40-Clove Crock Pot Chicken
I saw this recipe recently and decided to give it a try. Verdict: YUM! Plus lots of leftovers. Warning: you'll need a big crock pot for this one. And vampires need not apply.
Ingredients:
- 8 chicken thighs, bone-in, with skin
- 8-10 chicken legs (drumsticks), bone-in, with skin
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 stalks celery, cut into 3-inch pieces
- 2 large carrots, cut into 3-inch pieces
- 1 generous teaspoon dried tarragon
- 6-8 sprigs fresh parsley
- 1/2 cup olive oil, plus 1-2 teaspoons for the skillet
- 1/2 cup dry vermouth
- dash fresh ground nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt (or to taste)
- fresh ground pepper (at least a teaspoon, but as you will)
- 40 cloves garlic, peeled (you can cheat and get these at the store)
- Fresh loaf of crusty bread of choice
Directions:
Put 1/2 cup oil onto a large rimmed plate. Oil chicken pieces until all pieces are evenly coated. Heat a little oil in a large skillet. Sautee onion until it colors up nicely and is soft. Transfer onion and juices into crock pot; return pan to stove to keep hot. Add cut carrots and celery to crock pot; layer in parsley. Put oiled chicken in batches into hot skillet and cook 2-3 minutes per side to give chicken a bit of color. As each batch finishes, transfer to crock pot. Layer in garlic cloves around chicken as you add it. When all the chicken and garlic has been added, toss on the tarragon, salt, and pepper. Pour vermouth over the whole and cover crock pot with foil, and then lid. (Make sure you crimp the foil to keep a good seal and not cause steam to condense and drip all over your counters.) Cook on high 2-3 hours or low 4-6 hours (more cooking time won't hurt, but check the chicken temperature if you're trying to skimp on time).
To serve: Place piece of chicken, pan juices, and at least 3-4 cloves of soft smooshy garlic in a bowl. Place bowl on plate with slices of bread. Spread soft garlic all over the bread, then dip the slices into the pan juices and devour along with the chicken.
Put leftover chicken into a container separate from the pan juices and veggies/ garlic. Strain out garlic for future eating. Strain pan juices and store separately, or puree the remaining juices plus veggies for a nice thick sauce and/or the start of some killer chicken soup.
Ingredients:
- 8 chicken thighs, bone-in, with skin
- 8-10 chicken legs (drumsticks), bone-in, with skin
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 stalks celery, cut into 3-inch pieces
- 2 large carrots, cut into 3-inch pieces
- 1 generous teaspoon dried tarragon
- 6-8 sprigs fresh parsley
- 1/2 cup olive oil, plus 1-2 teaspoons for the skillet
- 1/2 cup dry vermouth
- dash fresh ground nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt (or to taste)
- fresh ground pepper (at least a teaspoon, but as you will)
- 40 cloves garlic, peeled (you can cheat and get these at the store)
- Fresh loaf of crusty bread of choice
Directions:
Put 1/2 cup oil onto a large rimmed plate. Oil chicken pieces until all pieces are evenly coated. Heat a little oil in a large skillet. Sautee onion until it colors up nicely and is soft. Transfer onion and juices into crock pot; return pan to stove to keep hot. Add cut carrots and celery to crock pot; layer in parsley. Put oiled chicken in batches into hot skillet and cook 2-3 minutes per side to give chicken a bit of color. As each batch finishes, transfer to crock pot. Layer in garlic cloves around chicken as you add it. When all the chicken and garlic has been added, toss on the tarragon, salt, and pepper. Pour vermouth over the whole and cover crock pot with foil, and then lid. (Make sure you crimp the foil to keep a good seal and not cause steam to condense and drip all over your counters.) Cook on high 2-3 hours or low 4-6 hours (more cooking time won't hurt, but check the chicken temperature if you're trying to skimp on time).
To serve: Place piece of chicken, pan juices, and at least 3-4 cloves of soft smooshy garlic in a bowl. Place bowl on plate with slices of bread. Spread soft garlic all over the bread, then dip the slices into the pan juices and devour along with the chicken.
Put leftover chicken into a container separate from the pan juices and veggies/ garlic. Strain out garlic for future eating. Strain pan juices and store separately, or puree the remaining juices plus veggies for a nice thick sauce and/or the start of some killer chicken soup.