Here's my version. My family loves this stuff. I always remove the garlic cloves and puree that, then incorporate some of the garlic paste into some mashed potatoes, and store the remainder in the fridge.
40 Cloves of Garlic and a Chicken with Gravy
Yields: 4 servings
This is a surprisingly simple dish to make, especially if you have a large cast iron skillet. And, while this sounds like a lot of garlic, once it’s roasted, the garlic takes on a nutty, sweet, flavor. I like to use a little of the roasted garlic in the gravy, then puree and store the rest for later uses.
1 whole chicken (broiler/fryer), cut into 8 pieces
2 T oil
½ t thyme
½ t sage
40 cloves garlic, peeled
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 c chicken stock
3 T cornstarch mixed with ¼ c water
Preheat oven to 350°F. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Toss with the 2 T olive oil and brown on both sides in a wide fry pan or skillet over high heat. Remove from heat, add the thyme, sage, and garlic cloves. Cover and bake for 1 hour.
Remove pan from the oven, then remove the chicken and let rest for 5 - 10 minutes on a serving platter. Remove the garlic and puree, to use in the gravy or for later.
Place the roasting pan (this is why I like to use a cast iron skillet) over a burner, and over medium heat, caramelize the drippings until they take on a dark brown color. Pour off the fat into a heat-proof container. Deglaze the pan with the chicken stock, stirring and scraping to dissolve all the browned goodness from the drippings. Reduce the stock by half, then strain into another pan. Bring the stock back to a boil, then slowly add the cornstarch mixture while stirring the stock. Once it tightens into a smooth gravy, remove from the heat and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve the gravy over the chicken.