Easy Bourbon Chicken
User Reviews
4.9
51 reviews
Excellent
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
10 mins
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Total Time
30 mins
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Servings
4 servings
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Calories
484 kcal
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Course
Main Course
Easy Bourbon Chicken
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Bourbon chicken is made in just 30 minutes, and you’ll have a weeknight dinner the whole family will love!
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Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts sliced into bite sized pieces
- 1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 3 Tbsp vegetable oil (canola or peanut are good substitutes) divided
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger (3/4 tsp dried ginger can be substituted)
Sauce
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup bourbon
- 1/4 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
- 3 Tbsp apple juice
- 2 1/2 Tbsp ketchup
- 1 Tbsp rice vinegar (apple cider vinegar is a good substitute)
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Slurry (to thicken sauce)
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1 1/2 Tbsp cold water
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Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, add chicken pieces, salt, pepper, and cornstarch. Toss to combine well.
- Combine sauce ingredients in a separate mixing bowl, whisking well. Set aside.
Sear chicken
- To a large skillet, add 1 1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil and heat over MED HIGH heat. Once hot, add half the chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes, without stirring.
- Flip chicken over or stir and cook another 2-3 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate, and repeat with remaining oil and chicken. Remove second batch of chicken to plate.
Make the sauce
- To same skillet, add garlic and ginger and cook about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Pour in the sauce you whisked together already. Bring to a low boil, then add chicken back to skillet, stir, reduce heat to MED LOW and simmer for about 7-10 minutes until sauce is thickening and reducing.
Add slurry
- Mix cornstarch and water in a small bowl until smooth, then stir in to the skillet.
- Cook another few minutes, until sauce is thickened to your liking and coats the back of a spoon.
Serve
- Serve immediately, with white rice and garnished with sliced green onions and sprinkle of sesame seeds.
Store
- Leftover chicken should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Notes
- If you like chicken thighs, you can use boneless skinless chicken thighs and slice them into the same sized pieces as directed in the recipe.
- Bourbon is an essential part of this recipe, so I don't recommend substituting it unless you truly have to. The alcohol content of the bourbon is cooked off when you cook the sauce, and it concentrates down into a rich amazing flavor. If you don't have bourbon, regular whiskey will work as well, or you can add an additional 1/4 cup of apple juice instead of the bourbon (but this will change the flavor).
- You can also freeze this bourbon chicken! Let the chicken and sauce cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Cook chicken pieces as directed (although I'd recommend using chicken thighs instead - they'll be juicier)), then add to slow cooker.
- Divide all sauce ingredients in half (since they won't be able to simmer and cook down in the slow cooker), and pour on top of chicken pieces.
- Stir, cover and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours.
- Add the slurry to the slow cooker and increase heat to HIGH, cooking uncovered for about 20-30 minutes. Stir often.
- If you need or want to cook the chicken longer, you can cook whole boneless skinless chicken breasts on LOW for 6-8 hours, although this will likely be a shredded sesame chicken.
- Omit cornstarch from chicken. Add cubed chicken, salt, pepper, and all sauce ingredients to the Instant Pot, stirring to combine.
- Secure lid, making sure the valve is set to “sealing”. Select manual or pressure cook and use the +/- buttons to set it to 3 minutes.
- Once pressure cooking is finished, turn the valve to “venting” to perform a quick pressure release.
- Open lid and select “saute”.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water until smooth. Stir into chicken and sauce. Continue cooking, stirring with a wooden spoon until sauce is thickened to your liking. This usually takes me about 2-3 minutes.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
484kcal
(24%)
Carbohydrates
39g
(13%)
Protein
38g
(76%)
Fat
15g
(23%)
Saturated Fat
10g
(50%)
Trans Fat
1g
Cholesterol
109mg
(36%)
Sodium
1508mg
(63%)
Potassium
799mg
(23%)
Fiber
1g
(4%)
Sugar
30g
(60%)
Vitamin A
137IU
(3%)
Vitamin C
3mg
(3%)
Calcium
47mg
(5%)
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 484 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 484kcal | 24% |
| Carbohydrates | 39g | 13% |
| Protein | 38g | 76% |
| Fat | 15g | 23% |
| Saturated Fat | 10g | 50% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 109mg | 36% |
| Sodium | 1508mg | 63% |
| Potassium | 799mg | 17% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 30g | 60% |
| Vitamin A | 137IU | 3% |
| Vitamin C | 3mg | 3% |
| Calcium | 47mg | 5% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
51 reviews
Excellent
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