Pollo al Ajillo (Garlic Chicken in White Wine)

Pollo al ajillo is one of Spain’s most straightforward and satisfying chicken dishes: pieces of chicken cooked with generous garlic, olive oil and a small amount of wine until the meat is tender and the pan juices turn savoury and aromatic. Bone-in, skin-on thighs suit the dish well, giving crisp-edged skin at the start and richness as they simmer. The garlic is kept gentle rather than deeply browned, so it becomes sweet and mellow, while bay leaf, parsley and a squeeze of lemon keep the sauce bright. Serve with bread, potatoes or rice to catch the garlicky white wine juices.
Recipe by JustRecipes Editorial Team
Content validated: August 2026 How we create recipes
Made this recipe? Rate it
Cuisine style Spanish home cooking
Flavor profile Garlicky • Savoury • Herby
Techniques Browning • Gentle simmering • Pan sauce reduction
Key equipment Dutch oven or large frying pan
Cooking style One-pot cooking • Minimal cleanup • Freezer-friendly
Time commitment Under 1 hour

Why this recipe works

  • Garlic-led depth: Whole garlic cloves soften slowly in olive oil, giving the sauce sweetness and aroma without harshness.
  • Bright but savoury: Dry white wine lifts the pan juices, while a final squeeze of lemon keeps the rich olive oil sauce balanced.
  • Built in one pan: Browning the chicken first leaves savoury bits in the pan, which are folded into the sauce as the wine simmers.

Get the most out of this recipe

Ingredient notes

  • Keep the garlic whole: Lightly crushed whole cloves mellow as they cook and are less likely to burn than finely chopped garlic.
  • Use a dry white wine: A crisp, dry wine keeps the sauce savoury and clean; avoid anything noticeably sweet.
  • Finish with fresh parsley: Fresh flat-leaf parsley adds a cleaner, brighter finish than dried herbs at the end of cooking.

Common mistakes

  • Browning the garlic too far: Garlic should turn pale golden and fragrant, not dark brown; burnt garlic will make the sauce bitter.
  • Simmering too aggressively: Keep the chicken at a gentle simmer so the meat stays tender and the sauce reduces without becoming greasy.
  • Leaving the sauce too loose: Uncover the pan briefly at the end so the wine and juices reduce enough to coat the chicken.

Serving ideas

  • Serve with something absorbent: Crusty bread, boiled potatoes or plain rice work well for soaking up the garlic and white wine pan juices.
  • Finish at the table: Offer extra lemon wedges so each serving can be sharpened to taste.

Make-ahead tips

  • Reheat gently: Warm in a covered pan over low heat with a splash of water until piping hot, stirring the sauce back together before serving.
  • Freezes well: Cool completely before freezing, then defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat gently to protect the texture of the chicken.

Equipment you'll need

Chef’s knife Cutting board Dutch oven Large frying pan Tongs
Ingredients
Instructions
Print
  1. Pat the chicken dry, then season all over with the fine sea salt and black pepper. Lightly crush and peel the garlic cloves; leave them whole. Finely chop the parsley and cut the lemon into wedges.
  2. Warm the extra virgin olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chicken skin-side down and cook for 6 to 8 minutes until the skin is golden, then turn and cook for 3 minutes more. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
  3. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic to the oil. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant and just turning pale golden; do not let it brown. Stir in the bay leaves.
  4. Pour in the white wine and bring to a gentle simmer, scraping up any browned bits. Return the chicken (and any juices) to the pot, nestling it into the sauce. Cover and simmer gently for 18 to 22 minutes, turning once, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
  5. Uncover and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes to slightly reduce the sauce so it coats the chicken. Squeeze over a little lemon juice to taste, then scatter with the parsley. Serve hot with the remaining lemon wedges for squeezing.

Made this recipe? Rate it — a comment is optional.

Recipe notes

Tips

  • Keep the heat low when cooking the garlic so it turns pale golden and sweet, not bitter.
  • If the sauce looks a little oily, spoon off a small amount of oil from the surface before serving, then stir the sauce to emulsify.
  • For vulnerable groups, ensure the chicken is cooked until piping hot throughout with no pink at the bone.

Substitutions

  • Replace Dry White Wine with a slightly fruity white wine such as sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio.
  • Replace Fresh flat-leaf parsley with fresh coriander for a different, but still fresh, finish.
  • Replace Lemon with lime for a sharper citrus note.

Storage

  • Refrigerate up to 3 days
  • Cool, then refrigerate in a sealed container. Reheat gently in a covered pan over low heat with a splash of water until piping hot. Freeze for up to 2 months; defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Ratings & reviews

Liked this recipe? Share your feedback to support our cooking community.

Tried this recipe?

Choose 1–5 stars. A comment is optional.

If you leave a comment, use 10–500 characters.

Stay inspired

Discover new recipes, seasonal favourites and cooking inspiration every day. Follow JustRecipes on Pinterest and Spillt.

Pinterest
Pollo al Ajillo (Garlic Chicken in White Wine)
Image by JustRecipes
Pinterest

Recipe overview

  • Servings: 4 servings
  • Total time: 50min (20min active)
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Cuisine: Spanish
Beginner friendly One pot Freezer friendly
Pinterest Signal WhatsApp

Plan your meals and get a complete grocery list automatically.

Add to meal planner

Equipment you'll need

Chef’s knife Cutting board Dutch oven Large frying pan Tongs
Advertisement

Recommended tools for this recipe

Best overall

Misen 8-Inch Chef Knife

Sharp modern chef knife
  • AUS-10 steel
  • Balanced design
  • Less traditional feel

Got ingredients left?

Find recipes using ingredients from this recipe or what you already have at home.

Find recipes with these ingredients →

More variations

View all

More from this course

View all

Cook with these ingredients

Black pepper

1 cup ≈ 110.4 g
Convert ingredient→

Dry White Wine

1 cup ≈ 240 ml
Convert ingredient→

Extra virgin olive oil

1 cup ≈ 240 ml
Convert ingredient→

Fine sea salt

1 cup ≈ 268.8 g
Convert ingredient→

More with similar ingredients

View all

You might also like

Make this recipe easier next time

Advertisement

These tools help you get better results with less effort.

Best overall

Misen 8-Inch Chef Knife

Sharp modern chef knife
  • AUS-10 steel
  • Balanced design
  • Less traditional feel
Best value

Titanium & PP Double-Sided Cutting Board

Easy-clean double-sided board
  • Separate surfaces for meat and produce
  • Resists odors and stains
  • Harder on knife edges than wood or plastic
Top quality

All-Clad HA1 Hard Anodized Nonstick Fry Pan 12 Inch

Premium nonstick performance
  • Top-tier build quality
  • Excellent heat distribution
  • Expensive
Best overall

OXO Good Grips 2-Piece Cutting Board Set

Practical everyday board set
  • Two useful sizes with reversible cutting surfaces
  • Dishwasher safe and easy to clean
  • Plastic surfaces will show knife marks over time

Browse alphabetically

Looking for a specific recipe? Choose a letter below to jump directly to recipes starting with that letter or number.

Explore the Recipe Index

Enjoy cooking with JustRecipes?

Add JustRecipes as one of your preferred Google sources to discover our recipes more easily across Google Search.

Add JustRecipes to Google

Every recipe on JustRecipes follows the same structured editorial process. Learn how recipes are created, validated, translated, illustrated, and continuously improved across the platform. How we create recipes.