X Factor Chicken Steaks with Whiskey Grilled Onions

We love Ted Reader’s recipe for X Factor Chicken Steaks with Whiskey Grilled Onions, and we think you will, too.

“X Factor” is for the skewers that you use to add stability to the chicken thighs while they grill it. It makes them easier to flip.

Ingredients

Twenty-four 6-inch (15 cm) bamboo skewers, soaked in water for a minimum of 1 hour, or metal skewers, or BGE flexible skewers
8 boneless chicken thighs
3 + 2 tbsp Bone Dust BBQ Spice (recipe below)
1 large red onion, sliced into rings
1 large white onion
1 large sweet yellow onion (Vidalia or Maui or Texas Sweets)
Drizzle of olive oil
Drizzle of Maker’s Mark bourbon
1 cup your favorite gourmet-style barbeque sauce
2 cups kettle-cooked sour cream and onion potato chips
2 tbsp chopped fresh chives

Instructions

Rub chicken with about 3 tbsp (60 mL) Bone Dust BBQ Spice, pressing the spices into the meat. Skewer each thigh with two skewers in an X pattern. This will keep the chicken flat during grilling. Set aside, keeping refrigerated.

Set the Big Green Egg or grill for direct cooking at 500°F/260°C.

Slice the onions into rings and place in a large bowl. Season with about 2 tbsp (30 mL) Bone Dust BBQ Spice, olive oil and a drizzle of bourbon. Mix.

Grill onions for 6–8 minutes per side, until lightly charred and tender. Put the onions in a bowl. Drizzle with a little more bourbon. Drizzle in a little bit of your favorite barbeque sauce and set aside, keeping warm.

Brush the chicken steaks with a little oil. Grill steaks, starting skin side down, for 6–8 minutes per side, until fully cooked (internal temperature minimum 160°F/70°C) and the skin is crisp. Baste with your favorite barbeque sauce after the flip. Remove chicken steaks from the grill. Remove X skewers and set aside until needed.

Crush the sour cream and onion potato chips and sprinkle over the grilled onions, add chives and mix it up. Place a mound of grilled onions on top of each grilled chicken thigh and serve.

Bone Dust BBQ Spice Ingredients

1⁄2 cup (125 mL) paprika
1⁄4 cup (60 mL) chili powder
3 tbsp (45 mL) salt
2 tbsp (30 mL) ground coriander
2 tbsp (30 mL) garlic powder
2 tbsp (30 mL) white sugar
2 tbsp (30 mL) curry powder
2 tbsp (30 mL) hot mustard powder
1 tbsp (15 mL) freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp (15 mL) dried basil
1 tbsp (15 mL) dried thyme
1 tbsp (15 mL) ground cumin
1 tbsp (15 mL) cayenne pepper

Bone Dust BBQ Spice Instructions

Mix together the paprika, chili powder, salt, coriander, garlic powder, sugar, curry powder, mustard powder, black pepper, basil, thyme, cumin and cayenne. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place away from heat and light.

Makes about 21⁄2 cups.

Reprinted from Gastro Grilling: Fired-Up Recipes to Grill Great Everyday Meals (Pintail; March 26, 2014). Photos: © Mike McColl. Recipe: © Ted Reader, 2013. Recipe and photo from Big Green Egg.