picture cred: http://tastycrush.com
warning: you will smell strongly of garlic all day, the day after you eat this!
What you will need:
1 whole chicken, cut into about 10 pieces
Small handful fresh Thyme (or a few teaspoons of dry will work, too!)
1 head Garlic, unpeeled (or more, if you're like me!)
3 Tbsp Olive oil
2 un-waxed lemons cut into chunky eighths
10 Tbsp. white cooking wine (found in the grocery store, by the vinegar)
Preheat oven to 300.
Arrange the chicken in a 9x13 inch pan. I like to use all drumsticks, because my kids are more likely to eat drumsticks! Yes, they do eat this meal. I know: AMAZING! Any chicken will work as long as it is bone in! Breast tend to get a little dry with this recipe, and dark meat portions of the chicken will work best!!
Add the cloves of garlic and chunks of lemon; roughly pull the leaves off of the thyme, directly into pan. (Leave some intact for garnish.) A note on the garlic: pull the cloves apart and arrange them in the pan with the peel still on. They will roast and become really sweet and butter-soft. When you eat the chicken: squeeze the garlic out of the peel and eat it right alongside the chicken!! Also, I usually use 2 large heads of garlic, because it's my favorite part of the meal...
Drizzle the olive oil over the chicken, and using your hands, mix everything together. Turn all chicken so the skin side is up.
Sprinkle cooking wine over top and add pepper to taste. Cover tightly with foil, bake for 2 hours (so, be sure to plan ahead!). I usually put the chicken in at about 2:30, and it's ready to eat by 5:30. Remove foil, increase heat to 400. Bake for 30-45 min, by which time the skin on the meat will have turned golden brown. Add remaining thyme, serve hot.
