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The most aromatic Mediterranean Chicken with 20 cloves of garlic

Mediterranean Chicken with 20 Cloves of Garlic

Braised and then broiled, this chicken is tender, juicy and overflowing with flavours.  Thanks to garlic, shallots, lemon, rosemary and thyme along with a braising liquid of white wine, this is pure comfort food, all year round!  Include lots of crusty bread to soak up the juices!

Course Main Course
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 40 minutes
Servings 6

Ingredients

  • 6 chicken legs or 6-8 thighs, or a combination thereof
  • 2 heads of garlic approximately 20 cloves, peeled
  • 6-8 shallots cut in half, outer skins removed,
  • 2 organic lemons scrubbed and cut into 8 pieces
  • 2 tbsp freshly chopped rosemary
  • 2 tbsp freshly chopped thyme
  • 4 tbsp good olive oil
  • 3/4 cup crisp white wine
  • freshly cracked black pepper
  • Maldon salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 300F
  2. Put the chicken pieces into a large roasting pan. Don't worry about how they are laying- you will be tossing them with the other ingredients beforehand.
  3. Add the garlic cloves, the shallots, the lemon pieces, the rosemary and the thyme. Drizzle the olive oil evenly over everything. Toss it all together, massaging the oil into the chicken with your fingers, till everything is evenly coated. Lay out the chicken pieces with the skin side up, all the other ingredients evenly dispersed.
  4. Pour the white wine evenly over everything.
  5. Give several generous grinds of pepper over everything. Don't skimp! Pepper really works here.
  6. Cover the roasting pan tightly with tin foil.
  7. Place on a middle rack in the oven. Cook at this low temperature for a good 2 hours.
  8. Remove the foil from the pan (Be prepared for the best aroma ever!)

  9. Crank the heat up to 400F. Roast the chicken for another 35-45 minutes, until well browned. If you don't feel you've achieved that golden brown skin you desire, turn on the broiler element and move the rack to the top third of the oven. Watch as the heat gets the skin to where you want it. Be careful though, the shallot skins may not do well. If they are already caramelized nicely, remove them to a waiting platter, before moving the rack up.

  10. When done, remove the chicken, shallots, garlic and lemon to a platter. Immediately sprinkle a lovely amount of Maldon or other finishing salt over everything. This is the only salting of the meal, so don't be overly skimpy.
  11. You can also garnish with extra fresh thyme sprigs or rosemary.
  12. Pour off the juices into a small bowl. Carefully skim off the fat. Serve this along side the chicken. Serve with copious amounts of crusty bread. I also serve rice or roasted potatoes on the side.