Description
Savor the sweet and spicy flavors of Fireball Chicken, featuring tender grilled chicken breasts coated in a smoky cinnamon whisky sauce with jalapeño pepper jelly and a hint of spices. This recipe is perfect for a flavorful main course that’s both easy to make and impressive to serve.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Chicken
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts pounded to an even thickness (approximately 1 1/2-2 pounds, about 3/4 inch thickness)
Sauce
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/3 cup jalapeño pepper jelly
- 1/4 cup Fireball cinnamon whisky
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Place your boneless skinless chicken breasts into a 9×13 baking dish and set aside.
- Make the Sauce: In a 2-quart sauce pot over medium heat, combine ketchup, jalapeño pepper jelly, Fireball cinnamon whisky, unsalted butter, light brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and ground cinnamon. Stir to mix all ingredients evenly.
- Simmer the Sauce: Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce heat to low and let it simmer for 5 minutes. The sauce will thicken enough to coat the chicken but will remain somewhat fluid. Remove from heat and let it cool for 5 minutes.
- Marinate the Chicken: Reserve ½ cup of the sauce by covering it with plastic wrap and setting it aside. Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the chicken breasts in the baking dish. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight to marinate.
- Preheat the Grill: Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and preheat your outdoor gas grill to 425°F.
- Grill the Chicken: Place the chicken breasts on the grill and cook the first side for 9 minutes, then flip and grill the second side for another 9 minutes. Cooking times may vary depending on the thickness of the chicken breasts and your grill.
- Apply Reserved Sauce: Using a heat-safe pastry brush, brush the reserved Fireball sauce onto each side of the grilled chicken. Continue grilling for an additional minute per side to warm the sauce and let it adhere to the chicken.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the chicken from the grill and transfer to a serving platter. Allow it to rest for 5 minutes before serving to ensure juices redistribute.
Notes
- For extra flavor, marinate the chicken overnight instead of just 2 hours.
- If you don’t have a grill, you can cook the chicken in a grill pan or oven broiler at high heat, adjusting cooking time accordingly.
- Adjust the amount of jalapeño jelly to control the spice level if you prefer a milder dish.
- Butter can be substituted with olive oil for a dairy-free option, but it will alter the sauce texture slightly.
- Make sure to pound chicken breasts evenly to ensure consistent cooking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken breast (approx. 6 oz)
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
