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Pollo al Ajillo, Spanish garlic chicken served with white wine sauce
Classic Spanish garlic chicken with fresh herbs

Spanish Garlic Chicken (Pollo al Ajillo)

Author: Flavelo
Recipes Main Courses
A classic straight from a Spanish grandmother's kitchen, 'Pollo al Ajillo' proves that incredible flavor often comes from the simplest ingredients. The technique relies on aromatizing the oil: garlic is slowly confited to infuse the fat, which is then used to fry the chicken. A splash of dry white wine or sherry vinegar at the end deglazes the pan, creating a rich, savory sauce.
🕒 Prep Time 15 mins
🍳 Cook Time 35 mins
⌛ Total Time 50 mins
🍽️ Servings 4 servings
🔥 Calories 520 kcal
🌍 Cuisine Spanish

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Deep skillet or Dutch oven
  • Tongs
  • Wooden spoon

Instructions

1 ✓

Prep: Generously salt the chicken pieces. Keep the garlic cloves in their skins and simply smash them lightly with the flat side of a knife.

Tip: The skin protects the garlic from burning while allowing its flavor to release. Salting ahead helps season the meat deeply.
2 ✓

Infuse the Oil: Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the smashed garlic and bay leaf. Fry slowly until the garlic skins turn golden and fragrant. Remove the garlic and set aside.

Tip: This step creates garlic-infused oil. Leaving the garlic in while searing the chicken would cause it to burn.
3 ✓

Fry the Chicken: Place the chicken pieces into the flavored oil. Fry over medium-high heat until deep golden brown and crispy on all sides (about 15-20 minutes).

Tip: Be patient; the deep browning is where the flavor lives. Fry in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding.
4 ✓

Deglaze: Once the chicken is cooked, drain off most of the oil (leave about 2 tablespoons). Return the fried garlic to the pan. Pour in the white wine and add the fresh herbs.

Tip: The wine dissolves the caramelized bits (fond) stuck to the bottom of the pan.
5 ✓

Finish: Cook over high heat for a few minutes until the alcohol evaporates and the sauce reduces to a glaze that coats the chicken.

Tip: The sauce is ready when it's no longer watery but slightly syrupy.
6 ✓

Serve: Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve with plenty of crusty bread for dipping.

Tip: Squeeze the creamy, sweet roasted garlic out of the skins onto your bread!

Recipe FAQ

The sauce tastes bitter.
The garlic burned. Garlic turns bitter the moment it blackens. Remove it as soon as it's golden.
The chicken is dry.
Avoid chicken breast for this recipe. Bone-in, skin-on thighs are essential to withstand the frying without drying out.

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs Chicken Thighs and Wings (bone-in, skin-on)
  • 12 cloves Garlic (unpeeled, smashed with a knife blade)
  • 0.5 cup Olive Oil
  • 0.75 cup Dry White Wine (or dry Sherry)
  • 2 sprigs Fresh Thyme or Rosemary
  • 1 piece Bay Leaf
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 bunch Fresh Parsley