BBQ Cornbread Chicken
This is awesome. Got it from Rachael Ray. It says it serves 4, but that is only if you like LARGE portions.
This is awesome. Got it from Rachael Ray. It says it serves 4, but that is only if you like LARGE portions.
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (evoo) divided
- 4 cloves garlic finely chopped or grated
- 1 large red onion finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 1/2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce
- juice of 2 large oranges and 1 tablespoon zest divided
- 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
- 2 1/2 large chunks
- 1/3 cup bourbon
- 2 box cornbread mix such as jiffy (**note that i only use 1 box of trader joe's cor
- 2/3 cup milk (per cornbread package directions)
- 2 package directions)
- 4 scallions thinly sliced
- Carbohydrate 34.9486975 g
- Cholesterol 32.3625 mg
- Fat 21.13361625 g
- Fiber 3.46462502321601 g
- Protein 11.69047 g
- Saturated Fat 7.727836 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (362g)
- Sodium 638.999583333333 mg
- Sugar 31.484072476784 g
- Trans Fat 0.989503500000004 g
- Calories 408 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 375ºF.
- Place a medium-size sauce pot over medium-high heat with 1 turn of the pan of EVOO, about 1 tablespoon. Add the garlic and onion to the pan, and cook until tender, 4-5 minutes.
- Season the veggies with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and add the tomato paste and smoked paprika to the pot. Cook the tomato paste until caramelized and fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Add Worcestershire, hot sauce, brown sugar, orange juice and chicken stock to the pan. Bring everything up to a bubble then reduce the heat to medium and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
- While the sauce is simmering, place a large, cast iron or other ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat with 2 turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons. Season the chicken with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and cook until golden brown on all sides, 5-6 minutes.
- When the chicken is golden brown, pour the thickened barbecue sauce into the skillet. Add the orange zest and the bourbon, but don't stir it in. Remove the pan from the heat and, very carefully, flame the alcohol using a match or barbecue lighter. Return the pan to the heat and allow the alcohol to cook out of the bourbon – it's ready when the flames die away. Remove the skillet from the heat and reserve on a heat-safe surface while you prepare the cornbread.
- In a medium-size mixing bowl, prepare the cornbread mix with the amount of milk and eggs the package directions call for. Fold in the scallions and 1/2 cup cheese into the cornbread batter and spoon it evenly over the top of the barbecue chicken. Sprinkle the rest of the shredded cheese over the cornbread and transfer the skillet to the oven.
- Bake until the cornbread is golden brown and baked through, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.
How does the acidity of citrus juice cut through the heavy sweetness of molasses-rich brown sugar and bourbon in a reduction? Cooking is fundamentally a series of chemical reactions, and when you combine tomato paste, smoked paprika, and orange juice in a hot pot, the natural sugars caramelize while organic acids break down raw aromatics into a complex, savory base that balances the rich poultry and dairy components effectively.
- Caramelize the tomato paste for precisely one to two minutes until it darkens to a rust color, which removes its tinny raw flavor and builds a deep umami foundation before the liquids dilute the pot.
- When flaming the bourbon in a cast iron skillet, keep your face away from the vessel and tilt the pan slightly to ignite the vapor safely without scorching the remaining sauce.
- Fold sharp cheddar directly into the cornbread batter rather than solely dusting the top, ensuring the fat melts internally to create a tender crumb alongside the sliced scallions.
- Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for fifteen minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cornbread layer emerges clean.
Managing the reduction of the barbecue sauce before it hits the oven prevents a watery crust on top of the poultry. Precision during the initial stovetop simmer guarantees the final casserole stays structurally sound.
