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Garlic confit chicken is crispy, golden chicken roasted right on top of a bed of garlic cloves, white wine, broth and fresh herbs. While the chicken roasts, the garlic slowly turns soft, sweet and spreadable, and the pan juices become the most delicious garlic sauce.
This is my kind of cozy dinner: one sheet pan, a handful of ingredients, and a meal that tastes like you worked way harder than you did. It feels special enough for company, but it’s easy enough for a Tuesday.
My favorite part? Spooning all that garlicky sauce over a bowl of rice with the chicken. Trust me, you’ll want extra.
Why This Garlic Confit Chicken Works
There’s no complicated technique here. It’s all about letting the oven do the work, and a few small details make the difference:
- The chicken sits above the liquid. The garlic cooks in the broth and wine underneath while the skin stays high and dry, so it roasts up crispy instead of steaming.
- The garlic confits as it roasts. Cooked low in broth, wine and olive oil, the cloves turn soft and mellow, with none of the harsh bite of raw garlic.
- Everything happens on one sheet pan. Less cleanup, more flavor, since the chicken drippings fall right into the garlic sauce.
- The final blast of heat. A quick finish at 450°F or under the broiler gives you that golden, crackly skin.
Ingredient Notes
You only need a handful of ingredients to make this, and each one pulls its weight.
- Chicken leg quarters: Bone-in, skin-on quarters stay juicy and give you the crispiest skin. Bone-in thighs and drumsticks work too.
- Garlic cloves: You need about half a cup of peeled cloves. Pre-peeled garlic from the store is a great shortcut.
- Chicken broth or bone broth: A full cup is the base of the garlic sauce.
- Dry white wine: A dry white like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc adds brightness. You can swap in more broth if you prefer to skip it.
- Fresh herbs: I use thyme and rosemary, but sage is beautiful here too.
- Olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic powder: Simple, generous seasoning is all this chicken needs.
Make It Your Own
This garlic confit chicken is delicious exactly as is, but here are a few easy ways to switch it up.
- Swap the cut: Use bone-in, skin-on thighs and drumsticks instead of leg quarters.
- Change the herbs: Try sage, oregano, or a mix of whatever fresh herbs you have.
- Skip the wine: Replace it with more chicken broth.
- Add cowboy butter: Tuck a few pieces of cowboy butter, or a sprinkle of cowboy butter seasoning, around the garlic before roasting for an extra-rich sauce.
- Add a little heat: Sprinkle a pinch of red pepper flakes over the garlic before roasting.
How to Make Garlic Confit Chicken
This comes together in just a few simple steps. Make it with me.
- Build the garlic bed. Heat the oven to 400°F. Scatter the peeled garlic cloves and herb sprigs over a half sheet pan.
- Add the liquid. Pour in the broth and white wine, drizzle with olive oil, and gently press everything flat so the garlic is covered in liquid. Tuck in a few pieces of cowboy butter or a sprinkle of cowboy butter seasoning, if you like.
- Season the chicken. Pat the chicken skin completely dry, then season generously all over with salt, pepper and garlic powder.
- Set the chicken on top. Place the chicken skin side up right on top of the garlic. The sides can touch the liquid, but the tops should stay above it.
- Roast. Roast at 400°F for 40 to 45 minutes.
- Crisp and serve. Raise the oven to 450°F or low broil for the last 10 minutes, watching closely, until the skin is golden brown and the chicken reaches 165°F. Spoon the garlic sauce over rice and the chicken.
Chef’s Kiss
My Best Garlic Confit Chicken Tips
- Pat the skin really dry. Wet skin won’t crisp, so don’t skip the paper towels.
- Watch the liquid level. The garlic should be covered, but the chicken should never be submerged. If it is, pour a little liquid off.
- Don’t walk away during the last 10 minutes. The high heat is what makes the skin golden, but garlic can go from golden to burnt quickly.
- Mash a few cloves into the sauce. Smash some of the soft garlic right into the pan juices before spooning it over your rice.
Serving Ideas
I love this over a big bowl of rice with plenty of the garlic sauce spooned on top. Here are a few more ways to round out the meal.
- Rice: Plain white rice is my go-to, but my cilantro lime rice or arroz con gandules are both delicious here.
- Something green: A crisp kale Caesar salad balances the rich garlic sauce perfectly.
- Crusty bread: For spreading the soft roasted garlic and soaking up every last bit of sauce.
Storage and Meal Prep
This garlic confit chicken makes great leftovers, and the garlic sauce gets even better the next day.
- Storage: Store the chicken and garlic sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: Reheat in a 375°F oven until warmed through, so the skin crisps back up. The microwave works, but the skin will soften.
- Leftover garlic: Mash it into butter or spread it on toast.
Garlic Confit Chicken FAQs
What is garlic confit?
Garlic confit is garlic cooked low and slow until the cloves are soft, sweet and spreadable. In this recipe, the cloves confit in broth, white wine and olive oil right under the roasting chicken.
Can I use chicken breasts?
Bone-in, skin-on chicken is best for crispy skin and juicy meat. Bone-in, skin-on breasts work, but they cook faster, so start checking the temperature early. I don’t recommend boneless, skinless breasts for this one.
Can I make it without wine?
Yes. Replace the white wine with more chicken broth.
How do I know when the chicken is done?
The skin should be deep golden brown, and the thickest part of the chicken should reach at least 165°F on a meat thermometer.
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Garlic Confit Chicken
Equipment
- Half sheet pan
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 chicken leg quarters or bone-in, skin-on thighs and drumsticks
- 1/2 cup garlic cloves peeled
- 1 cup chicken broth or bone broth
- 1/3 cup dry white wine
- 1 teaspoon salt for the broth mixture
- 3 to 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 3 to 4 sprigs fresh rosemary or sage
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 teaspoons salt for seasoning the chicken
- 3 teaspoons black pepper
- garlic powder for seasoning the chicken
- cowboy butter cut into pieces, or cowboy butter seasoning (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat: Heat the oven to 400°F.
- Build the garlic bed: Scatter the garlic cloves and herb sprigs over a half sheet pan. Pour in the broth and white wine, stir in 1 teaspoon of salt, drizzle with the olive oil, and gently press everything into an even layer so the garlic is covered in liquid. If you like, tuck a few pieces of cowboy butter (or a sprinkle of cowboy butter seasoning) around the garlic.
- Season the chicken: Pat the chicken skin completely dry with paper towels. Season generously all over with the salt, pepper and garlic powder.
- Add the chicken: Set the chicken skin side up directly on top of the garlic. The sides can touch the liquid, but the tops should sit above it. If the chicken is submerged, there is too much liquid, so pour a little off.
- Roast: Roast for 40 to 45 minutes.
- Crisp the skin: Raise the oven to 450°F (or switch to low broil) for the last 10 minutes, watching closely so the garlic and skin turn golden brown without burning. The chicken is done when the thickest part reaches at least 165°F.
- Serve: Serve the chicken over rice and spoon the soft garlic and pan sauce over the top.
Notes
- Watch the liquid level: You want just enough broth and wine to cover the garlic. Too much liquid steams the chicken instead of letting the skin crisp.
- Dry skin = crispy skin: Pat the chicken very dry before seasoning, or the skin will stay soft.
- Use what you have: Bone-in, skin-on thighs and drumsticks work in place of leg quarters. Sage works in place of rosemary or thyme.
- No wine? Replace it with more chicken broth.
- Leftover garlic: Mash any leftover cloves into butter or spread them on warm bread.
So good!!