Garlic chicken is one of those recipes that you can only get right. It is a traditional recipe that is one of the most popular and that everyone likes, one of those that raises the nostalgia of good homemade food, made with love and over low heat.
As with many other preparations, the key to a good garlic chicken is in the sauce . What we are going to try to achieve with this preparation is that the oil becomes well flavored with the garlic, and that by mixing it with the white wine and the chicken broth we get a very specific flavor for our sauce, which is going to make us run away. Go for a piece of bread to dip and enjoy its incredible flavor.
I wanted to share with you the recipe as I learned it from my mother, and at the end of it I give you some recommendations, especially regarding some specific ingredients, such as the parts of the chicken that work best in the recipe, the type of olive oil that I have used, or the way to thicken the sauce.
I hope you like it and that you prepare it with yours at home. Will not disappoint you.
What olive oil have I used in this recipe?
I always use a good Extra Virgin Olive Oil in all the recipes I make. In this case I have used a Picual from the Sierra de Cazorla, in Jaén, which I love to use for cooking. It is a very good quality oil and, despite being from the Picual variety, it is not as intense in flavor as others. I use it a lot in both stir-fries and stews.
Keep in mind that in this recipe what we are going to do is flavor the oil with garlic. For this reason we do not need an oil with a very intense flavor, but one that is of quality and that enriches the preparation.
Recommendations when cooking garlic chicken:
When buying chicken:
My recommendation is to buy half a chopped chicken, thinking about making chicken for 3 people. But if you like a specific part of the chicken much more, you can make it only from thighs, thighs or pieces of breast, but I think the ideal is a combination of different parts.
What I do recommend is that you use some parts with bones, as they will provide a wonderful flavor, and I say the same about the skin. The skin, when browned, will add flavor and will also make the meat juicier. If you don't like the skin you can remove it at the end when it is already cooked, but I recommend that you leave it on during preparation.
About garlic:
In this recipe it is important that you use the garlic in two ways: cut and chopped into small pieces, and also whole and unpeeled. The whole garlic, with its skin, will be the first ones we will use, make sure they do not burn, the skin will protect them and will soften them and leave a magnificent flavor. The chopped garlic should brown well.
In total I have used 7 cloves of garlic.
To thicken the sauce for our garlic chicken:
I like to use a little flour to thicken the sauce when the garlic has already flavored the oil very well, but this is not essential, it is just because I am one of those who likes this sauce with its slightly thicker texture, But if you like it with a texture more similar to that of chicken in sauce, that is, something more liquid, it will also be delicious.
You must keep in mind that if you use flour we do not want it to add practically any flavor to our preparation, so it should not be toasted too much, simply
Integrate and thicken the oil with the garlic. For this reason, when adding the flour, stir very well until it is integrated, let it cook for just one minute over medium heat and then add the white wine.
Use lemon juice?:
There are people who add a little lemon juice to this recipe. Generally only the juice of half a lemon is used. I don't use it because white wine and garlic are enough for me, since the result is a sauce with an intense flavor that in my opinion does not need the acidity of lemon juice, but if you like it you can add it and I'm sure it will The result will also be very good. I use lemon juice in many other recipes.
Garlic chicken recipe step by step:
Ingredients for 2/3 people.
-Half chopped chicken.
-7 cloves of garlic. 4 whole with skin and another 3 peeled and chopped.
-1 tablespoon of flour.
-1/2 glass of white wine.
-400 ml of chicken broth.
-Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
-Black pepper.
-Salt.
Elaboration:
Step 1: Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and leave them on a plate until we are going to use them.
Step 2: In a saucepan, heat a little Extra Virgin Olive Oil over medium/high heat. When it is hot, add the 3 whole garlic cloves with skin and let them brown for a few minutes.
Step 3: Add the chicken pieces. What we are going to do is seal the chicken, we just want it to brown on the outside, it will remain raw on the inside. After a few minutes we are going to take it out and reserve it for later.
Step 4: Add the chopped garlic to the casserole and let it brown along with the ones with the skin.
Step 5: When the garlic has browned, add the flour and stir very well to mix it with the oil, make sure it is well integrated and there are no lumps.
Step 6: When it has been mixed, add the white wine and let it evaporate almost all of its alcohol. Stir from time to time and you will obtain a texture like the one seen in the image.
Step 7: Place the chicken pieces back in the pan and add the broth.
Step 8: Let it cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes in total. After 10 minutes, taste the sauce to see if it is to your liking for salt (keep in mind that the broth you added may already contain salt). Let it rest for about 10 minutes with the heat off and you are ready to eat.
You can serve it with French fries or baked potatoes. It also goes very well with sautéed wild asparagus. Enjoy it!.
