Slow Cooker Chicken With 20 Cloves of Garlic

By Sarah DiGregorio

Updated Jan. 30, 2020

Slow Cooker Chicken With 20 Cloves of Garlic
Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini.
Total Time
3¼ hours
Rating
4(1,713)
Comments
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This weeknight-friendly version of the French classic — chicken with 40 cloves of garlic — has half the amount of garlic, because a slow cooker doesn’t get quite hot enough to mellow out 40 whole cloves. This dish cooks on high for three hours, but you can lengthen the cook time to six hours using the low heat setting. In that case, cut the garlic further to 15 cloves, because it may taste a bit stronger when cooked at that lower temperature. The beans end up pleasantly soupy, in a sauce rich with chicken juices and wine. The herbs stirred in at the end impart a welcome freshness. This is best served in shallow bowls, with good bread on the side.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 1(28-ounce) can or 2 (14-ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained
  • 20garlic cloves (about 2 heads of garlic), smashed
  • ⅓cup white wine
  • 2tablespoons olive oil
  • 1tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • 2fresh thyme sprigs or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½teaspoon red-pepper flakes
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • 2pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (4 to 6 large thighs)
  • ½lemon, juiced (about 1 tablespoon)
  • 2scallions, trimmed, white and light green parts thinly sliced
  • ½cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

1003 calories; 58 grams fat; 15 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 26 grams monounsaturated fat; 11 grams polyunsaturated fat; 51 grams carbohydrates; 11 grams dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 66 grams protein; 1317 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Combine the beans, garlic, wine, oil, vinegar, thyme and red-pepper flakes in a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker. Season lightly with salt and generously with pepper. Season the chicken thighs all over with salt and pepper, then nestle them in an even layer on top of the beans, skin-side up. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours.

  2. Step 2

    Line a sheet pan with foil and heat a broiler. Using tongs, remove the chicken thighs from the slow cooker, place them on the foil, skin-side up, and broil for 2 to 4 minutes, rotating once, until the chicken skin is golden and caramelized in spots.

  3. Step 3

    Stir the lemon juice, scallions and parsley into the beans. Serve the beans in bowls, and top with the chicken.

Ratings

4 out of 5
1,713 user ratings
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Comments

Marion Barker

Cut the stem ends off the garlic cloves, then put the cloves in a large glass jar. Put on the lid and shake the jar vigorously for a minute or so. Peels will come off easily.

Christa

This was good--the chicken was moist and succulent, and you definitely want to run it under the broiler to crisp and brown the skin. Cooked mine on high for 3 hours and used only 1/4 tsp pepper flakes. Do add some greens to the beans. Ate mine with pumpernickel. Did not find mine too garlicky: just right. Most time-consuming part was peeling the garlic, but after that, it cooks itself.

Smo

To adapt for pressure cooker— Increase wine so total liquid is a scant cup. Cook beans and chicken on high pressure for 18 minutes (or low if you want the chicken to hold together more for easier transfer to the broiler.) Slow release for 5 minutes, then release the rest of the pressure. Before adding final ingredients to the bean mixture, use sauté function to reduce the liquid while the chicken is broiling.

SG

Made this with some modifications and it was a huge hit so I’m making it again for dinner tonight. Used split breasts and browned in 1 TP butter and EVOO in small Dutch oven. Removed the chicken and softened 1 diced shallot and sweet onion, then added 1/2 cup chicken stock in addition to the recipe’s ingredients. Baked breast-side down in Dutch oven for about 4 or 5 hours on 275.

Stu

Did anyone else try this in the oven? I'm sure it would've been great, but I cooked it at 325 F for three hours to simulate a high-temp slow cooker, and it was bone-dry and crusty when I took it out of the oven, whereas I was expecting something more brothy and creamy for the beans and bean liquid. I don't think this is the fault of the recipe, though. Thoughts/suggestions?

Madeleine

This is one of my all time favs after cooking it just once. I had a bunch of dry great northern beans so I used those instead of buying canned beans. I had some dried chilies lying around so substituted those over red pepper flakes. Lastly, I added some spinach at the very end after moving the chicken to the broiler for some extra color. Yum!

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