40 Cloves of Garlic Chicken

The picture doesn't do it one bit of justice, but this take on Ina Garten's 40 cloves of garlic chicken was FAB. This was a first timer for the both of us so I am not quite sure how it was supposed to actually taste, but the way it turned out suited us just fine. Below is my take on the recipe.... enjoy!

Ingredients:
3 whole heads garlic, about 40 cloves
1 family pack chicken thighs (about 6-8 pieces)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons dried thyme
4 bay leaves
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons heavy cream

Separate the cloves of garlic and drop them into a pot of boiling water for 60 seconds. Drain the garlic and peel. Set aside.

Dry the chicken with paper towels. Season liberally with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat the butter and oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. In batches, saute the chicken in the fat, skin side down first, until nicely browned, about 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Turn with tongs or a spatula; you don't want to pierce the skin with a fork. If the fat is burning, turn the heat down to medium. When a batch is done, transfer it to a plate and continue to saute all the chicken in batches. Remove the last chicken to the plate and add all of the garlic to the pot. Lower the heat and saute for 5 to 10 minutes, turning often, until evenly browned. Add 1 cup chicken stock and the wine, return to a boil, and scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Return the chicken to the pot with the juices and sprinkle with the thyme and bay leaves. Cover and simmer over the lowest heat for about 30 minutes, until all the chicken is done.
Remove the chicken to a platter. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup of the sauce and the flour and then whisk it back into the sauce in the pot. Raise the heat, add the remaining chicken stock and the cream, and boil for 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper, to taste; it should be very flavorful because chicken tends to be bland. Add the chicken back to the pot and heat through. I served this with white rice and green beans.