Bourbon Brined Chicken Food

BOURBON CHICKEN

Steps:

• Start by marinating the chicken. Mix 3 tablespoons water and 1 teaspoon soy sauce with the chicken chunks, working it with your hands until the chicken has absorbed all of the liquid. Adding water and soy sauce to the chicken (especially true if using chicken breast) results in a moist and tender chicken experience!
• Once the chicken has absorbed the liquid, mix 2 teaspoons of cornstarch into the chicken until well combined and set aside.
• Mix the sauce ingredients by combining the soy sauce, dark soy sauce, rice vinegar, dark brown sugar, chicken stock or water, sesame oil and white pepper and set aside.
• Heat 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a wok or large frying pan on high heat until just smoking, and spread the chicken evenly. Let the chicken sear on one side for 1 minute. Use a metal wok spatula (you can also use a rubber spatula if you can't use metal utensils on your pan) to turn the chicken and sear another minute. Turn off the heat and move the seared chicken to a plate. Set aside.
• Return the wok to medium heat and immediately add the ginger (if using), garlic, and minced onion. Stir-fry for 20 seconds or until the onion is translucent, taking care not to burn the mixture.
• Stir in the bourbon to deglaze the wok, most all of the alcohol will cook off leaving the flavor behind. After 30 seconds or so, pour in the sauce mixture and stir to further deglaze the sides of the wok. Once the sauce comes to a simmer, add the chicken back to the wok. Stir until the sauce comes back to a simmer and gradually stir in the cornstarch and water mixture (stir it up first, as the cornstarch may have settled).
• Continue to stir and cook until the sauce has thickened enough to coat a spoon. At this point, you can remove the smashed piece of ginger or warn your guests so there are no surprises! Stir in the scallions and serve with steamed white rice!

BLACK TEA BRINED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine soy sauce, ginger, sugar, salt, lime juice, lime rinds, habanero, garlic, onion, and 1 gallon water in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil, turn off heat and give it a stir. Tie tea bags together and place in the brine. Let steep for 10 minutes, then remove and discard tea bags. Let cool completely, about 2 hours.
• Submerge chicken in brine, breast-side down. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Remove chicken from brine and pat dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle the inside and outside of chicken with salt and pepper. Place on a roasting rack set in a roasting pan. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the fleshiest part of the breast and thigh (do not touch bone) registers 160 to 165 degrees F, approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

BOURBON-BRINED CHICKEN

Steps:

• To make the brine: in a large nonreactive bowl combine the bourbon, salt, brown sugar, lemon slices, garlic, peppercorns, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, and 4 cups water; whisk until salt and brown sugar dissolve.
• Trim any sinews or excess fat off the breasts; rinse breasts under cold running water, then drain.
• Place the chicken breasts in a large zip-lock plastic bag; add in the brine.
• Let breasts brine in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours, turning breasts twice so they brine evenly.
• Set up grill for direct grilling and preheat to high-if using a gas grill, place all the wood chips in the smoker box or in a smoker pouch and run grill on high until you see smoke; if using a charcoal grill, preheat it to high, then toss all of the wood chips on the coals.
• When ready to grill, drain the brine off the chicken and blot the breasts dry with paper towels; discard brine.
• Lightly brush both sides of the breasts with the melted butter; brush and oil the grill grate, then arrange chicken breasts on the hot grate, placing them on a diagonal to the bars.
• Grill the breasts for 2 minutes, then rotate them a quarter turn to create an attractive crosshatch of grill marks.
• Continue grilling the breasts on that side for 2 minutes longer.
• Turn breasts over and grill until cooked through, 4-6 minutes longer, again rotating them after 2 minutes to create grill marks.
• **The total cooking time will be 8-10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the breasts.
• Test for doneness-poke a breast in the thickest part with your finger; it should feel firm to the touch; or to be safe, you can insert a thermometer in one end-170° is done.
• Transfer grilled breasts to a platter and serve at once with your favorite barbecue sauce.

BOURBON BRINED FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• For the brine: In a large bowl, combine the bourbon, brown sugar, bay leaves, peppercorns and 1/4 cup salt. Stir to combine. Pour in 4 cups warm water from the tap and stir until the brown sugar dissolves.
• Put chicken in a 1-gallon resealable freezer bag and pour in the brine. The chicken should be completely submerged. Seal the bag and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
• Pour off the brine and place the chicken on a cooling rack. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper before dredging.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• For the breading: You will need three medium bowls for the breading. In one bowl, combine 1 cup of the flour with 1/2 teaspoon baking powder. In a second bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg and mustard. In a third bowl, combine the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour and 3/4 teaspoon baking powder, along with the cornmeal, garlic powder, cayenne, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 tablespoon pepper.
• Follow a basic three step breading process: Dip each chicken breast in the flour (dusting off any excess), then in the buttermilk mixture, and finally in the cornmeal mixture. Dust off any excess before laying each chicken breast on a cooling rack. Allow the chicken to sit out uncovered for 30 minutes. This will make for a crunchier crust.
• Set a cooling rack in a rimmed baking sheet. In a 14-inch cast-iron skillet, combine the canola and coconut oils and heat over medium-high heat until the temperature reaches 345 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer. Working in batches, place the chicken in the skillet bone-side up. The oil should only come halfway up the side of the chicken. Cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Carefully flip and cook until golden brown on the other side, 5 to 7 minutes more. If needed, cook on the thicker side of the chicken breast for another minute to crisp the crust. Transfer to the rack as done.
• Wipe up any oil drips from the baking sheet so they don't smoke up your kitchen. Transfer the chicken on the rack and baking sheet to the oven and bake until cooked through and the center registers 160 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, 10 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to rest and carry over cooking another 5 degrees F before serving, about 5 minutes.

BOURBON-BRINED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Step 1: To make the brine, combine the bourbon, salt, brown sugar, lemon slices, garlic, peppercorns, and mustard and coriander seeds in a large nonreactive bowl with 4 cups of water and whisk until the salt and brown sugar dissolve. ShareTweetPin12 Shares Step 2: If using whole chicken breasts, cut each breast in half. Trim any sinews or excess fat off the breasts and discard. Rinse the breasts under cold running water, then drain. Place the chicken breasts in a large resealable plastic bag and add the brine. Let the breasts brine in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours, turning the breasts twice so that they brine evenly. ShareTweetPin12 Shares Step 3: Set up the grill for direct grilling by placing the grate over your heat source, and preheat to high. If using a gas grill, place all of the wood chips or chunks, if desired, in the smoker box or in a smoker pouch and run the grill on high until you see smoke. If using a charcoal grill, preheat it to high, then toss all of the wood chips or chunks, if desired, on the coals. ShareTweetPin12 Shares Step 4: When ready to cook, drain the brine off the chicken and blot the breasts dry with paper towels. Discard the brine. Lightly brush both sides of the breasts with the melted butter. Brush and oil the grill grate, then arrange the chicken breasts on the hot grate, placing them on a diagonal to the bars. Grill the breasts for 2 minutes then rotate them a quarter turn to create an attractive crosshatch of grill marks. Continue grilling the breasts on that side for 2 minutes longer. Turn the breasts over and grill until cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes longer, again rotating them after 2 minutes to create a crosshatch of grill marks. The total cooking time will be 8 to 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken breasts. To test for doneness, poke a breast in the thickest part with your finger; it should feel firm to the touch. Transfer the grilled chicken breasts to a platter or plates and serve at once with your favorite barbecue sauce. ShareTweetPin12 Shares

STICKY MAPLE BOURBON CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place a large heavy-bottom or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat with the olive oil. Season the chicken liberally with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the pan breast-side down and sear until deep golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes.
• While the chicken in searing, in a small dish whisk together the stock, syrup, and bourbon. Add the bourbon mixture to the skillet along with the thyme sprigs and continue cooking, turning the chicken occasionally, until the meat is cooked through and the sauce has reduced to a thick syrupy consistency, 8 to 10 minutes. (If the sauce reduces to a syrupy consistency before the chicken has cooked through, add a few splashes of stock to the skillet and continue cooking.)
• To serve, remove and discard the thyme sprigs. Spoon the sticky sauce over the chicken and enjoy warm.

BOURBON CHICKEN

Steps:

• Editor's Note: Named Bourbon Chicken because it was supposedly created by a Chinese cook who worked in a restaurant on Bourbon Street.
• Heat oil in a large skillet.
• Add chicken pieces and cook until lightly browned.
• Remove chicken.
• Add remaining ingredients, heating over medium Heat until well mixed and dissolved.
• Add chicken and bring to a hard boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Serve over hot rice and ENJOY.