Chicken Stew with Onions, Tomatoes, and Dijon

Ingredients

• 1 whole head garlic
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• One 3-4 pound whole chicken, cut into 8 serving pieces
• 6 medium red onions
• One 28 to 32 ounce can good quality whole peeled tomatoes, drained
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• A pinch of chile powder
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 3 tablespoons old-fashioned whole seed Dijon mustard

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. For the garlic, pull away the loose, papery layers from the bulb, but leave the skins around the cloves in place. Slice 1/4 to a 1/2 inch from the top so the cloves are exposed.
2. Set the garlic bulb on aluminum foil. Spoon a little olive oil over it, then season with salt and pepper.
3. Enclose the garlic in the foil and put it in the oven. Roast for 45 minutes, until the cloves are pale golden and very soft when you press them. Put it aside to cool. While the garlic roasts, warm a tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat in a large heavy pot with a lid, or use a Dutch oven. Rinse the chicken in cold water, dry it well with paper towels, and season it generously with salt and pepper.
4. Add the chicken to the pot skin side down first, and brown it for a few minutes per side. Work in batches so the pieces have room instead of steaming.
5. As the chicken browns, peel the onions and cut them into quarters. Once the chicken is nicely golden, lift it out with tongs or a slotted spoon and transfer it to a plate. Pour off excess fat and oil, leaving about 1 Tbsp in the pot.
6. Add the onions to the pot and cook, stirring often, until they have softened, about 5 minutes.
7. Stir in the tomatoes, thyme, bay leaves, and ground chile powder. Arrange the chicken pieces over the tomatoes. Add the wine and bring everything to a simmer.
8. Cover the pot and cook over medium-low heat for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally so the vegetables do not catch on the bottom.
9. When the garlic is cool enough to touch, squeeze the roasted cloves into a small bowl and mash them with a fork. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then set the garlic paste aside to serve with the stew.
10. Once the chicken has cooked, stir the mustard into the pot until incorporated. Raise the heat to medium-high and continue cooking, uncovered, for 10 more minutes, until the sauce has reduced enough to coat the chicken. Take out the bay leaves, then adjust with salt and pepper to taste.
11. Serve the stew over rice or pasta, with the roasted garlic paste alongside.