Nigella Lawson’s chicken with 40 cloves of garlic

I’m a huge fan of Nigella; my husband’s a huge fan of chicken. So it only seemed logical to attempt Nigella’s version of this Classic French poultry dish. It’s surprisingly easy to make and the time taken to cook in the oven (1.5 hours) allows you ample time to whip up some accompanying sides and/or an accompanying dessert, get ready for dinner & maybe possibly even have a quick nap! – why not, right?!!

So here’s what you need..

INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp regular olive oil
8 chicken thighs (with skin on and bone in) {I used 12 because the chicken that I bought came in packs of 6!!}
1 bunch or 6 spring onions
Small bunch fresh thyme
40 cloves (approx 3-4 bulbs) of fresh garlic, unpeeled
2 tbsp dry white vermouth or white wine
1.5 tsp sea salt flakes or 3/4 tsp pouring salt
Good grinding pepper

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4.

Heat the oil on the hob in a wide, shallow, oven-proof and flame-proof casserole with a lid {I improvised and used a saucepan initially followed by a baking dish with aluminium foil as my lid}. Sear the chicken over high heat, skin side down. This may take 2 batches so transfer to a bowl as you go.

Once the chicken pieces are seared, transfer them all to the bowl.

Finely slice the spring onions and stir fry quickly with the leaves torn from a few sprigs of thyme. Put them in the casserole.

Put 20 of the unpeeled cloves of garlic into the casserole.

Top with the chicken pieces skin-side up.

Add the vermouth (or white wine) to any oily, chickeny juices left in the bowl. Swill it around and pour this into the casserole.

Top with the remaining 20 cloves of garlic, salt, pepper & a few more sprigs of thyme.

Put on the lid and cook in the oven for 1.5 hours.

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As accompaniments, I toasted up some sour dough as suggested by Nigella to soak up all the yummy garlicky goodness of the pan juices.

As well as some petit pois!

Yum..! xx