Cornbread-Topped Bourbon BBQ Chicken

This is a fun recipe because you get to set it on fire! Very exciting for a pseudo-pyromaniac like myself. 

I took photos of almost every step...Sometimes blogs like that annoy me, but I'm testing it out. Enjoy!

Sauteing the red onions and garlic.

Adding tomato paste and smoked paprika. 

Adding the broth, brown sugar, hot sauce, worcestershire, and orange peel. 

Cooking the chicken. 

Pouring the sauce and bourbon over then taking a match to it. The blueish steam below is actually flames. 

Topping it off with the cornbread mixture and shredded sharp cheddar. 

Wholla! 

The final result was real good, although I might do a bit less bourbon next time. I've never been a fan of an obvious liquor flavor. 

The recipe is below. I actually cut it in half when I made it, because my cast iron skillet is medium sized and you'd definitely need a large or extra large size for the original recipe.

Cornbread Topped Bourbon BBQ Chicken

• 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, such as Jiffy, 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 golden brown 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 corn bread batter. Spoon the mixture evenly over the barbecue chicken in the skillet. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheese on top. Bake until the corn bread is golden-brown, about 30 minutes.