Do you love garlic? It is by far the most used ingredient in my kitchen next to onions, and salt (but technically salt is a seasoning not an ingredient, right?).
The thing I love about garlic is that the flavour profile can change so much depending on what you do with it. So even if you think don’t like garlic, you probably just haven’t discovered away to cook it that you like.
Raw it can be a lot to handle (but I still love the spicy kick it adds to a garlic sauce on shawarma! Yum!). Fried, or sauteed it has a much deeper but still punchy flavour profile. Roasted, it takes on a much sweeter and mellower flavour that is much easier for your palate to handle.
This 20 clove garlic roasted chicken is super simple to make and literally only needs one roasting pan or dutch oven, loads of garlic, a few veggies and chicken, ofcourse. Toss it all in the oven and a few hours later you have a deliciously moist chicken that you serve with the roasted garlic gravy at the bottom of the pan. And of-course, minimal clean up, how amazing is that!
This roast chicken is great for meal prep since it can be eaten straight up, right off the bone. Or shredded to add to pasta, or in a sandwich or salad. Use the roasted garlic gravy as a spread for your sandwiches, or as a salad dressing. Or even pour over pasta or rice. It’s soooo good.
Also don’t forget to save those chicken bones to make bone broth!
20 Clove Garlic Roast Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp coconut oil (melted)
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 whole chicken (skin on)
- 2 heads garlic (about 20 cloves)
- 1 small onion
- 1 carrot
- 1 celery stalk
- 1/2 lemon
- 1 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 2 jalapenos or green chillis (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375*F (190*C)
- Prep your veggies: Peel the garlic cloves (or buy the ready peeled kind). Peel and slice the onion in half, peel and roughly chop the carrot and celery to about 2-3 inches long.
- Wash and pat dry the chicken (make sure the cavity is empty). Mix the oil, salt, pepper and thyme together and rub all over the chicken (make sure to turn it over and get it on the bottom too).
- Place the garlic cloves and chopped chillis in the bottom of a dutch oven or large deep roasting pan. Add the chicken on top. Make sure the breast side is up.
- Stuff the onion, carrot and celery into the cavity of the bird. Finish with stuffing the half lemon into the bird. You may need to tie the legs together with cooking twine to make sure the veggies stay in.
- Pour the chicken broth into the pan.
- Cover the pan, and place in the oven for 15-20 mins. The liquid in the pan should come to a boil.
- Turn the temperature up to 425*F (230*C), remove the lid from the pan and cook for an additional 40-50 mins. (About 20 mins per lbs of bird). Or internal temp of 165*F (75*C).
- When it is done, remove the chicken from the pan and allow it to cool for at least 10 mins before cutting into it. This will keep the bird moist.
- Meanwhile, place the pan with the cooking juices on the stove to bring to a boil. Use the back of a spoon to mash the garlic cloves up or use an immersion blender. This will make a nice roasted garlic gravy for your chicken. Add 1/2 tsp salt and pepper to the gravy if you like.
- Serve the chicken with roasted garlic gravy and some wilted greens (like spinach or kale) or on top of a large salad.
