Sixteen Spice Smoked Chicken Recipes

SIXTEEN SPICE CHICKEN - MESA GRILL

Steps:

• In a large vessel, place water, 1/4 cup kosher salt and 1/2 cup brown sugar in a gallon of water. Dissolve well and add a fresh chicken or it can be added completely frozen. Cover with foil and allow to brine for at least 2 hours for a fresh chicken in the fridge or 4-8 hours for a frozen chicken on the counter.
• Pull chicken from the brine, rinse under cold water and dry well. Discard the brine.
• Combine the spices in a medium bowl. Note that this will make a lot of spice rub and you will not use it all. Store leftover spice rub in a tightly sealed jar and store in the freezer.
• Brush chicken with olive oil and rub 3 tablespoons of the spice mixture over the entire bird and inside the cavity. You may find that you want to add more of the rub after cooking and serving. It's better to use a lighter hand in this step and add it at the table later until you find your perfect taste point. Place chicken on a plate and allow to sit in the fridge for an hour.
• Place the chicken on your rotisserie at 400 degrees @ 15 minutes per pound. Let go until just cooked through. Let rest 15 minutes before serving.
• NOTES: I have a plastic dish pan that I use exclusively for brining chicken. I brine all my chicken no matter if I am frying it, roasting it, or making this dish. I cannot stand dry chicken! Most often I pull a whole frozen chicken from the freezer and put it in the brine, cover and go to work. If it's chicken breast or chicken pieces, I put it in a covered glass bowl and put it in the fridge. Pieces will not keep the brine cold enough for long periods. If you plan on hanging about the house, then you want to leave the chicken pieces out until they are thawed and then place in the fridge until you are ready to cook.

BOURBON BBQ CHICKEN WITH SIXTEEN SPICE RUB

Steps:

• Make the rub: Whisk all the spice rub ingredients in a small bowl.
• Make the bbq sauce: Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan. Add the onion and cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in 1/2 cup of the bourbon and cook until reduced. Add the ketchup and water, bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining ingredients and simmer until thickened, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
• Cool for about 5 minutes, then transfer the mixture to a food processor and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Pour into a bowl, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of bourbon and allow to cool at room temperature. The sauce will keep for 1 week in the refrigerator stored in a tightly sealed container.
• Heat the grill to medium heat. Brush the chicken with the 1/4 cup of oil and season on both sides with the spice rub. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Grill the chicken slowly, with the lid closed, until golden brown on both sides and fat has rendered. Begin brushing the chicken liberally with the bbq sauce during the last 10 minutes of grilling.
• Arrange on a serving platter and serve.

SIXTEEN-SPICE-RUBBED CHICKEN BREAST WITH BLACK PEPPER VINEGAR SAUCE AND GREEN ONION SLAW

Steps:

• To make the dressing for the slaw, combine the green onions, vinegar, honey, chiles, mayonnaise, oil and salt and pepper to taste in a blender and blend until emulsified.
• Combine the cabbage, red onion and poppy seeds in a bowl, add the dressing, and stir until combined. Fold in the cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate while you grill the chicken or for up to 1 hour.
• Heat your grill to high.
• Stir together the ancho powder, pasilla powder, cumin, coriander, ginger, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, allspice, cinnamon, cloves, fennel, chile de arbol, 2 tablespoons salt, black pepper and cayenne in a small bowl.
• Brush both sides of the breasts with the oil and season with salt. Rub the top side of each breast with a few tablespoons of the rub and place on the grill, rub side down. Grill until golden brown and slightly charred, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the breasts over and continue grilling until just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes longer.
• Remove the chicken from the grill and drizzle with the black pepper vinegar sauce. Tent loosely with foil and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve the slaw on the side.
• Combine the vinegar, oil, mustard, honey, salt and pepper in a blender and blend until smooth. The sauce can be made 1 day in advance, covered and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before serving.

BOBBY FLAY'S BOURBON BARBECUE CHICKEN WITH SIXTEEN-SPICE RUB

Steps:

• Pour the buttermilk into a large baking dish, add a few dashes of hot sauce, and stir to combine. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the 1/2 cup bourbon and cook until completely reduced. Add the ketchup and 1/2 cup water, bring to a boil, and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the mustard, vinegar, Worcestershire, chipotle, brown sugar, ancho chile powder, paprika, chile de árbol, honey, and molasses. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 10 minutes.
• Transfer the mixture to a food processor and puree until smooth; season with salt and pepper. Pour into a bowl, add the remaining 2 tablespoons bourbon, and cool to room temperature.
• Heat a grill to medium heat. Brush the chicken with the remaining 4 tablespoons oil, and season on both sides with salt and pepper. Rub the skin side with some of the spice rub. Grill slowly, closing the lid of the grill and turning the chicken as needed, until the chicken is golden brown on both sides and the fat has rendered, 20 to 25 minutes. During the last 10 minutes of grilling, begin brushing the chicken liberally with the barbecue sauce.
• Serve the chicken with Mesa Grill Potato Salad.
• Mesa Grill Potato Salad
• Put the potatoes in a large pot and add cold water to cover by 1 inch; salt the water. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until tender when pierced with a knife, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain well. Let cool slightly and then cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Place in a large bowl.
• Stir together all the remaining ingredients, except the salt and pepper, in a medium bowl, and pour the mixture over the potatoes. Mix gently until combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.