Thank God it’s Friday!
In an East side Manhattan, New York, neighborhood, Allan Stillman opened the first TGI Friday’s in 1965. At the time, this neighborhood catered to young, professional women and Stillman wanted to create an atmosphere where young men could socialize with these young women. So, he purchased one of his favorite, local hang-outs, The Good Tavern, near the Queensboro Bridge, and TGI Friday’s was born!
I love the original atmosphere of Friday’s…the barbershop red and white stripes, the brass railings, the Tiffany-style lamps and the stained glass partitions remind me of a 19th century pub. I’m pretty sure that was the look and feel they were going for. Like most restaurant chains that have stood the test of time, Friday’s has since updated their concept and image to appeal to the modern guest. Including dropping the TGI (Thank God it’s) in the rebranding. And the chain simply goes by the name “Friday’s”. It was in this rebranding that the concept dropped its use of uniform “flair” that was made infamous in Jennifer Aniston’s 1990’s comedy icon, Office Space.
However, the menu remains largely the same from the early years. I contend that the founder’s did an awesome job with their menu creation right out of the gate! Friday’s specializes in burgers, steaks, chicken, ribs, appetizers and pasta in traditional American fare. They are also known to serve up some pretty mean cocktails and very cold draft beers. In my opinion, they make the best Cheese and Bacon Potato Skins on the planet.
In 1997, Friday’s introduced their delicious and versatile Jack Daniel’s glaze. The glaze is a sweet and savory blend of Jack Daniel’s Kentucky Bourbon, soy sauce, molasses, garlic and brown sugar. It’s great on everything from wings to salmon to burgers. In this recipe, I use it on grilled chicken, but once the glaze it made it will last for several weeks in the refrigerator. Try it on your favorite grilling meats and enjoy!
Ingredients
- 4 5-oz. chicken breasts
- 3 TBL yellow onion, grated on a box grater
- 1 TBL EVOO
- 2/3 cup water
- 1 cup of Jack Daniel’s Kentucky bourbon
- 1 ¼ cup sugar
- 2 TBL white vinegar
- 2 TBL soy sauce
- 1 TBL garlic powder
- ¼ tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. cayenne pepper
- ½ cup molasses
Instructions
In a medium saucepan, on a medium heat, add the EVOO until it shimmers. Sweat down the grated onion. Add the water, Jack Daniel’s and sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the vinegar, soy sauce, garlic powder, salt, cayenne and molasses. Continue to stir the glaze until the glaze reduces by half and can stick to the back of a spoon. Completely cool the glaze before using it as a marinade.
Once the glaze cools completely, marinate the chicken for 30 minutes.
On a very hot indoor grill pan or outdoor grill, grill the chicken until cooked throughout, about 8 minutes per side. Freely brush the Jack Daniel’s marinade over the chicken breasts as they grill. Once cooked completely, remove from the grill, and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
Serve with TGI Friday’s Cheese and Bacon Potato Skins or Houlihan’s Famous Shrooms and Enjoy!
