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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