This is a perfect Sunday dinner: seasonal apples meet a classic chicken-and-garlic braise. Instead of the usual potatoes or rice, creamy cannellini beans serve as the starchy base, soaking up the braising liquid and all the savory flavors. No need to fuss with dried beans—two 14 oz cans work beautifully and deliver a soft, luscious texture.
Cannellini beans turn wonderfully tender and absorb the apple cider, rosemary and chicken juices so well that they become an essential part of the dish rather than just a side.
Chicken with Forty Cloves of Garlic
There’s something irresistible about whole garlic cloves that have softened and sweetened as they cook alongside meat. The classic French dish traditionally uses several heads of garlic—hence the name—but you don’t need that many for this version. One head of garlic is plenty: the cloves soften in the braise and can be squeezed over the beans, spread on crusty bread, or mixed into the chicken for a mellow, rich garlic flavor. If you prefer a more intense garlic presence, you can add more, but do not mince the cloves—leave them whole so they caramelize and melt into the sauce.
The Chicken
Roasting a whole chicken intact sometimes leaves parts unevenly cooked, so I recommend cutting the bird into pieces. Ask your butcher to do this or use kitchen shears to split the backbone and separate the breasts, legs and wings. Keeping the bone in adds flavor; you can separate thighs from drumsticks if you prefer smaller portions. If breasts are exceptionally large, halve them so everything cooks evenly. If any piece ends up boneless, watch its oven time closely as it will cook more quickly.
If you prefer to buy pre-cut bone-in, skin-on pieces, that’s perfectly fine. Keep the skin on for the best crispy, golden finish.
Apples, in Two Forms
Apples are integral to this dish in two ways. The chicken, beans and garlic roast in apple cider so the flavor infuses everything. Meanwhile, sliced apples are pan-seared in butter until golden and slightly caramelized, then sprinkled with salt and pepper to provide a bright, sweet contrast to the savory roasted chicken. Choose firm apples such as Honeycrisp or Gala for the best texture.
Method
This recipe is a straightforward pan-sear and oven roast. Start by searing the seasoned chicken in a mix of butter and olive oil to develop color and crisp skin. Transfer the browned pieces to a casserole of drained cannellini beans, scatter smashed unpeeled garlic cloves and rosemary around them, then pour in apple cider to cover the beans. Dot the chicken with a little more butter, place in the oven, and roast until the chicken reaches a safe temperature and the beans have become creamy and full of flavor.
While the chicken roasts, sear apple slices in butter until they are browned and tender, then serve them alongside the chicken. After about 40–45 minutes—depending on piece size—the chicken should be ready, the beans silky, and the braising liquid fragrant with cider, rosemary and garlic.
Final Thoughts
This dish is easy enough for a weeknight yet special enough for a Sunday roast or casual dinner with guests. The aroma of garlic and apple cider fills the kitchen, and the combination of crispy chicken skin, soft roasted garlic, creamy beans, and pan-seared apples makes for a memorable meal. You can swap in hard cider for a bolder flavor, try pears in place of apples, or in spring use lemon slices and swap cider for a mix of white wine and chicken stock. Serve with a simple green salad or crusty bread to mop up the juices.
Love Jen
Roast Chicken with Beans, Garlic and Apples
Main Course
North American
apple cider, apples, cannellini beans, chicken, garlic
15
minutes
40
minutes
4
Ingredients
-
1
whole chicken
cut into 4 pieces (bone in) or 8 pieces if preferred -
4
Tbsp
butter
divided, plus extra if needed - olive oil
- sea salt
- coarse ground pepper
-
2
14 oz
cans cannellini beans
drained and rinsed - fresh rosemary
-
1
head of garlic
separate into cloves but keep skins on -
1
cup
apple cider -
2 to 3
firm apples
such as Honeycrisp or Gala, sliced for searing
Instructions
Chicken
-
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
-
Pat the chicken pieces dry, drizzle with olive oil, and season generously with salt and pepper.
-
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp olive oil. Sear the chicken skin-side down until golden, about 3 minutes, then turn and brown the other side for about 2 minutes. Work in batches if needed. Transfer the browned pieces to a plate.
-
Spread the rinsed beans in a baking dish or casserole, season with salt and pepper, and arrange the chicken pieces skin-side up over the beans in a single layer. Pour any pan juices over the chicken and beans.
-
Smash each garlic clove lightly with the side of a knife to open it, but keep the skins on. Scatter the cloves around the chicken.
-
Tuck 1–2 sprigs of rosemary, broken into pieces, among the chicken and beans. Pour the apple cider around the beans (not directly over the chicken skin) and dot the chicken with 1 tbsp butter.
-
Roast on the middle rack until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part, about 40–45 minutes depending on piece size. Remove breasts earlier if they are done and tent with foil. Dark meat can be cooked to 170–175°F for a more even texture if desired.
Pan Seared Apples
-
While the chicken roasts, slice the apples into 1/4 to 1/2-inch slices, leaving the peel on.
-
Heat the remaining 2 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the apple slices in a single layer as much as possible. Let them sit undisturbed for about a minute to brown, then turn to brown on all sides. Transfer to a serving bowl, drizzle with any remaining butter, and season with salt and pepper.
Serve
-
Arrange the chicken on a platter and surround with the seared apple slices. Scatter the roasted garlic and a few rosemary sprigs as garnish.
-
Serve the beans and the braising broth in a separate bowl or spoon them around the chicken on the platter. The beans can also be passed family-style with the chicken.
-
Leftovers keep well and make a great next-day lunch—reheat gently to preserve the creaminess of the beans.
Recipe Notes
If you prefer not to cut up a whole bird, use 6–8 bone-in, skin-on pieces (legs, thighs, breasts) as a substitute. Depending on portion sizes, the recipe serves 4–6 people. If breasts are very large, halve them so they cook evenly. Dark meat benefits from a slightly higher final temperature (170–175°F) for the best texture. Serve with crusty bread to mop up the garlic and cider-braised beans.