Revisiting Mesa Grill's Flavors: Grilled Chicken with Chef Flay's 16-spice Rub

This recipe is a fabulous way to grill up some chicken breasts or pretty much any other grillable cut of meat. It's also a fabulous way for me to reminisce.

You see, last weekend two of my best friends and I got away for our annual (ok, it's usually only semi-annual) Girls' Weekend. This time we chose fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada a.k.a. Lost Wages, Nevada. We each picked an activity. Lisa picked Donny and Marie. June picked The Blue Man Group. I, of course, picked Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill. So, soooooooo fabulous.

Chef Flay says he prefers rubs to marinades for meat because they add so much more flavor. So, I came home and made up a batch of Chef Flay's 16-Spice Rub to keep on hand for summer grilling and to bring that fabulous Mesa Grill flavor back to my taste buds. This spice rub adds a ton of flavor without overpowering your meat. I have a batch stashed in my pantry. I hope it lasts the whole summer, cause it's going fast.

Bobby Flay's 16-Spice Rub

3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons ancho chile powder
3 tablespoons chile powder ( I used chipotle)
3 tablespoons ground cumin
3 tablespoons coriander
3 tablespoons ground ginger
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons onions powder
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons black pepper
1 tablespoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon ground fennel seeds
1 tablespoon allspice
1 teaspoon chile de arbol powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Combine and store in an airtight container for up to six months. (If it lasts that long!)

Other unique spice rubs by food bloggers:
Chocolate Spice Rub, Tasty Kitchen
Jerry's Texas Spice Rub, Cooking by the Seat of My Pants
Five Spice Rubs, Andrea's Recipes

-- posted by Donna