40 Clove Garlic Chicken

When you take a bite of perfectly roasted 40 clove garlic chicken with the soft garlic that’s been melting away in the olive oil, wine, and herbs, you’ll want to savor every bite. There’s just something about those warm garlic cloves that just disintegrate under your fork and mix with the olive oil they were cooking in that makes this dish addicting. If gluten or grains don’t bother you, a loaf of your favorite bread is a must for this meal. I recommend brushing a few slices with olive oil and toasting it in the oven for a few minutes.

This is an anti-inflammatory recipe. Garlic is one of the more well known anti-inflammatory foods. There have been many studies that correlate the intake of garlic with reduced risks of cardiovascular disease. The chance of blood vessel damage from chronic excess inflammation has been shown to decrease when consuming garlic regularly. Extra virgin olive oil is also a strong anti-inflammatory food that protects against cardiovascular disease and other inflammatory diseases. Besides this recipe being anti-inflammatory, the herbs help with digestion.

Ingredients:

  • 1 whole chicken, 3-4 lbs

  • 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

  • 1 tsp dried oregano

  • 1 tsp dried thyme

  • 1 tsp dried rosemary

  • Salt and pepper

  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

  • 40 cloves garlic, peeled

  • Splash of white wine

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

  2. Drizzle the whole chicken with 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil. Season with salt, freshly cracked black pepper, oregano, thyme, and rosemary.

  3. Heat a cast iron skillet on medium and add the 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil. Add the 40 peeled garlic cloves to the pan. Cook for 1 minute. Add a splash of white wine and cook for 1 more minute.

  4. Place whole chicken on top of garlic cloves and bake in the oven at 350 for 1 ½ hours, or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees fahrenheit when read by a thermometer.

  5. Let chicken rest before slicing. Serve with bread (gluten-ful or gluten free). Smear garlic cloves on bread and enjoy!

Notes:

  1. Cheat on time by buying already peeled whole garlic cloves. Nobody wants to sit there peeling 40 garlic cloves. Take the easy route!

  2. Use a cast iron skillet. Not only does it make this a one-pot meal, but it makes for a beautiful presentation!

  3. Don’t skimp on the salt and pepper when seasoning the chicken.