This bourbon chicken recipe is comforting and delicious with tender chunks of chicken simmered in a sweet and spicy brown sugar sauce, a one-pan meal, absolutely mouthwatering.
Easy Bourbon Chicken Recipe
If you're looking for a quick and easy weeknight chicken dinner with a combination of sweet and spicy, Bourbon Chicken is a recipe you'll want to keep in your recipe collection.
Bourbon chicken is a southern dish with chunks of juicy chicken simmered in a sticky bourbon and brown sugar sauce, with a sweet and spicy kick. It is named for its use of bourbon, but also for Bourbon Street in New Orleans, where the dish originated.
You may have encountered the dish in Cajun restaurants or Chinese restaurants from the area, or heck, in mall food courts or other simple menus. It looks like a Chinese dish, and may be Asian inspired, but it's considered Cajun or Creole.
No matter how you classify it, I think you'll agree that it is delicious and satisfying nonetheless. I love it for how easy it is to make, essentially done in about 15 minutes once you have your chicken chopped up.
Breaking down the recipe, you'll cook chopped chicken in a pan, add a quickly made sauce and simmer, then thicken it with a bit of cornstarch. Done! Plus, you can up the chili flakes or add in some spicy peppers if you're looking for a version with a bit more kick.
I know you want to, my spicy food loving friends.
It's quite a bit like other stir fries, though the bourbon gives it a unique flavor unlike other stir fry dishes you'd tried.
Let's talk about how to make bourbon chicken, shall we?
Bourbon Chicken Ingredients
- Boneless Chicken. Use chicken breast, chicken thigh, or a combination.
- Veg. Garlic and Ginger.
- Oil for Cooking. Use sesame oil for extra flavor, though you can use vegetable oil or olive oil as well.
- Soy Sauce.
- Bourbon. The alcohol cooks off on the sauce. However, if you'd prefer a non-alcoholic version, sub in apple juice. 2 tablespoon to 1/4 cup will suffice.
- Brown Sugar.
- Rice Vinegar. Apple cider vinegar is good, too.
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Corn Starch Slurry. For thickening. It's a mixture of cornstarch and water in a bowl, whisked until it forms a slurry with no lumps.
- For Garnish. Chopped scallions/green onions, spicy chili flakes
How to Make Bourbon Chicken - the Recipe Method
Cook the Chicken. Heat the sesame oil together in a large skillet or wok to medium-high heat.
Add the chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes in a single layer, stirring often, until they begin to turn golden brown.
Garlic and Ginger. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
Make the Bourbon Sauce. Whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, bourbon, vinegar and red pepper flakes in a medium bowl.
Pour the sauce into the wok or pan and reduce heat. It will become sweet sticky.
Simmer the Bourbon Chicken. Simmer the chicken and sauce for 10 minutes to cook off the alcohol from the bourbon and cook the chicken through.
You can cook longer, 20 minutes or up to 30 minutes to build flavor, though don't let it dry out or reduce too much.
Thicken and Sauce. Whisk together the cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Stir it into the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes, until the sauce thickens to your preference.
You can use a bit more cornstarch for a thicker sauce.
Garnish and serve! I love mine served over white rice, or with noodles! Toss on some fresh herbs, chili flakes, maybe some sesame seeds!
Boom! Done! Bourbon chicken is ready to serve. Looks delicious, doesn't it? So tender and juicy. And it's so quick and easy to make, isn't it? Done in about 15 minutes once you've got everything prepped.
Give it a taste. It has such a nice touch of sweetness from the brown sugar, and the bourbon really imparts a unique flavor. So good. I really love this dish. And it's easy to spice up, too, which is great for me.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- The Chicken. I usually make this with boneless chicken breast, though I also enjoy it with boneless skinless chicken thighs, which you can usually simmer longer. Both are great, and it's really your choice. Go with both! Chopped pork loin is a nice alternative. You can also make it with tofu for a vegetarian version.
- Thicker Sauce. For a thicker, stickier sauce, add an extra teaspoon or more of cornstarch slurry to the sauce and let it simmer until it thickens even more. The sauce should stick to and coat the chicken pieces.
- Skip the Bourbon. Bourbon is a key element in making a proper Bourbon Chicken, but for those who do not prefer to cook with alcohol, do not fret. You can substitute apple juice for bourbon. You won't achieve the exact same flavor, but you will achieve a flavorful dish that you will enjoy.
- Scale it Up. This recipe easily scales up. There is enough sauce to add an extra one half to one pound of chicken and still have all the chicken pieces nicely coated. Adding cooked rice or noodles rounds out the dish.
- Add Vegetables. I also like to add in vegetables to cook with the chicken for a more balanced stir fry. Consider broccoli, bok choy, snap peas, sliced bell peppers, potatoes and more. Use your favorites.
- Slow Cooker Bourbon Chicken. You can make this recipe in a slow cooker or crock pot. Simple whisk the sauce ingredients (not including the cornstarch) together and toss it into the slow cooker with the chopped chicken. Cook it on low for 4-5 hours, or on high for 2-3 hours, until the chicken is cooked through. 10 minutes before serving, swirl in the cornstarch slurry and allow to thicken.
Heat Factor
Mild-Medium, though you can spice things up with more chili flakes, or use a spicy chili powder. Or, add in a spicy chili pepper or two to the mix when you cook the chicken. Easy way to get some heat!
Storage and Leftovers
Store any leftover bourbon chicken in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can easily reheat it on the stovetop in a pan, or gently in the microwave.
You can also freeze it for 3 months in freezer containers.
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy your new bourbon chicken recipe and that your family loves it. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you. Keep it spicy!
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Bourbon Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless chicken breast cut into bite-sized chunks, or use chicken thighs
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil or use vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup bourbon use apple juice as a non-alcoholic substitute
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional for a touch of heat, or to taste
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
- For Garnish: Chopped scallions/green onions spicy chili flakes
Instructions
- Heat the sesame oil together in a wok or pan to medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, until they begin to turn golden brown.
- Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
- Whisk together the soy sauce, bourbon, brown sugar, vinegar and red pepper flakes in a medium bowl. Pour the sauce into the wok or pan and reduce heat. Simmer for 10 minutes to cook off the alcohol from the bourbon and cook the chicken through.
- Whisk together the cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Stir it into the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes, until the sauce thickens to your preference. You can use a bit more cornstarch for a thicker sauce.
- Garnish and serve! I love mine over steamed rice, or with noodles!
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
NOTE: This recipe was updated on 7/17/23 to include new information and video. It was originally published on 5/17/21.
Tony says
Hi Mike , Another great recipe that was easy to make . The fresh ginger at just the right amount complemented the other ingredients creating a perfect blend of flavors. Thanks again for these great recipes.
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you enjoyed it, Tony! Thanks! I appreciate it.
Alexandria Scott Kling says
Just because I had it the cupboard,I used jack fruit in brine(but I guess it would work equally with tofu or shredded mushrooms............Either way.WOW!
Need to say I' am vegan
Happy madi gras wishes from the Black Forest.
Mike Hultquist says
Yes! What a great way to enjoy it! Thanks, Alexandria.
Ian Bentley says
Which type of soya sauce should I use? light or dark?
Mike H. says
For bourbon chicken, you typically want to use dark soy sauce. It has a richer flavor and a darker color - just perfect.
April says
Made this tonight for the husband we absolutely loved it!!!
Mike H. says
I am happy to hear that, April - enjoy!
John B says
This was definitely a keeper. It resembled a stir fry after I added broccoli. I'm horrible at stir fry but this dish made me seem like I was good at it. Very easy to make as well. I used pork tenderloin instead of chicken. Great dish. going to try your honey Sriracha chicken tomorrow. Thanks Mike!
Mike H. says
I am glad to hear that, John. Let me know how the honey sriracha chicken goes, too, and enjoy!
Theresa says
I love your recipes and my family is always happy when I serve your recipes. I must have done something wrong this time. When I browned the chicken is created so much water it was like boiling the chicken. I’m guessing I should have done it in batches. Other than that, a great recipe and appreciate how fast I can get it on the table.
Mike Hultquist says
Sorry to hear, Theresa. This is difficult for me as a recipe writer because it's hard to account for all possible factors. Some chicken sold is pumped with liquids to plum them up, but not all. In the future, you can increase the heat to get a better sear, and drain excess liquid as needed. You can also pat dry the chicken before searing. I appreciate the comments.
Mike Mozley says
Hi, Theresa!
I'm glad you posted that. I thought I was the only one that dealt with the excess liquid... I've learned to crank the heat to almost high until the liquid dissapates and then turn it back down to medium-high, per Mike's recipe, to get the browning. Then I finish the recipe as written.
Mike! Again!! I love this recipe... my family loves this recipe! Always in our dinner rotation!
Cheers!
Mike M.
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks so much, Mike!
Banks says
So good! We went the stir fry route with an onion, 3 jalapenos, an orange sweet pepper, and broccoli. Don't skip the scallion garnish as it's a really nice crunchy addition.
Mike H. says
So glad you like it, Banks. Thank you!
Tom Morton says
Wow! I don’t usually comment on these recipes BUT this one knocked it out of the park for simple preparation and taste.
10 out of 10. We had it on a wild rice mix.
Mike Hultquist says
Great, Tom! Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing. =)
Charlotte says
I have a lot of fun looking up meals from your site. Perfect every time.
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks so much, Charlotte!
Bill in Oregon says
Great recipe there Mike! Made it last night, with the addition of 1/2 an onion, to rave reviews from the SO. I gave the garlic, onion & ginger a quick swirl in a mini-processor before adding. The cubed chicken got a toss in corn starch before the wok to get a little crust on it. Worked great, all very tasty with rice, and we ate the whole thing. BTW, the one teaspoon of crushed red pepper was spot on for heat IMO (and hers)!
Mike Hultquist says
Wonderful! Glad you both enjoyed it, Bill! Thanks for sharing this. =)
Jim says
What bourbon would you recommend? I'm not a bourbon drinker, so unsure which to buy. Would Jim Beam honey be a good choice?
Mike Hultquist says
Any bourbon you enjoy drinking, Jim. Since you don't drink bourbon, Jim Beam works just fine. If you use Jim Beam Honey, you might want to cut back on the brown sugar to compensate for the sweetness. Otherwise, it's great! Enjoy!
Inna says
Excellent! With my husband, we had it with udon noodles and ate all 4 servings in one sitting
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome! Glad you both enjoyed it, Inna!