Pollo al Ajillo — Bone-In Chicken Thighs with a Whole Head of Garlic

Ingredients

• 2 lb Bone-In Chicken Thighs, cut into pieces
• 1 head garlic, cloves peeled and left whole
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• ⅔ cup dry sherry or white wine
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp sweet pimentón
• 3 tbsp chopped parsley
• 1 tsp sherry vinegar
• Salt and black pepper
• Crusty bread, for serving

Method

1. Warm the olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-low and fry the garlic cloves slowly until they turn a light honey color throughout, 6–8 minutes. Scoop them out; burnt garlic will ruin the whole pan.
2. Turn the heat to medium-high, season the Bone-In Chicken Thighs hard, and brown it in the garlic oil until deeply colored on every side, about 10 minutes.
3. Sprinkle in the pimentón and stir for 15 seconds, then pour in the sherry and let it bubble hard for a minute to cook off the alcohol.
4. Return the garlic, add the bay leaves, cover, and simmer 12–15 minutes until the Bone-In Chicken Thighs reaches 165°F (74°C) and the sauce has reduced to a glossy slick.
5. Finish with the vinegar and parsley. Mash the soft garlic cloves onto bread and mop the pan clean.