Bourbon Grilled Chicken Breasts

Have you ever had the Bourbon Chicken that they serve in the food courts at the malls?  I used to eat there with my kids when they were younger, and we'd stop there for a bite before or after the movies.  It was easy and with such an array of food vendors both my kids would find something that they liked.  I especially loved this chicken dish from one of the Asian vendors.  They would serve it in bite size pieces and smothered in the sauce. 

As usual my photo doesn't do it justice.  However,  Ann from Cooking Healthy For Me reminded me about this chicken when she posted a comment this past week about it on her blog.  With Labor Day tomorrow I thought it would be a great alternative to grilled chicken for those of you having a BBQ. 

I highly recommend grilling up some pineapple as well.  The two combined make the chicken taste even that much better.  Serve it with a nice tossed salad or cole slaw, grilled veggies and baked potato fries and you've got a great BBQ meal for all.  This recipe is so simple.  Pick up the ingredients today to marinate the chicken in overnight and you're set to throw it on the pit tomorrow.  If you don't see this post until tomorrow don't worry,  marinating it for 4 hours will be fine as well. The longer you marinate the more intense the flavor will be.

Here's my version of the recipe for Bourbon Grilled Chicken Breasts. 

Happy Holiday & Happy Cooking!

Bourbon Grilled Chicken Breasts

serves 6

Ingredients:

• 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup light soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons  red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons bourbon whiskey
• 2-4 tablespoons brown sugar, or to taste
• 1 green onion, sliced thin
• 2 thin slices ginger*
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 teaspoon Asian Chili Sauce (Sriracha)

Directions:

       

Place the chicken breasts in a zip lock baggie. Combine the remaining ingredients and pour over the chicken. Zip and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Move the bag around occasionally to make sure the chicken is well coated in the marinade.

Turn the grill on high to preheat, once preheated turn to medium and cook 4 minutes a side or until a meat thermometer reads at least 170F degrees Fahrenheit.  You can also check for doneness by using the touch method which is my favorite way.  However, for true accuracy use your meat thermometer.

To grill pineapple, slice into strips and take about 3 tablespoons of melted butter and toss with the pineapple.  This will keep it from sticking to the grill and give it superior flavor.  Afterall, everything tastes great with butter.  You could also rub it with oil or spray with non-stick spray to be healthier.

*Note: Fresh ginger can be stored in the freezer in a zip lock bag until ready to use, over and over again.

Bourban Chicken can also be cut into bite size pieces and placed on skewers alternating with pineapple chunks, then grilled.  Serve on a bed of whole grain rice this way.

Enjoy!