Grilled Chicken with Garlic

Ten cloves of garlic in one recipe, and somehow it’s not too much. Half the garlic goes into a red wine and thyme marinade with the chicken. The other half gets slow-roasted in olive oil until soft and golden, then pureed into a thick, sweet paste that you brush onto the chicken as it grills.

Slow-roasting garlic at low heat for 90 minutes transforms it completely. The harsh bite disappears and what’s left is nutty, caramelized, and almost spreadable. Pureed with the olive oil it cooked in, it becomes a basting sauce with incredible depth.

The red wine marinade tenderizes the chicken and adds a rich, fruity undertone you won’t get from a simple oil-and-herb marinade. Two to three hours in the fridge is the sweet spot.

Pro Tips

• Start the roasted garlic before you marinate the chicken. It takes 90 minutes in the oven, and the marination time overlaps.
• Brush the garlic puree on during the last few minutes of grilling. Apply it too early and the sugars in the roasted garlic will burn.
• Turn the chicken frequently on the grill. Boneless breasts dry out fast and benefit from constant, even heat exposure.
• Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes off the grill before serving. The juices redistribute and every bite stays moist.

Variations

• Add a sprig of rosemary to the wine marinade for a more herbaceous flavor.
• Swap red wine for white wine and add a squeeze of lemon for a lighter, brighter version.
• Use bone-in, skin-on thighs instead of breasts for juicier, more forgiving grilled chicken.