Chicken steak with 40 cloves of garlic

Name: Chicken steak with 40 cloves of garlic - Ileana E.
Ingredients: 1 chicken of 2 kg; 50 g soft butter at room temperature; 40 cloves of peeled garlic; whole (about 3 heads of garlic); a sprig of fresh or dried thyme; salt; pepper; sweet paprika; 1 kg of peeled new potatoes; 50 g cold butter; a little cumin.

Meat - Chicken steak with 40 cloves of garlic by Ileana E. - Recipia

I prepared this recipe for the first time on a summer evening when I felt like something simple yet hearty. I tried to make everything in a single pan to avoid washing too many dishes, and I was surprised by how well the chicken pairs with so much garlic. You don’t need complicated techniques or special ingredients. Quick Info Total time: about 1 hour and 15 minutes Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 60 minutes Servings: 4-6 Difficulty: easy Recipe type: main course, lunch or dinner Ingredients 1 whole chicken (about 2 kg) 50 g soft butter, at room temperature 40 cloves of garlic (about 3 heads), peeled and left whole A sprig of thyme (fresh or dried) Salt Pepper Sweet paprika 1 kg new potatoes, peeled 50 g cold butter (for potatoes) A little cumin Preparation method 1. Preheat the oven to 240°C. For gas ovens, set to the highest setting. I used a fan oven. 2. Clean and dry the chicken well. Rub it with salt, pepper, and sweet paprika all over, including inside. 3. Massage the chicken all over with the 50 g of soft butter. 4. Place the chicken in a deep roasting pan. Do not add water, broth, or any other liquid. 5. Scatter the peeled garlic cloves around the chicken, along with a sprig of thyme. 6. Put the pan in the oven, uncovered. Roast for 60 minutes. 7. After 15 minutes of roasting, use a brush to baste the chicken with some of the pan juices. Turn the garlic cloves to prevent them from sticking or burning. 8. At the 30-minute mark, add the peeled new potatoes, cutting them if they are large. Sprinkle with salt, a little cumin, and dot with small pieces of the 50 g of cold butter. Gently mix to distribute. 9. Continue roasting for another 30 minutes. At the end, both the chicken and potatoes will have a golden crust, and the garlic will be soft and slightly caramelized. 10. Remove the pan from the oven. Let the chicken rest for a few minutes before carving. Why I make this recipe often It’s quick to prepare, you don’t have to keep an eye on it, and the chicken comes out juicy with crispy skin and an intense garlic flavor. It’s convenient to put everything in the oven without complicated steps. The garlic turns into something sweet and soft, while the potatoes absorb the flavor from everything in the pan. Tips and variations Tips - The garlic must be peeled but left whole. Otherwise, it turns to paste and burns faster. - The chicken browns beautifully without being covered or splashed with water. If you want to keep the skin from drying out, you can baste it once or twice during roasting with the pan juices. - Don’t crowd the potatoes; they should be in a single layer, or they will steam instead of browning. Substitutions - If you can’t find new potatoes, regular potatoes cut into quarters or large cubes will work. - Fresh thyme can be replaced with dried. If you have none at all, you can skip it, but the recipe is more balanced with it. - Butter can be replaced with a neutral oil, but the texture of the chicken skin will be different. Variations - You can add 1-2 carrots or parsnips cut into large pieces at the same time as the potatoes if you want more vegetables. - For a slightly more intense flavor, you can sprinkle smoked paprika over the chicken. Serving ideas - Serve with a green salad with a tangy vinaigrette to balance the richness from the pan. - The roasted garlic can be spread on fresh bread. - The juices collected in the pan are great over the chicken or potatoes. Frequently asked questions 1. Do I really need 40 cloves of garlic? Yes. The garlic caramelizes and becomes sweet, not pungent. When there are so many and they are roasted whole, they don’t impart an aggressive flavor but rather a velvety one. 2. What if the chicken or potatoes burn on the edges? If you see they are browning too much, you can move the pan to a lower rack or reduce the temperature to 210°C for the last 15 minutes. 3. Can I use just thighs or breast instead of a whole chicken? You can use thighs or bone-in breast, but the cooking time will be shorter. Check after 40 minutes. 4. Do I need to turn the chicken during cooking? There’s no need to turn the chicken. Just baste it with the pan juices once or twice. 5. Does the garlic need to be fresh, not dried? Yes, you need fresh garlic, not granulated or dried, for the soft consistency it gets when roasted. Nutritional values Approximately, per serving (out of 6): Calories: 550-600 Protein: 35 g Fat: 25-30 g Carbohydrates: 38-45 g Values depend on how much skin you eat and how much sauce you use. Roasted garlic has fewer calories than it seems, as it is mostly used as flavor and garnish. Storage and reheating The garlic chicken and potatoes can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 days in a covered container. It reheats best in the oven, 10-15 minutes at 180°C. The garlic and potatoes lose a bit of texture, but the taste remains pleasant. I do not recommend freezing the chicken after roasting, as the texture becomes dry upon thawing. That’s it. This recipe is one of those I repeat when I want something simple yet hearty, without wasting time on many dishes or complicated preparations.

Chicken steak with 40 cloves of garlic

Tags

Categories