Put an exotic spin on traditional “Chicken with 40 Garlic Cloves” with Indian touches like whole cinnamon, black cumin, turmeric, tomatoes, and more

Indian Cooking 401 – In this lesson we will give an Indian twist to a famous European dish: Chicken with 40 Garlic Cloves

Objectives:

• You will learn how to use black cumin seeds, which differ in look, texture, taste, and smell from regular cumin seeds 

• At the 401 level you are becoming a real pro and will have to visit an Indian grocer or specialty store to buy spices (such as black cumin seeds and nigella seeds) that you won’t be able to find easily at your local supermarket

As you may already know “Chicken with 40 Garlic Cloves” is a classic dish with interpretations by countless chefs from Julia Child and Nigella Lawson, to a host of slow cooker and quick pan-fried versions from home cooks all over the web. Basically it’s chicken slow-braised with a lot of garlic. Like, 3-4 heads of garlic. General consensus is that it’s the ultimate French comfort food because it renders juicy, tender chicken that is sweetened and mellowed by garlic. When I did a little digging, it turns out that while Chicken with 40 Garlic Cloves is associated with the southern Provençal region of France, its roots may lie in Spain, possibly originating in Catalonia. In any case, Sean and I love chicken and garlic. If the idea of 3-4 heads of garlic makes you cringe, don’t worry, it won’t taste or feel like you’re eating a mouthful of strong garlic. If you’ve ever drizzled a head of garlic with olive oil and wrapped it tightly in aluminum foil for an hour, you know that the high heat mellows out the garlic as it softens and browns, slipping easily out of the peel — it’s the ultimate spread across a piece of fresh country bread, and it turns your mashed potatoes into golden, creamy goodness.

Chicken with 40 Garlic Cloves by Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa — 40 cloves of garlic melt into the sauce, which smothers the braised chicken. This dish is often served with mashed potatoes; here it looks like she serves it with couscous. I serve my Indian-style Chicken with 40 Garlic Cloves with steamed white basmati rice. (Photo Source: Food Network)

I love the elegant simplicity of French cuisine and this dish in particular, so I wondered what it would be like if I gave it an Indian twist. My goal was to create an Indian version of Chicken with 40 Garlic Cloves that could be prepared and plated European style for an elegant Indian dinner party. This as you know, is a big tip I have for anyone learning Indian cooking — learn to make a variety of different dishes for any occasion, whether it’s a busy weeknight or a stylish Saturday evening soiree. In my rendition, you will use many of the same ingredients used in the European version — chicken, garlic, salt, pepper — while my addition of Indian pickling spices mirrors the effects of the cognac and wine in the original version. To give my version a smoky, sweet Indian edge, I added ingredients like black cumin seeds, whole cinnamon stick, tomatoes, and raisins. Finally, this dish is not at all spicy — it is mellow and sweet and rich and tender. This Indian-style Chicken with 40 Garlic Cloves is perfect with steamed white basmati rice.

Chicken With 40 Garlic Cloves: Indian Style

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 8 chicken thighs, bone-in, skinless
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 2 cloves
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 teaspoon black cumin
• 40 cloves of garlic, peeled
• 2 small onions, chopped
• 2 heaping tablespoons Shan brand Achar Gosht Curry spice mix
•  1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1/4 teaspoon coriander power
• 1-inch piece of fresh ginger root, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 heaping tablespoons plain yogurt
• 2 large tomatoes, chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 oz raisins (equal to a small Sunmaid Raisins box)
• Fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Skin the chicken thighs if you weren’t able to find skinless.
2. In a wide non-stick skillet heat canola oil (2 tablespoons) over medium-high heat. Add the chicken thighs and brown for 3-4 minutes. Turn and do the other side for another 3-4 minutes. Remove the chicken pieces to a plate.
3. Place an oven-proof skillet on a burner — don’t turn the heat on yet! Add cloves, cinnamon, black cumin, garlic, and onions. Add canola oil (1/2 cup) and turn flame to medium high heat, cooking until onions are golden and the tips are starting to brown.
4. Add fresh ginger, turmeric, cumin, and coriander powders to the pot. Add Achar Gosht Curry spice mix (2 tablespoons) and mix well. Add salt.
5. Add tomatoes and yogurt and stir well to combine. Add raisins and simmer on high heat for 5 minutes. Break up a few of the garlic pieces with the back of a wooden spoon.
6. Gently add the chicken pieces and combine.
7. Cover skillet with tight-fitting lid and bake in oven for 45 minutes.
8. Remove from the oven, and gently combine it so it is mixed through. Top with fresh cilantro before serving.

Starting from the top left: Shan brand Achar Gosht Curry spice mix, chicken thighs, garlic cloves, onions, ginger, cinnamon sticks, tomatoes, black cumin, cloves, raisins, salt, turmeric powder+cumin powder+coriander powder, yogurt, canola oil

Brown chicken thighs on medium-high heat in wide non-stick skillet

In a dutch oven, add onions, garlic cloves, cinnamon, cloves, and black cumin

Add the canola oil to the dutch oven and turn heat to medium-high, cooking until the onions are golden and the tips start to turn brown

After adding the spices, ginger, tomatoes, and yogurt, continue cooking; before you add the chicken, gently mash a few of the garlic cloves with the back of a wooden spoon

Add the chicken thighs to the dutch oven, cover tightly with matching lid, and bake in oven at 400F for 45 minutes

How can anyone resist whole garlic cloves that have been slow-cooked or braised into a luxurious sauce?