Blackened Chicken Sandwiches

These are perfect for tailgating - all the prep is done ahead of time and they are simple to cook and delicious! Credit to my big brother Tad for perfecting the method and teaching it to me. I use his special blend of blackening spice which is secret, but I have included a very good one below. Feel free to modify it to your tastes!

Ingredients
       3lb bag(s) of frozen chicken breasts (defrosted) or Fresh boneless breasts
   1   Zip-Lock Freezer Bag, gallon size
        Blackening Spice (recipe below)
        Vegetable Oil


Blackening Spice Recipe
    12 bay leaves, finely crushed
    3 tsp salt
    2 tsp. paprika
    1 tsp. sugar
    1 tsp. granulated onion
    1 tsp. granulated garlic
    1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
    1/4 tsp. basil
    1/4 tsp. oregano
    1/4 tsp. thyme
    1/4 tsp black pepper
    1/4 tsp white pepper

Directions

1. Mix up the Blackening Spice in a bowl and set aside for use later.
2. Use scissors to cut the zipper off of the top of bag and then split the bag along the sides so that you have a large flat piece of plastic joined at the bottom.
3. Sprinkle the inside of the plastic with some water (a spray bottle works great for this)
4. Place each chicken breast between the plastic and use a meat pounder or other similar flat bottomed utensil to flatten each chicken breast to a uniform thickness of about 1/2 inch. Apply more water as needed.
5. Dry off each breast with some paper towels and dust each side with the blackening spice. Use enough to give flavor but be careful not to over do it, it can be hot!
6. Place all the spiced breasts in a container that has a lid that can be sealed. Place in the refrigerator or cooler until it is time to cook.

Cooking:

1. Heat your flat-top grill until it is very hot, but not smoking, about 375 degrees.
2. Open the container holding the breasts and pour a few tablespoons of oil on top and allow it to work it's way around the top breasts.
3. Use tongs and remove a few of the breasts from the container and place them on the flat top. You may need to add some oil to the container as you place more breasts on the flat top. Speed is your friend here, so fill up your grill as fast as you can so they are all done at nearly the same time.
4. Cook the breasts until they are about 1/2 way done. This will take anywhere from 3 to 5 minutes depending on the temperature of your grill and the size of the breasts. 
5. Flip them over and cook until done, about 2-3 minutes longer. Check with a good thermometer or cut with a knife and take a look. If it is not white all the way through, keep on the flat top for a little while longer.
6. Remove the breasts when done and place in a serving tray or chafing dish to keep warm.

Serve the breasts with buns, lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise or this Garlic Aioli.