I just put this simple recipe together and tested it over Memorial Day weekend. Talk about layer upon layer of flavor! The brown sugar and bourbon marinade gives the meat sweetness and full flavor from within. The Creole spices provide a nice tangy surface.While you can use pre-mixed Cajun or Creole spice blends as a substitute for my mix (described below the chicken recipe), it would be well worth your while to mix from my instructions (or tweak it a little if you'd like). In I'm Just Here for the Food, Alton Brown describes how he bought a jar of spice mix with a full color photo of a celebrity chef on the label. At the same time he bought all of the individual ingredients that were listed in the chef's mix. He put together his own blend of the raw ingredients and, using a pharmacy scale, discovered that the markup on the chef's mixture was about 500%! It will take a little time to mix these, but if you do, you'll have plenty left over for when you make jambalaya, gumbo, blackened fish or chicken, etc. Here's the recipe for the chicken...
Ingredients:
4 to 6 boneless and skinless chicken breasts
1 cup bourbon
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup soy sauce
3 cloves minced garlic
2 to 3 tbsp. Griff’s American Creole Seasoning Mix (see below)
Instructions:
Combine the bourbon the brown sugar, the Worcester sauce, the soy sauce, the minced garlic and 1/4 cup of the canola oil in a deep dish and mix well with a spoon. Add the chicken and cover. Refrigerate for four hours. Pour off and discard the marinade and place the chicken breasts on a well oiled, hot grill. When grilling each side, brush on oil (from the remaining 1/4 cup of canola oil) and sprinkle on Griff’s American Creole Seasoning Mix (see below). Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Griff's American Creole Seasoning Mix
Ingredients:
4 tbsp. paprika
2 tbsp. garlic powder
2 tbsp. onion powder
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tbsp. cayenne pepper
1 tbsp. white pepper
1 tbsp. Lawry’s® seasoned pepper (or black pepper)
1 tbsp. celery seed
1 tbsp. dried oregano leaves
1 tbsp. dried basil leaves
2 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
Instructions:
Mix together in a roomy plastic food storage container, put the lid on and shake everything together real well. (For best results, use fresh spices!)
