AWESOME BAKED GARLIC & CHICKEN

Awesome Baked Garlic & Chicken image

So, what's your take on garlic? Well, if you're not a big fan, you just might be a big fan after tasting this dish. We're going to use 20 cloves of unpeeled garlic, with a few more ingredients to round out the flavors. And don't worry about the dish tasting like a bunch of garlic; the baking will mellow out those flavors, and bring the whole dish together. As a matter of fact, squeeze out the garlic and spread it on some nice crusty bread. With the temperatures beginning to dip into the freezing zone this recipe is a great one to warm you up. So, you ready.. Let's get into the kitchen

Provided by Andy Anderson ! @ThePretentiousChef

Categories Chicken

Number Of Ingredients 13

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Ingredients

1/3 cup(s) olive oil, extra virgin
1 medium whole chicken cut up (about 3 pounds)
2 medium celery ribs cut 1/2 inch thick on the bias (about 3 ounces)
1 cup(s) yellow onion, chopped (about 4 ounces)
1 pound(s) golden potatoes, quartered
1 teaspoon(s) tarragon, dried
1/4 cup(s) dry vermouth
1/2 cup(s) chicken stock
- salt, kosher variety, to taste
- black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
1 pinch(es) nutmeg, grated
20 clove(s) garlic, unpeeled (about 2 ounces)
- freshly baked, crusty bread

Steps:

Gather your ingredients.
Chef's Tip: If you get a chance, you should brine the chicken. This will add additional flavor and moisture to the bird, and help to flavor the sauce.
Add the chicken pieces to a bowl with the olive oil and thoroughly coat.
Chef's Note: When I cut up a whole fryer, I separate the legs, the thighs, the wings, and the breasts. That should give you 8 pieces.
Place a rack in the lower position, and preheat oven to 375f (190c).
Add the celery, onions, potatoes, and tarragon to a large ovenproof pot.
Chef's Note: This pot needs a nice tight-fitting lid.
Add the chicken to the pot in a nice layer above the veggies.
Add the vermouth, and the chicken stock.
Season with some salt, pepper, and a pinch of freshly ground nutmeg.
Chef's Tip: If you brined the chicken, you can skip using any salt in the seasoning.
Add the garlic cloves by placing them around the chicken pieces
Chef's Note: Separate the garlic from the bulb, but do not peel it. This will concentrate the flavors of the garlic, and make it a spread for your bread. If you've never spread baked garlic on a piece of homemade crusty bread, you haven't lived.
Cover the pot with the lid.
Chef's Tip: If your lid is not very tight, add a piece of foil to the top and then place the lid on top,
Place in the preheated oven, and then bake for 90 minutes without opening the oven and peeking.
Put the chicken in a nice serving dish (or go rustic and leave it in the pot).
Let your guests grab (with tongs) a piece or two of the chicken, and spoon the juice over the top. And don't forget some of those garlic cloves. Have your guests squeeze the garlic paste onto some nice freshly baked, crusty bread, and then use it to sop up that wonderful sauce. Enjoy.
Keep the faith, and keep cooking.