OVEN BAKED BBQ CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• 1. Combine all of the ingredients for the marinade in a small saucepan, and bring to a slow simmer, over low heat.
• 2. Simmer uncovered for just five quick minutes, remove from heat and allow to completely cool.
• 3. Add the chicken breasts to a bowl, pour the marinade over them, and turn several times, to completely coat.
• 4. Chef's Tip: The easiest way to remove the skin from a piece of chicken, is to grab it with a paper towel. The added friction of the paper towel, will help you grab onto that slippery skin, and pull it off with ease.
• 5. Place bowl in the refrigerator, and allow the chicken to marinate for at least three hours, but no more than 8.
• 6. Chef's Note: Every once and awhile return to the fridge and give the chicken a toss.
• 7. Chef's Tip: If you place the chicken and the marinade into a large Ziploc bag, it will make the process a lot neater.
• 8. Place rack in the bottom position, and then preheat to 355f (180).
• 9. Take the chicken out of the marinade, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, bone side down. If you use a glass baking dish, like I do, you can skip the parchment paper.
• 10. Sprinkle with the kosher salt, and the freshly ground black pepper (top side only).
• 11. Place in the oven and allow the chicken to bake for 18 to 20 minutes. The chicken should be about half cooked at this point.
• 12. Open the oven, and brush the tops of the chicken liberally with the BBQ sauce, and then close the oven door.
• 13. Repeat basting the chicken breasts with BBQ sauce every 5 minutes, until the chicken is completely cooked through.
• 14. Chef's Note: The trick of continually brushing the chicken with the BBQ sauce will create layers of cooked sauce, and generate a juicy, flavorful, cooked-on-the-grill taste.
• 15. Chef's Tip: The main reason chicken dries out, is that it is cooked too long. To get this right, you will need a temperature probe. Each time you baste the chicken, insert the temperature probe into the fattest part of the breast. When it hits 160f (71c), remove from the oven, tent and allow the chicken to rest for 5 to 8 minutes. During that time, it will continue to cook, and the temperature should rise to 165f (74c), which is the ideal temperature for cooked chicken. If it goes higher, it will begin to dry out quickly, so watch that temp.
• 16. Cooking Terminology: The process of meat/poultry/fish cooking after removing from the oven is called: Carry Over Cooking.
• 17. Serving Tip: I like to serve this chicken with some homemade coleslaw, and fresh biscuits or rolls... drink of choice. That's true Southern style...
• 18. Keep the faith, and keep cooking.