A Countryside Meal

I love garlic. I think it can make almost any dish better. So I love this recipe and make it fairly often. It is not as garlicky as you may fear at first glance because the garlic cloves remain whole. They flavor the dish without overpowering it.

French Farmhouse Garlic Chicken (I think this was originally from Bon Appetit)

4 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 TBSP oil
40 small cloves garlic, whole
1/2 C dry white wine or chicken broth
1/2 C chicken broth
1 TBSP lemon juice
1 tsp dried basil, crushed
1/2 tsp dried oregano, crushed
4 tsp flour
2 TBSP dry white wine or chicken broth

1. Rinse chicken, pat dry. Season with salt and pepper. In a 10-inch skillet, heat oil over med-high heat. Add chicken and garlic cloves. Cook chicken for 2-3 minutes on each side or just until browned, turning once.

2. Slowly add wine, broth, lemon juice, basil, and oregano. Cover and simmer 6 to 8 minutes or until chicken is tender and no longer pink. Using a slotted spoon, transfer chicken and garlic to a warm plate.

3. In a small bowl, stir together flour and 2 TBSP wine or broth. Stir into pan juices. Bring to boiling. Cook and stir for one minute more. Spoon over chicken.

I always peel the garlic because it seems easier to me than peeling it when it is hot. The peeling is the most labor-intensive part of the recipe. If you don't want to eat the garlic, don't bother peeling it, it cooks just as well in the peel. I serve this with mashed potatoes and green beans. I am considering mashing the garlic into the potatoes next time. I also keep the gravy on the side since my husband doesn't care for gravy. Now I just need a gravy boat.