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If there is one ingredient that I use almost everyday in my kitchen, it’s probably garlic.
I love garlic. I love it in everything I make: stir-fry, stew, roasting, braising or as a marinade. Garlic impacts great aromas and flavors to protein such as chicken making it extremely delicious and flavorful.
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This garlic chicken is the epitome of using garlic to make chicken extremely scrumptious and mouthwatering. The ingredients are very simple: garlic, chicken, salt, cayenne pepper and sugar.
I also opted to use garlic heads to roast the chicken, making it even more garlicky and tasty. Plus the roasted garlic is so great with the garlic chicken.
I used chicken thighs for my garlic chicken recipe. Instead of deboning the chicken, I kept them bone-in, but cutting two slits on the side of the thigh bone.
Then I rubbed the finely minced garlic inside the meat, infusing the chicken meat with the garlic. This is my secret technique to make my garlic chicken recipe even better. You may also like my creamy garlic chicken recipe.
How Many Calories per Serving?
This recipe is only 578 calories per serving.
What Dishes to Serve with This Recipe?
For a wholesome meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.
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Garlic Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs. chicken thighs
- 4 cloves garlic (finely minced)
- 2 heads garlic (bottoms trimmed (as pictured))
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar or honey
- 3 dashes cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (cut into small cubes)
- Chopped parsley (for garnishing)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (207°C).
- Prep the chicken. Cut two slits at the bottom of the chicken thighs, alongside the bone (optional step). Rub the minced garlic on the chicken meat, then add salt, brown sugar and cayenne pepper.
- Heat up a skillet and pan-fry the chicken, skin side down first, until the skin surface becomes slightly brown, but the bottom part of the chicken is nicely browned and becomes crispy.
- Transfer the chicken to a cast-iron skillet, add the garlic head and butter cubes. Roast the chicken for 20 minutes, and broil for 1 minute until the skin becomes slightly charred. Remove from oven, garnish with the parsley and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
How do I print this recipe on my printer?
I am a new subscriber.
Garlic chicken recipe.
02/22/2016 was date on recipe.
Hi Albert, on the right hand side of the recipe, there is a small printer icon. Click on that and print, or go here: https://rasamalaysia.com/garlic-chicken/print/. You just add /print/ to the URL of the recipe and you can print.
How do I see the directions to the garlic chicken recipe? I only see the ingredients. I really would like to make it!
Hi Jami, my recipe is where the red bar is. -> GET RECIPE HERE. It’s here: https://rasamalaysia.com/garlic-chicken/2/
Can you use chicken breast instead of thighs?
That is my question too! I don’t care for thighs and this sounds amazing.
Yes, you can use chicken breasts. :)
Yes, you can try with chicken breast but it won’t have much of a taste. I think chicken thighs have more flavors.
This chicken recipe was so easy and unbelievably delicious! I made it for my husband and FIL, but my daughter, who is an extremely picky eater, begged for a piece. She gobbled it up and gave it a 10 out of 10! Next time, I’ll make more! I did the whole thing in my cast iron skillet. I used honey instead of the brown sugar. YUMMY!
That’s awesome Sara. I am so happy that you and your family loved the garlic chicken. :)
Good, but have to laugh at these recipes that say…”ready in 30 minutes”. Chicken thighs are NOT done in 30 minutes.
Esther – did you read the instructions and then commented? The chicken thighs are pan-seared first until the skin turn crispy and then baked in the oven for 20 mins. If you are cooking chicken thighs for way over 30 minutes then you are over cooking them and they turn dry and rubbery.
I’m very excited to try this but I don’t have a cast iron skillet :( . Is there a workaround for this recipe without a skillet? Is it ok to use a baking sheet or a stainless steel skillet?
Yes, you can, skillet will be better.
Cooked this for dinner last night! AMAZING! Ididn’t have cayanne so I threw in a couple of other things .. like smoked paprika, chili flakes and pepper :) You can see I’m sucker for any chillieand turned out AMAZING!!! I threw in some carrots in the last 10 mins in the oven. .. so all in all, i’m in love! I’m going to make your Vietnamese shaking beef tonight :) wish me luck
Hi Cryst, thanks for making my garlic chicken recipe. Yes, the more chilies, the better. Yummy. I am sure you will love the shaking beef recipe!
How did you come out with dinner in 20 minutes .The roasting is 20 minutes, broiling is 1 min. Then there is the prep time. Do I add some water to broil? I’m sorry, just don’t quite follow the recipe.
Prep time 1o minutes……cooking time 2o minutes= 30 minutes
Omg, the smell of roasted garlic coming from the kitchen is the ultimate aroma for me! I’d dab it behind my ears if I could ;) I’m totally loving this garlicy chicken recipe and the bit of sweet from the honey and I’m a diehard fan of some heat, so I really appreciate the bit of cayenne! Pinning for sure!
Thanks Kathleen you’re so sweet.
some people don’t like the taste and odor of garlic. so we can cahnge right to other onion..
You can change to onion if you like. :)