Spicy Honey Brushed Chicken Breasts
One evening some time ago, I was outside on my back deck and this delicious aroma wafted over into our yard… my neighbour Connie was barbecuing. I asked what she was cooking up and she kindly shared the recipe with me. She and I used chicken breasts, but boneless and skinless chicken thighs, pork or a firm fish like pickeral or tilapia would also work great. I made this last night for dinner and we loved it just as the recipe is written. If there are other spices you prefer, add them, or use fresh lime juice instead of lemon, tailor the recipe to your liking.
Serves: 2-3 people
Ingredients:
Spice rub:
2 teaspoons of garlic powder
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sweet paprika- smoked paprika would taste great too.
1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes-optional if you don’t want too spicy.
3 large or 4 small chicken breasts- I like pounding the chicken breasts to an even thickness so that the entire breast cooks at the same rate. I pounded these to about a half-inch thickness.
Basting sauce:
1/4 cup of honey
2 tablespoons of fresh lemon or lime juice
Directions:
1. I cooked these breasts on the barbecue. Heat the barbecue to about 350°F.
2. Mix the spices together. Toss the pounded chicken breasts into the spices and coat well. This can be done ahead of time, let the chicken marinate in the spice rub for a few hours if you can.
3. Now whisk together the honey and fresh lemon juice.
Raw Chicken Breasts Coated in Spice Rub
4. Place the spice coated chicken breasts on the grill of the hot barbecue. Brush the exposed side of the chicken breasts with half the honey mixture. Close the barbecue lid and grill for about 5 minutes. Turn the chicken breasts over, again brush with the rest of the honey mixture, you will use it all. Close the lid and cook for another 5 minutes, the chicken breasts should be cooked through and juicy. Remove from the grill. Remember, my chicken breasts were pounded to a thickness of about half an inch, if yours are thicker, they may take a few minutes longer to cook. Over cooking chicken breasts on the barbecue is easy, so be careful or you will end up with tough stringy chicken. Serve hot with a vegetable or salad and the starch of your choice.
Spicy Honey Brushed Chicken Breasts
Tips:
1. Another option; a chicken breast sandwich. These breasts would taste yummy on a grilled bun, with some mayo, lettuce, sliced onion and tomatoes.
2. To pound chicken breasts, place breasts on a hard surface, spaced a few inches apart, cover with plastic wrap. The plastic wrap prevents splattering of chicken juice and protects the chicken from being torn up. Using a tenderizer, gently but firmly pound breasts to an even half-inch thickness.
