3 whole bulbs of garlic (yes, bulbs)
2 (3 1/2 pound) chickens, cut into eighths
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Tbsp good olive oil
3 Tbsp Cognac, divided
1 1/2 cups dry white wine [brought by Diana]
1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp heavy cream

Separate the cloves of garlic and drop them into a pot of boiling water
for 60 seconds. Drain the garlic and peel. [It's super easy to peel once
you blanche like this: you squeeze the cloves right out of their skins.]
Set aside. Dry the chicken with paper towels. Season liberally with salt
and pepper on both sides. Heat the butter and oil in a large pot or Dutch
oven over medium high heat. In batches, saute the chicken in the fat, skin
side down first, until nicely browned, about 3 to 5 minutes on each side.
Turn with tongs or a spatula; you don’t want to pierce the skin with a
fork. If the fat is burning, turn the heat down to medium. When a batch is
done, transfer it to a plate and continue to saute all the chicken in
batches. Add garlic. Lower the heat and saute for 5 to 10 minutes, turning
often, until evenly browned. Add 2 Tbsp of the Cognac and the wine, return
to a boil, and scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Return
the chicken to the pot with the juices and sprinkle with the thyme leaves.
Cover and simmer over the lowest heat for about 30 minutes, until all the
chicken is done. Remove the chicken to a platter and cover with aluminum
foil to keep warm. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup of the sauce
and the flour and then whisk it back into the sauce in the pot. Raise the
heat, add the remaining tablespoon of Cognac and the cream, and boil for 3
minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste; it should be very flavorful because
chicken tends to be bland. Pour the sauce and the garlic over the chicken
and serve hot.