Bourbon Braised Chicken with Carmelized Onions

Bourbon chicken is typically cooked on the grilled and often times with an Asian flair.  It's been a tad bit too cold to fire up the grill and I was craving more of a savory, Southern kick than a sweet candy, fruity dish.

After pouring over several recipes that included peaches, apples and lots of brown sugar, I decided to craft this to satisfy my cravings and was so pleased with the outcome.

I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but this would definitely work with any cut of chicken you desire.  If using skin on chicken, after browning the chicken pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the excess fat from the skillet..

2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, mashed
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup bourbon
1/2 cup chicken broth
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season the chicken with the salt and pepper.

Heat 1 tablespoon of Canola oil in  a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the onions and saute until they begin to caramelize, stirring frequently.  Once the onions are caramelized, remove from the skillet with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add the remaining tablespoon of Canola oil to the same skillet and sear the chicken breasts on both sides over medium-high heat.  About 3 to 4 minutes per side.  Remove the chicken breasts to a platter.

Add the balsamic vinegar and bourbon to the skillet and bring to a simmer while scraping up any browned bits left behind from the chicken.  Simmer for about 5 minutes then stir in the cayenne, the mashed garlic cloves and the chicken broth.  Arrange the chicken breasts in the skillet return to a simmer, lower heat, cover and continue simmering until the chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with a generous ladle of the Bourbon and Caramelized Onion sauce.




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Oven Baked Pecan Crusted Chicken Strips and BIG News!!!

This is a cinch to make and transforms chicken strips into a tasty, crunchy, new family favorite!

1 cup pecan halves
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
1-1/2 tablespoons Emeril's Essence
2 large eggs
1/2 cup olive oil
2 lbs. chicken breast filets

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F.

Line a baking sheet with foil and place a rack on the baking sheet.  Spray the rack lightly with non-stick cooking spray.

Combine the pecan halves, bread crumbs and 1 tablespoon of Emeril's Essence in the food processor.  Pulse for 30 to 45 seconds.  Pour into a shallow dish.

In another shallow dish, whisk together the eggs, olive oil and the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of Emeril's Essence.

Dip each chicken strip in the egg mixture and then dredge each strip on the pecan mixture.  Gently shake off any excess breading from the chicken strips.

Place the breaded chicken strips on the prepared baking rack and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, turning once halfway through, until the strips are cooked through and the crust is golden brown.

Remove the chicken from the oven and serve with a side of your favorite mustard or mustard sauce.

Here's the receipt for Emeril's Essence.

2-1/2 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons garlic powder

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon dried thyme

Mix all ingredients thoroughly and store in an air-tight container.

Now for the BIG News!!!!

Yes, it's that time again, the 2013 Blogger Party!!!!  Can you even believe this is our 4th year?  It's way too much fun to quit now!

Larry (Big Dude's Eclectic Ramblings) and his wife, Bev hosted our preliminary planning party this past weekend.  Chris (Nibble Me This) and his wife, Alexis, A.J. and I met at almost Heaven South to start planning our 4th Annual Blogger Party.

the preliminary planning took about 5 minutes and we spent the rest of the afternoon eating, drinking and catching up with each other..just plain having a great time!

So start making your plans to attend.  The Blogger Party will be Sunday, May 26, 2013 (Memorial Day Weekend) and our theme is an Hawaiian Luau!

We still have more details to work out and will publish more in April, but please add this to your calendar and plan to join us to Eat, Drink and Get Leid'd!!

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