Roasted Chicken with Caramelized Onions

• heads garlic, separated and peeled↗1 1⁄2
• milk↗1⁄2 cup
• olive oil, divided↗3 tablespoons
• salt and pepper
• butter↗2 tablespoons
• onions, cut into 1 ",pieces↗2
• balsamic vinegar↗1⁄3 cup
• sprig fresh thyme↗1 sprig
• bay leaf↗1
• whipping cream↗1 1⁄2 tablespoons
• pieces chicken, about 3 pounds↗8
• fresh parsley, chopped↗2 tablespoons

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 400°; bring garlic and milk to boil; drain and discard milk; in a small metal baking pan toss garlic with 1 T oil; roast 13 minutes or until golden; cool a bit and put the garlic and its cooking oil in a food processor; process to a paste; sprinkle with salt and pepper and set aside.

2. 2

   Saute the onions in the butter and 1 T oil over medium-low heat; cook until golden, about 40 minutes; add vinegar, thyme and bay leaf and simmer until liquid is reduced by half, about 3 minutes; stir in cream and salt and pepper; set aside.

3. 3

   While the onions are sauteing, preheat the oven to 450°; heat the remaining 1 T of oil in a large skillet; salt and pepper the chicken; place skin side down in skillet and cook until golden brown on one side only, about 4 minutes.

4. 4

   Place chicken, skin side up, on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until internal temperature is 180°; spread garlic paste atop chicken pieces and bake another 5 minutes, until golden brown.

5. 5

   Rewarm onions over medium-low heat; to serve plate onions and place 2 pieces of chicken atop them; garnish with parsley.