons of butter and olive oil together.
Add the chicken and brown on all sides – about 10-15 minutes.
Remove the chicken to a cutting board. Set aside.
Stir in wine, lemon juice, salt, and chicken stock.
Tuck the tied fresh poultry seasoning in the pot.
Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pot.
Nestle the garlic heads around the chicken.
Cover tightly and bake the chicken for 45 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the oven and carefully turn the carcass breast side down so the white meat stays moist.
Return to the oven and roast until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees when inserted into the thickest part of the thigh – about 45 additional minutes.
Remove the pot from the oven.
Using two slotted spoons, one on each side of the chicken, carefully remove the chicken from the pot onto a serving platter, allowing as much of the juice to drip back into the pot.
Cover the chicken with a double layer of foil and a tea towel, and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before carving. This will allow the meat to reach 165 degrees and continue cooking until it is no longer pink.
Bring the pan sauce to a low boil over medium heat.
Stir in the cornstarch slurry and stir until the mixture begins to thicken.
Cook, stirring constantly, for five minutes.
Quickly whisk in the butter, one piece at a time, until entirely melted and incorporated before adding the next piece.
Pour the sauce and garlic cloves over the resting chicken or, if you sliced your chicken, over the chicken slices.
Serve warm.