Pressure Cooker Chicken With 40 Cloves of Garlic

By Sarah DiGregorio

Total Time: 45 minutes
Rating: 4(371)
Notes: Read community notes

Typically, chicken with 40 cloves of garlic needs to cook for a long time to mellow out all that garlicky sharpness, but in this recipe, a pressure cooker softens and sweetens the garlic in record time. Still, 40 cloves is for the most dedicated garlic lovers, so feel free to reduce the quantity if you like; the recipe will work all the same. The addition of beans to the classic dish makes it a one-pot meal. The chicken skin won’t be crisp at the end of cooking, so if that bothers you, discard it afterward — it will have done its duty, imparting deep chicken flavor to the dish — or you could place the thighs on a baking sheet and set them under the broiler to brown just before serving.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

2pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 4 to 6 large thighs)
Kosher salt and black pepper
2tablespoons olive oil
40garlic cloves (3 to 4 heads of garlic), smashed
½teaspoon red-pepper flakes
½cup white wine
1tablespoon white wine vinegar
1(28-ounce) can or 2 (14-ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained
2fresh thyme sprigs or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
½lemon, juiced (about 1 tablespoon)
2scallions, white and light green parts thinly sliced
½cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Season the chicken generously all over with salt and pepper. Turn on the sauté setting of a 6- to 8-quart electric pressure cooker and warm the oil. Add the chicken, skin-side down, and sear until the skin is browned and releases easily from the pot, 6 to 8 minutes. (If you have more than 4 thighs, you may need to do this in two batches.) Using tongs, remove the chicken.
Step 2
Add the garlic and sauté, stirring constantly, until just softened, about 2 minutes. Add the red-pepper flakes, and toast, stirring constantly, about 30 seconds, then add the white wine and vinegar. Stir well, scraping up all the browned bits. Turn off the sauté setting.
Step 3
Stir in the beans and thyme. Season lightly with salt and generously with pepper. Nestle the chicken thighs on top, skin-side up. Cook on high pressure for 12 minutes.
Step 4
Allow the pressure to reduce naturally for 10 minutes, then release the remaining pressure manually. Squeeze in the lemon juice and fold in the scallions and parsley. Serve the beans and chicken in shallow bowls.

Ratings

4 out of 5

371 user ratings

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Cooking Notes

Pamela4 years ago

At the end, put the chicken on a sheet pan lined with aluminum foil and place under a broiler. I did a minute under high, 5 min at low, and then another minute on high -- but my stove is old and finnicky. Aim for a nice golden brown skin.

Gale4 years ago

This was delicious! I made it as instructed with no modifications. Everyone loved it, and my husband said it is now his favorite of all the Times recipes we’ve tried. I’m giving it 4 stars instead of 5 because I felt it needed something else—not sure what—to give the flavor just a bit more oomph. BTW, if you’ve ever made this dish via the stove and oven, the pressure cooker will be a revelation. Cleanup was a breeze, and this version calls for far less oil than the traditional version.

Madison Cook4 years ago

Gale (3 weeks ago) said it needed a little something so I melted 1-1/2 anchovy filets into the oil and garlic in step 2. Bingo. Also, I skinned the chicken and started at step 2. The dish doesn’t need all that fat and neither do the diners. It was amazing. The leftover beans and their liquid were a wonderful soup the next day with just a splash of stock thinner. Thanks everyone!

Andrew2 years ago

If you're a garlic lover, this dish is so so good, and very filling. The only change I made was to double the amount of wine, as I was worried my larger instant pot needed more liquid to pressurize. It worked and made the broth extra rich and tasty as a bonus.

Jen3 weeks ago

Has anyone made this with boneless/skinless chicken thighs?

vancy b7 months ago

i love garlic and this was way too much

lily7 months ago

This is just ok. I love a white wine sauce but to me this wasn’t worth the effort. Fine, but not amazing.

Alec2 years ago

Delicious! I wanted something green so I sautéed some broccoli rab separately. I sautéed several crushed garlic cloves in oil, added the same white wine and vinegar for about 30 seconds, salt and pepper, then the rab, covered and steamed on low heat while chicken began its countdown, then uncovered and tossed in last min or two. Set next to chicken, not mixed in, but it might go well mixed also? Depends on how much of the bitter rab you want…

LV2 years ago

Flavor was awesome on the beans but they were MUSH. Next time I'll try dried beans cooked 75% or maybe make them separate and take the broth from the beans to 'braise' the chicken thighs? I 'nestled' them as best I could but little flavor was imparted to those guys. Had no thyme; used fresh oregano instead.

suesie2 years ago

3/1/22 so delicious. Added chard and had with Andrianna bread.

megarallo2 years ago

This took over an hour to make and was very lack luster. I don’t know how the flavors were supposed to come together but it seemed pretty off. Waste of time. Won’t make it again

Jennifer2 years ago

This was fantastic. The only thing I changed was proportions- I had 4 lbs of chicken thighs and used 3 cans of beans and about 60 cloves of garlic, but doubled all other ingredients. Peeled garlic cloves make this easy to put together. Will definitely go into rotation!

Leftover Sourdough2 years ago

Used garbanzo beans, a few potatoes, and a quarter loaf of old frozen sourdough toasted in the oven and torn into chunks since I didn't have enough of the right beans, turned out amazing. I went heavy on the vinegar and lemon juice, but he sourdough croutons complmented perfectly. Definitely recommend adding bread if you get too acidic or salty!

Tom2 years ago

Very very good. Followed comment advice to add a few carrots and broil after the chicken skin after pressure cooking. Great tips! Didn’t have scallions or dried thyme. But came out alright with some dried basil.

Donna2 years ago

I have made this at least 6 times! I don't brown, but do remove the skin and bones-so that it is more like shredded chicken. Then the chicken, beans and sauce are so melt-in-your mouth. I often serve over zoodles with some crusty bread on the side

Mel in the Bay2 years ago

Absolutely delicious, and something that kids love too. Juices are incredible when poured over rice or bread. Would have been much more attractive if I had taken the tip of putting under the broiler at the end, since the skin comes out flabby. Recommend generously seasoning the chicken with salt/pepper.

Andrew2 years ago

Janelle3 years ago

Recipe was perfect as-is, my family loved it. Thought it needed a veggie so I tossed some carrots in with the beans, they cooked nicely. Could also work well with potatoes, turnips, or parsnips. Serve with some fresh crusty bread to sop up the broth.

isaac and sam3 years ago

Amazing recipe. If you reduce the amount of garlic you are a disgrace. Be sure to broil the chicken for a few minutes after removing from the instant pot. We didn’t have white wine vinegar and substituted rice vinegar and turned out great sill.

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