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Bourbon Chicken

Name: Bourbon Chicken Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
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)

by Mike Hultquist · Jul 17, 2023 · 41 Comments · Jump to Recipe

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.

Stir frying chicken in a pan and Bourbon Chicken Sauce in a bowl

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.

Thickening the Bourbon Chicken sauce in the wok

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!

Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes

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

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.

Save Recipe

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: bourbon, chicken

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 15

Calories: 267kcal

Author: Mike Hultquist

Servings:

Tap or hover to scale

4.95 from 17 votes

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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

For a thicker sauce, add an extra teaspoon or more of cornstarch slurry to the sauce.

Heat Factor: Mild-Medium, though you can spice things up with more chili flakes.

Calories estimated without rice or noodles.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 267kcal Carbohydrates: 17g Protein: 26g Fat: 7g Saturated Fat: 1g Trans Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 73mg Sodium: 955mg Potassium: 495mg Fiber: 1g Sugar: 14g Vitamin A: 182IU Vitamin C: 2mg Calcium: 26mg Iron: 1mg

Did You Enjoy This Recipe?I love hearing how you like it and how you made it your own. Leave a comment below and tag @ChiliPepperMadness on social media.

NOTE: This recipe was updated on 7/17/23 to include new information and video. It was originally published on 5/17/21.