Honey Bourbon Chicken

This month my Facebook wall has been bombarded with those super sped-up recipe videos featuring two disembodied hands that create an amazing looking recipe in less than a minute.   I don't know what it is about those videos but sometimes, I just cant scroll past them without stopping to watch.  I'm fascinated by the dessert recipes of course but lately, I've been drawn to the turkey recipes too.  

Facebook isn't the only place that turkey recipes are popping up lately though.  It is November after all and I've got turkey on the brain.  Since I'm only feeding 3 people, cooking a whole turkey every couple of days just isn't practical.  I can't possibly imagine NOT making these delicious looking recipes so I decided to make them with a more moderately sized chicken instead of turkey.  

When I came across this recipe for a Honey Bourbon Turkey, I knew that I just had to try it.  I really don't feel like the pictures that I took did this recipe any justice.  You're going to have to take my word for it that this chicken was incredible.  I LOVED the flavor of the brine and I will definitely be making it again - with a turkey next time. 

Honey Bourbon Chicken
4 cups water
1/2 cup bourbon
1/3 cup kosher salt
1/3 cup honey
3 bay leaves
​1 whole chicken

Bring water, bourbon, salt, honey and bay leaves to a boil.  Cook until salt dissolves.  Remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes. 

Place chicken, breast side down, on cutting board.  

Use scissors to cut along both sides of backbone. 

Flip chicken over and press until breastbone breaks. 

Place chicken in bag with brine and refrigerate 18-24 hours.

Remove chicken from brine and pat dry.  

Place chicken, skin side up, on grill.  Cover and cook until thigh registers 160.  Remove chicken from grill.  Let chicken stand, covered with foil, for 30 minutes.  

I cooked this chicken on my Big Green Egg and it smelled amazing while it was cooking.  Even though the skin didn't get evenly charred and crispy, the meat was super juicy and flavorful.  I don't want to oversell this chicken but the pictures definitely don't do this justice.  

In retrospect, I wish that I would have made this recipe with a turkey instead of a chicken because we would have had more leftovers.  The chicken was so good that we gobbled up almost the entire bird at one meal with very little left over to have for lunches.  

Even the breast meat was super juicy and moist.  

If you're on the hunt for a great way to cook your turkey for Thanksgiving dinner - let me suggest this honey bourbon recipe.  You will not be disappointed.  

​Ciao!

Click here for a printable version of this recipe