There's something about this roasted garlic sauce that just takes dinner to the next level. It truly brings out the best in anything it touches- especially this whole roasted tender chicken. This recipe is perfect for those busy nights or a casual weekend when you want something a little extra special without complicated ingredients.
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Ingredients
For this chicken with roasted garlic sauce, we're starting with a whole head of garlic because roasted garlic is the star in this recipe and a few pantry staples to create a sauce that's rich, smooth, and loaded with flavor. So, grab your chicken and let's dive in. You'll need:
- A whole chicken
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Kosher salt
- Dried Thyme
- Za'atar
- Black pepper
- Smoked paprika
- 2 whole garlic heads
- Avocado oil
- Chicken broth (keep on hand just in case you need to add to the pan juices)
Ingredient Notes
You'll need a Nutribullet or blender to make the garlic sauce.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Chicken with Roasted Garlic Sauce
Making this roasted garlic sauce is easier than you might think. With just a few simple steps, you'll have a creamy, rich sauce that takes your chicken to the next level. Here's how to make it.
- Pat your chicken dry with paper towels to absorb any excess moisture.
- Use kitchen shears to spatchcock your chicken by removing the backbone and flattening it. See step-by-step photos on how to spatchcock.
- Season generously and place in preheated oven.
- Baste chicken with the pan juices a couple of times when it's almost done.
- Wrap each whole head of garlic in foil and drizzle with avocado oil and kosher salt and place in preheated oven.
- When done, remove the chicken from the oven and place on a clean plate.
- Remove the roasted garlic from the foil and squeeze the head to push out the softened cloves.
- Add pan juices and roasted garlic cloves to a Nutibullet or blender and blitz for a few seconds until smooth.
- Pour the roasted garlic sauce into the skillet.
- Next, return the roasted chicken to the skillet, baste it generously with the sauce, and place it back in the oven for another 3-4 minutes.
Equipment
For this recipe I used a braiser but a Dutch oven, cast iron skillet, or a small roasting pan will work.
Storage and Reheat
Store
Store any leftover chicken in an airtight container along with any remaining sauce to keep it moist and flavorful. Make sure the container has a tight-fitting lid to keep everything fresh.
Reheat
For the best results, reheat the chicken and sauce together in a baking dish covered with foil. Place it in a preheated 375°F oven until warmed through. Drizzling the sauce over the chicken as it reheats will help keep it moist.
If the sauce has thickened too much in the fridge, add a splash of chicken broth or water to loosen it up before placing it in the oven.
Top Tips
- Use the pan juices from the cooked chicken as the base for your sauce. If you notice the pan juices are running low as the chicken nears the end of its cooking time, add about 1 cup of chicken broth or stock, so you'll have plenty of liquid to create a delicious sauce.
- Roast the garlic until it's golden and soft but not overly browned. This helps bring out its natural sweetness without bitterness, giving the sauce a rich, mellow flavor.
- Taste the sauce before pouring it back into the skillet and adjust salt, pepper, and any other seasonings to your preference.
Serving Suggestions
For a complete dinner experience, you can serve with:
Crispy Oven Roasted Broccolini
📖 Recipe
Chicken with Roasted Garlic Sauce
Chicken with Roasted Garlic SauceEquipment
- Braiser Dutch oven, cast iron skillet, or small roasting pan
- Kitchen shears for spatchcocking chicken
Ingredients
- 5 lbs whole chicken
- ½ tablespoon garlic powder
- ½ tablespoon onion powder
- ½ tablespoon kosher salt (PLUS 1 teaspoon )
- ½ tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon za'atar
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 whole garlic head
- 1 teaspoon avocado oil (for each whole garlic head)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt (for each whole garlic head)
- 1 cup chicken broth (or stock - low sodium)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F. Combine all seasoning in a small bowl and set aside.
- Rinse the chicken under cold water and pat it dry thoroughly with paper towels to remove any excess moisture. Using kitchen shears, carefully cut along both sides of the backbone to remove it. Discard the backbone and press down on the chicken to flatten it. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to spatchcock the chicken.
- Season the chicken generously with garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, dried thyme, za'atar, black pepper, and smoked paprika. Be sure to season both sides.
- Slice the tops off the two whole garlic heads to expose the cloves. Drizzle with a little avocado oil and season with kosher salt and wrap each garlic head tightly in aluminum foil.
- Place the seasoned chicken in the preheated oven for 25 minutes then reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees and continue roasting the chicken. Now, place the garlic in the oven alongside the chicken for roasting. The garlic will roast for about 25-30 minutes or until soft and fragrant. The chicken will roast until the internal temperature reaches 165°F at the thickest part of the breast. Baste the chicken occasionally with its own juices to keep it moist, especially around the breast.
- Once garlic is slightly golden brown and cloves are soft, remove the garlic heads from the oven. Let them cool slightly before squeezing the cloves out of their skins. Set the garlic aside.
- When chicken is done, place it on a clean plate and set aside. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skin into the skillet. Then, pour it all into a Nutribullet or blender and blitz for a few seconds until smooth. Pour the garlic sauce back into the skillet then add the roasted chicken back to the skillet. Now, drizzle some of the sauce over the top of the chicken and put back in the oven for 3-4 minutes.
- Serve with your favorite side dishes and don't hesitate to drizzle extra sauce over them for added flavor.
Notes
- Use the pan juices from the cooked chicken as the base for your sauce. If you notice the pan juices are running low as the chicken nears the end of its cooking time, add about 1 cup of chicken broth or stock, so you'll have plenty of liquid to create a delicious sauce.
- Roast the garlic until it's golden and soft but not overly browned. This helps bring out its natural sweetness without bitterness, giving the sauce a rich, mellow flavor.
- Taste the sauce before pouring it back into the skillet and adjust salt, pepper, and any other seasonings to your preference.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. For the most accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information using the specific ingredients and brands you use.
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