This is a Spanish classic and can be found in numerous tapas bars all over the country, as well as on the dining table for Sunday lunch in many Spanish home kitchens. I have tried this countless times and although everyone has their own version, it is always delicious! I mean garlic and chicken. A perfect match any day of the week. ‘Pollo al Ajillo’ Garlic Chicken is so ridiculously easy to prepare and quick to cook that it has become a staple in my house. Tender pieces of chicken are seared until golden brown and then simmered in a silky, garlic sauce with threads of fragrant thyme. Although traditionally made with a whole ‘Pollo Corral’ Corn Fed Chicken, which ultimately does give the sauce a deep and rich chicken flavor, this can be made with any part of the bird; corn fed or not. The real ‘if you can’ here is to use chicken on the bone. This is crucial to developing big flavor in a fairly short time. Don’t spare on the bread either! You will need the entire loaf to enjoy all that sauce.

Garlic Chicken

Garlic Chicken

  • Cook Time: 45 min
  • Persons: 4
  • Difficulty: Easy

  • Ingredients
  • 3 lbs chicken on the bone or 2lb of chicken removed off the bone (I used skin on breasts and drumsticks with bone)
  • 1 whole garlic bulb
  • 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup of chicken stock
  • 1/2 cup of sherry
  • A few strands of fresh thyme 
  • 1 tpsp salt
  • A few black pepper grinds
  • A handful of chopped fresh parsley
  1. Instructions
  2. Peel the garlic cloves but leave whole.
  3. Cut up the chicken into generous chunks. Salt and pepper it on both sides.
  4. Heat the oil  in a wide pan to medium and toast the whole cloves of garlic for 5 minutes.
  5. Remove the garlic and reserve. Add the chicken. Fry in 2 batches if necessary (when the pan is too crowded the chicken will not brown and will stew instead). 5 minutes of browning on both sides is good.d After the chicken is browned, then add the sherry. Turn up the heat to high and cook for 2 minutes.
  6. Lower heat to medium. Add the chicken stock, fresh thyme and reserved garlic. Put lid on pan. Simmer for 20 minutes.
  7. Remove from heat. Serve and enjoy!

Top Tips

  • You can use any parts of the chicken: skin on/off, bone in/off (highly recommend bone IN), a whole bird cut up into smaller pieces or just a big tray of wings! The traditional recipe uses a whole but chopped up corn-fed chicken. It really does make for a more flavorful dish. However, you can use any meat from the bird for this.
  • There are lots of variations with this recipe. Many Spanish home kitchens use white wine instead of sherry. Thyme can also be completely omitted or substituted for bay leaves, rosemary and oregano. Personally we love the combination of chicken and thyme. 

Garlic Chicken – Pollo al Ajillo

Bursting with fragrant thyme, aromatic garlic and juicy chicken- ‘Pollo al Ajillo’ Garlic Chicken. These tender chicken pieces and all that luscious sauce make for a crowd pleasing one pot wonder that you’ll want to make again and again.