Coca-Cola was born in Atlanta in 1886, when pharmacist Dr. John Stith Pemberton took his new creation to Jacobs’ Pharmacy—where minutes after it was first sampled, it became a sensation. I love the stuff, in no small part because it’s a fantastic global brand from Georgia . . . just like me. What a lot of people outside of the South don’t realize is that Coke can be more than a “delicious and refreshing” drink; it’s a great ingredient to use in a marinade because it’s sweet and because the carbonation can be useful in tenderizing meat. It needs some balance, though, which is what the bacon does here: it adds a salty flavor and a crisp texture to the chicken. This dish is great for afternoon barbecues when you’re chilling by the pool. Serve it with your favorite potato salad (see page 116).

　　

Ingredients

serves 2 to 4

　　4 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts (preferably from small chickens, about 1 pound total)

　　1 12-ounce can Coca-Cola

　　1 medium white onion, diced

　　2 cloves garlic, crushed

　　2 cups Jack’s Old South Huney Muney Cluck Rub, or 1 recipe Basic Chicken Rub (page 20)

　　8 thin slices smoked bacon

　　

Step 1

Place the chicken breasts in a shallow dish, and add the Coca-Cola, onion, and garlic. Cover, and refrigerate overnight.

　　

Step 2

When you are ready to cook the chicken, preheat a smoker to 325˚F.

　　

Step 3

Remove the chicken from the marinade and apply the rub liberally. Wrap each breast in 2 slices of the bacon, securing the slices with toothpicks. Place the breasts in an aluminum baking pan. Place the pan in the smoker and cook the breasts for 1 hour, or until their internal temperature reaches 165˚F.

　　

Step 4

Remove the pan from the smoker and let the breasts rest, uncovered, in the pan for 15 minutes. Then slice the breasts and garnish them with any bacon that fell aside. My motto with this dish: Have a Coke and a breast, then smile.

　　Reprinted with permission from Smokin' with Myron Mixon by Myron Dixon with Kelly Alexander, © 2011 Ballantine Books, an imprint of Random House. Buy the full book from Amazon or Bookshop.