Bourbon Chicken

This bourbon chicken recipe is a remake of the food court classic. The chicken is coated in an irresistible sweet and sticky sauce and is sure to become a family favorite!

Bourbon chicken is one of those dishes that always seems to pop up in the mall food courts. It actually originated in New Orleans and is named both for Bourbon Street and for the bourbon in the sauce, even though it has a decidely Asian flavor. Whatever the origins, it’s totally delicious and super easy to make at home!

To make boubon chicken, you’ll need chicken and a handful of pantry ingredients to make the sauce. I prefer to use boneless skinless chicken thighs in this recipe, just because that’s the way I’ve always had it in restaurants. You can also use boneless skinless chicken breast chunks if you prefer. The sauce looks like a long ingredient list, but you most likely already have all the ingredients in your kitchen.

Bourbon chicken couldn’t be any easier to make – simply saute the chicken to a deep golden brown, pour the sauce over the top, and simmer. That’s all there is to it! I like to serve my bourbon chicken over rice, and I start steaming the rice before I cook the chicken so that everything is done at the same time. Add a green veggie (broccoli in my house) and dinner is served!

This recipe does call for bourbon, hence the name. The alcohol evaporates as the sauce simmers, but if you prefer not to use alcohol, you can substitute apple juice and it’ll still be delicious. I’ve made it both ways and they’re honestly both great.

My kids even love this bourbon chicken, there’s just something about that sweet and sticky sauce that’s totally irresistible!

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4.75 from 4 votes

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Bourbon Chicken

This bourbon chicken recipe is a remake of the food court classic. The chicken is coated in an irresistible sweet and sticky sauce and is sure to become a family favorite!

Course Main

Cuisine Asian

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Servings 5

Calories 332 kcal

Author Dinner at the Zoo

Ingredients

• 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/4 cup bourbon apple juice can be substituted
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons sliced green onions optional

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper to taste.

2. Place the chicken in the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side or until golden brown and cooked through. Add the garlic to the pan and cook for 30 seconds.

3. While the chicken is cooking. In a medium bowl whisk together the bourbon, brown sugar, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, water, soy sauce and cornstarch.

4. Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to low and simmer for 3-5 minutes or until sauce has thickened.

5. Sprinkle with green onions and serve immediately, over rice if desired.

Recipe Notes

Adapted from bigoven.com

Nutrition Facts

Bourbon Chicken

Amount Per Serving

Calories 332 Calories from Fat 90

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 10g 15%

Saturated Fat 2g 10%

Cholesterol 172mg 57%

Sodium 787mg 33%

Potassium 508mg 15%

Total Carbohydrates 15g 5%

Sugars 12g

Protein 35g 70%

Vitamin A 1.5%

Vitamin C 0.3%

Calcium 2.8%

Iron 10.4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.