Bourbon BBQ Chicken with Sixteen Spice Rub

Throwdown is a great Bobby Flay series.  He recently did a competion with Brad Turner, Army Drill Sergeant and cook for the Secretary of Defense.  Bobby brought this recipe.  While Brad's chicken was good, Bobby won.  Enjoy and have fun grillin.

Ingredients

Sixteen Spice Rub -

• 3 Tb ground cinnamon
• 3 Tb ancho chili powder
• 3 Tb pasilla chili powder
• 3 Tb ground cumin
• 3 Tb ground coriander
• 3 Tb ground ginger
• 1 Tb ground clovers
• 1 Tb ground fennel seed
• 2 Tb garlic powder
• 2 Tb onion powder
• 1 Tb allspice
• 1 Teas. chile de arbol
• 3 Tb brown sugar
• 2 Tb kosher salt
• 2 Tb coarsely ground black pepper
• 1 Teas. cayenne pepper

Barbecue Sauce

• 2 Tb canola oil
• 1 Medium Spanish onion, coarsely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup bourbon, plus 2 Tb
• 1 cup ketchup 
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 Tb ancho chili powder
• 1 Tb paprika
• 1 Heaping Tb Dijon mustard
• 1 Tb red wine vinegar
• 1 TB Worcestershire sauce
• 1 canned Chipotle chile in adobo, chopped
• 2 TB dark brown sugar
• 1 Tb honey
• 1 TB molasses

Chicken

• 3 bone-in, skin-on breasts
• 3 bone-in, skin-on thighs
• 3 bone-in, skin-on legs
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 2 to 3 cups buttermilk
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Procedure

• Make the BBQ sauce - Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan.  Add the onion and cook until soft, 3-4 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Stir in 1/2 cup of the bourbon and cook until reduced.  Add the ketchup and water, bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.  Stir in the remaining ingredients and simmer until thickened, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Cool for about 5 minutes, then transfer the mixture to a food processor and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.  Pour into bowl, add the remaining 2 TB of bourbon and allow to cool at room temperature.  The sauce will keep for 1 week in the refrigerator stored in a tightly sealed container.
• Soak the chicken for about 2 hours in buttermilk.  Remove and pat dry.
• Heat the grill to medium heat.  Season the chicken with the spice rub.  Season with salt and pepper if needed.  Actually, I would wait until the chicken is partially cooked and you can taste. Grill the chicken slowly, with the lid closed, until golden brown on both sides and fat has rendered.  Begin brushing the chicken liberally with BBQ sauce during the last 10 minutes of grilling.  Cook until internal temperature reads 155 degrees.   
• Let rest for 5 minutes and then serve.