Slow Cooker 40 Clove Garlic Chicken is your next go-to weeknight meal. Buttery chicken in a rich, yummy sauce and, yes, 40 garlic cloves!
With the popularity for Chicken with 40 Cloves made in the oven, garlic lovers will adore this Slow Cooker Dinner which makes the chicken easy to set and forget. Simply prep the ingredients, then let them cook in the crock pot while you go about your day.
If the idea of 40 garlic cloves has you nervous, we don’t blame you. It sounds like it would be overwhelming. But instead, these Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs turn out with a mellow garlic flavor throughout that’s wonderfully family-friendly. Plus, it’s all cooked in a rich wine sauce that you’ll want to lick off the plate! It’s a great recipe, that you could serve for a dinner party or for an easy weeknight dinner that the whole family will love. Check it out!
Table of contents
Sabrina’s 40-Clove Garlic Recipe
40 Cloves of Garlic Chicken is a classic recipe, that’s made incredibly easy in the slow cooker. All you have to do is brown your chicken thighs in a pan, then they’ll be ready to add to the crock pot with the rest of your ingredients. In fact, the hardest part of the whole recipe is probably peeling the garlic. However, if you find pre-peeled garlic at the store you can cut that step out entirely!
Since you don’t have to worry about the chicken during the cooking time, you can also prep some delicious, easy sides for your dinner. Try Sautéed Green Beans, Brown Rice, or even serve the chicken over some noodles.
Ingredients
- 6 Chicken Thighs: These chicken thighs provide the main protein for the dish. Their bone-in and skin-on nature adds flavor and moisture to the final dish. You can use boneless, skinless thighs for a lighter version.
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt: Kosher salt is used for seasoning the chicken, enhancing its flavor. You can use regular table salt, but lower the quantity as it’s saltier by volume.
- ½ teaspoon Coarse Ground Black Pepper: Black pepper adds a mild heat and depth of flavor to the chicken. Freshly ground pepper is ideal, but pre-ground works too.
- 2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil: Vegetable oil is used for searing the chicken. It has a high smoke point, making it suitable for high-heat cooking.
- 4 tablespoons Unsalted Butter: Butter provides richness and flavor to the dish. Slicing it thinly helps distribute it evenly. You can use salted butter if that’s what you have.
- 40 cloves Garlic: Garlic is the star of the dish, giving it its distinct flavor. When roasted, the garlic cloves become sweet and mellow.
- 1 cup White Wine: White wine adds acidity and depth to the sauce. Use a dry white wine like Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc. You can substitute chicken broth if you prefer a non-alcoholic option.
- 1 teaspoon Thyme: Thyme contributes an earthy, herbal note to the dish.
- 2 teaspoons Cornstarch: Cornstarch is a thickening agent used to create a sauce with the cooking liquids.
- 1 tablespoon Water: Water is mixed with cornstarch to create a slurry for thickening the sauce.
- Optional: ¼ cup Heavy Cream: Adding heavy cream makes the sauce creamy and richer in flavor. It’s an optional step for those who prefer a creamy sauce.
Kitchen Tools and Equipment
- Large Skillet: You’ll need a large skillet for searing the chicken thighs. Make sure it’s oven-safe if you plan to use it for both searing and slow cooking.
- Slow Cooker: A slow cooker is essential for cooking the chicken and garlic slowly over a few hours. It helps develop rich flavors and tenderizes the meat.
- Knife: A sharp knife is necessary for slicing garlic and any other prep work.
- Cutting Board: Use a cutting board to safely chop garlic and other ingredients.
- Whisk: A whisk is handy for mixing the cornstarch and water to create a slurry for thickening the sauce.
- Saucepan: You’ll need a saucepan to heat and thicken the cooking liquids to create the sauce. Choose a size that comfortably holds the liquid.
How to Make 40 Clove Garlic Chicken
Time needed: 14 hours and 15 minutes.
- Prep
Start by seasoning the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Add vegetable or olive oil to a skillet and heat. Sear the chicken on each side, until nicely browned this should only take 4-5 minutes for each side.
- Slow Cooker
Add the chicken, garlic, and slices of butter to your slow cooker. Pour the mixture of white wine (or chicken stock) and thyme over the top. Turn on the slow cooker, and let it cook low and slow for 8 hours or on high for 4.
- Sauce
Take your chicken and garlic out of the slow cooker. Add the remaining liquid to a saucepan. Mix cornstarch and water to make a slurry. Add the slurry to the liquids and bring to a boil. Stir the mixture until the sauce is thickened. For a creamy sauce add ¼ cup heavy cream to the liquids. Pour your sauce over the Slow Cooker Chicken, and enjoy
Nutritional Facts
How to Store Leftovers
To keep the leftover 40 Garlic Chicken fresh, allow them to cool to room temperature. Store them in an airtight container or a sealed freezer bag in the refrigerator for up to 3 days to preserve their flavor and tenderness.
This is a great recipe to reheat and enjoy as leftovers as it is. However, you can also use the Slow Cooker Garlicky Chicken in other recipes. Try shredding the chicken to add it to add it to your favorite Chicken Noodle Soup. You could also cut it into small chicken pieces to add to an easy casserole.
Freezing 40-Garlic Chicken
You can freeze garlic chicken for up to 6 months. Be sure to let it cool before sealing and storing it in the freezer. The next time you want to enjoy the chicken, let it thaw in the fridge overnight then reheat it in the crockpot or in a Dutch oven.
Instant Pot 40-Clove Garlic Chicken
Instead of preparing your Garlic Chicken in the crockpot, you can easily make it in an instant. Follow these simple instructions to get garlicky chicken that’s just as tender and flavorful as the slow cooker version.
- Set the Instant Pot to saute mode, and season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add extra virgin olive oil or vegetable oil to the pot.
- Sear the chicken on each side until browned.
- Add all the ingredients and white wine sauce to the instant pot.
- Seal the pot and set to manual to cook for 15 minutes.
- Let stand for 5 minutes then release the pressure.
- Remove the chicken thighs and garlic. Prepare the sauce as usual.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can substitute chicken breasts if you prefer white meat.
While white wine is traditional for this recipe, you can use red wine if you prefer. Keep in mind that red wine will impart a different flavor and color to the dish. Choose a dry red wine for the best results.
If you find the garlic flavor too strong, you can reduce the number of garlic cloves or use roasted garlic, which has a milder flavor. Adding a bit more white wine or chicken broth can also help balance the garlic intensity.
Yes, you can adapt this recipe for stovetop or oven cooking. After searing the chicken, transfer everything to a large ovenproof pot with a lid. Cook in the oven at 300°F (150°C) for 2-3 hours or until the chicken is tender. Read more on Oven Chicken with 40 Garlic Cloves
Yes, you can substitute dried thyme for rubbed thyme. Use half the amount, as dried herbs are more potent than their fresh counterparts. Crush the dried thyme between your fingers before adding it for better flavor release.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 6 chicken thighs , skin-on and bone-in
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter , sliced thinly
- 40 cloves garlic , peeled (about 3 heads of garlic)
- 1 cup white wine
- 1 teaspoon rubbed thyme
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Season chicken with salt and pepper.
- Add vegetable oil to a large skillet on medium high heat.
- Sear the chicken on both sides, about 4-5 minutes on each side until browned.
- Add chicken to your slow cooker along with garlic and slices of butter.
- Mix white wine and rubbed thyme and pour around the chicken.
- Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.
- Remove chicken and garlic from pan.
- Add liquid to a saucepan.
- Mix cornstarch and water and pour into saucepan.
- Bring liquids to a boil and thicken, about 3-4 minutes on high heat.
- Pour over chicken and garlic to serve.
- Optional: to make creamy add ¼ cup heavy cream to liquids in saucepan before thickening.
Notes
Nutrition
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Variations on Garlic Chicken
- Boneless Chicken Thighs: You can prepare this dish with the same ingredients, except using boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Boneless chicken has a faster cooking time, so you’ll need to decrease the time in the crockpot. Cook the chicken on low for 6 hours or high for 3. Remove the boneless chicken thighs and garlic, then prepare the sauce with the other ingredients as usual.
- Chicken Breasts: The same applies if you want to make this dish using boneless chicken breasts. The chicken breasts will have a shorter cooking time than chicken thighs. Make sure to check the internal temperature has reached 165 degrees F if you’re not sure your chicken breasts are cooked through.
- Add-ins: There are so many ingredients you can try mixing in to change up your crock pot dinner. Try adding in some soy sauce or chicken broth if you want to change up the flavor of the sauce. You could also add in some chopped onion or red pepper flakes for extra flavor. For some sweetness add in honey to make irresistible Honey Garlic Chicken.
More Easy Slow Cooker Recipes
Photos used in previous versions of this post.
I made mine on the fly, as I was tired. I used the boneless thighs and I added a hefty teaspoon of better than bouillon, but I don’t think I added enough water. It was a tad salty, but not too bad. I kept the leftovers and used for lunch. What I did was cooked a big old baked potato in the microwave and spooned the left over chicken/sauce over that. It was good and easy. I didn’t do the cream in the sauce, next time I will have more time and plan to do that. However I did do the white wine. Yum.
What would you do differently with skinless thighs? That is too much fat for me (no gall bladder, need to watch fat).
Thanks,
Cindy
This was very good. Very simple and easy crockpot recipe. The sauce is terrific!
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Dan.
I have to say that this recipe is really delicious. One thing though – I don’t know how 6 thighs equates to 10 servings! Not in my house!
Hi. Any good substitute for wine or should I just not make it if I’m not a drinker?
You can substitute with white grape juice or chicken broth instead. I hope you enjoy it!
usually wine cooks down and has not booze in it, just the flavor left.
I haven’t made it yet, but I am planning on it as it sounds delicious. Can you tell me what rubbed thyme is and how does it differ from the thyme in the bottle that I use? Thanks and Happy New Year
Rubbed thyme is the process of rubbing the thyme leaves into a fine powder. You just want to make sure they’re not just ground or left whole when added to the white wine. Hope this helps clear things up and that you decide to give this a try. Enjoy!