Cornbread-Topped Bourbon BBQ Chicken

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
3 to 4 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
1 red onion, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons hot pepper sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon grated orange peel, plus 1 tablespoon orange juice
2 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts and thighs, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup bourbon
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Two 8.5-ounce boxes corn muffin mix batter mixed according to package directions

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375°. In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon EVOO, 1 turn of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and red onion and cook until tender, 4 to 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Stir in the tomato paste and smoked paprika and cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth, brown sugar, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, orange peel and orange juice and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer the barbecue sauce until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a large cast-iron skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken, season with salt and pepper and cook until goldenbrown on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes. Pour the barbecue sauce into the skillet and drizzle the bourbon on top. Remove the pan from the heat and light the alcohol with a match. Return the pan to the heat and cook until the flames subside.

3. Fold the scallions and 1/2 cup cheese into the mixed cornbread batter. Spoon the mixture evenly over the barbecue chicken in the skillet. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheese on top. Bake until the cornbread is golden-brown, about 30 minutes.

Comments:
This wasn't too complicated although I managed to screw a few things up. I discovered we had no bourbon after I'd already started cooking. What I thought was bourbon was actually brandy. Whoops. So I sent Adam to the store to get some of the right stuff. Then when I went to go be all dramatic and light the alcohol on fire I couldn't figure out how to get the lighter to work so all the bourbon sank into the pan and I couldn't get it to burn at all. Boo. Other than that I think things went well. Looked very pretty when it came out of the oven.



But I wasn't that impressed with the flavor. I don't think I'd make this again. Which sucks, because there are a lot of leftovers...