Bourbon Chicken Recipe

4.67 from 6 votes

Tender chicken pieces coated in a sticky, sweet-and-savory bourbon sauce. This bourbon chicken is easy to make at home, just like your favorite Chinese takeout.

Prep Time15

Cook Time25

Total Time40

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American, cajun, Chinese

Servings:

Calories: 416kcal

Author: Becky Hardin

Ingredients

1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts *
1 teaspoon fresh ginger grated;;or ¼ teaspoon ground
3 cloves garlic minced; or ¾ teaspoon ground
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
⅓ cup low-sodium soy sauce
⅓ cup bourbon **
¼ cup ketchup
½ cup water
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
½ cup brown sugar packed
½ tablespoon olive oil
½ tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in ¼ cup cold water, for the cornstarch slurry

For Serving (Optional):

4 cups cooked rice
chopped green onions

Instructions

Dice the chicken breasts and set aside.
1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
In a small bowl, combine the ginger, garlic, black pepper, onion powder, red pepper flakes, soy sauce, bourbon, ketchup, water, rice vinegar, and brown sugar. Set aside.
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, 3 cloves garlic, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes, ⅓ cup low-sodium soy sauce, ⅓ cup bourbon, ¼ cup ketchup, ½ cup water, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, ½ cup brown sugar
Heat the olive oil and sesame oil on medium-high heat in a large skillet.
½ tablespoon olive oil, ½ tablespoon sesame oil
Add the diced chicken and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring every few minutes.
Add the bourbon sauce mixture and bring it to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered for 15 minutes.
In a small bowl, stir together 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and ¼ cup cold water.
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Add the cornstarch slurry to the pan and stir until the sauce has thickened.
Serve the chicken over rice and garnish with green onions, if desired.
4 cups cooked rice, chopped green onions

Video

Notes

*You can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of breasts.

**A mid-range bourbon like works great. Cheap whiskey can make the sauce harsh, but save your top-shelf bottle — the subtle differences cook out. If you don’t cook with bourbon, substitute with apple juice plus 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Tips:

Do not crowd the pan with chicken. It will cause the chicken to steam instead of browning it. If you don’t have a large skillet, you can cook the chicken in 2 batches.
This recipe makes enough to coat the chicken, but if you love saucy rice bowls, double the sauce ingredients before thickening.
If you prefer a less sweet sauce, reduce the brown sugar slightly or add a dash more vinegar. For a saltier balance, use regular soy sauce instead of low-sodium.
The cornstarch slurry is what thickens the sauce - don’t skip it.
Once the sauce thickens, remove it from the heat. Overcooking can make the chicken tough and the glaze overly sticky.
Serve over white or jasmine rice, or pair with steamed broccoli or stir-fried veggies for a takeout-style meal at home.

Make-Ahead: You can dice the chicken and mix together the sauce ingredients up to 1 day in advance. Store in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Storage: Store Bourbon chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition