What Goes in Bourbon Chicken?

Bourbon chicken is made with bite-size chicken thighs and a sauce of soy sauce, brown sugar, bourbon, garlic, and ginger. Most food court-style versions also add apple juice, ketchup, and a little vinegar for tang, plus red pepper flakes for a touch of heat. A cornstarch slurry at the end thickens the sauce into a sticky glaze.

Is It Just Teriyaki Chicken?

No. Bourbon chicken and teriyaki chicken are both sweet and soy-based, but they're different dishes. Teriyaki is Japanese and is traditionally made with soy sauce, mirin or sake, and sugar, so it's lighter and more straightforward. Bourbon chicken is an American Cajun-Chinese dish with a bolder sauce: brown sugar, bourbon, apple juice, ketchup, vinegar, garlic, ginger, and chili flakes. That gives it a deeper, tangier, slightly spicy flavor and a thicker, stickier glaze.

What's Bourbon Sauce Made Of?

Bourbon sauce for chicken is usually a mix of soy sauce, brown sugar, bourbon, and aromatics like garlic and ginger. My version also uses apple juice, ketchup, and apple cider vinegar for sweet-tangy balance, then gets thickened with cornstarch so it coats every piece.

What's the Best Bourbon to Use?

You don't need anything fancy. A smooth, affordable bourbon is perfect, because the warm oak and caramel notes are what come through, not the price tag. I use Jim Beam or Southern Comfort, whichever one I have in the cabinet. Save your top-shelf bottle for sipping (if that's your thing, because it's definitely not mine). Southern Comfort is a little sweeter, so taste before you add any extra brown sugar.

The bourbon in this recipe isn't strong enough for kids to taste it. Still, alcohol doesn't completely cook off. USDA research shows that a dish simmered for about 15 minutes keeps roughly 40 percent of its alcohol. With only ⅓ cup of bourbon spread across six servings, the amount per plate is small. If you'd rather skip it for the kids, someone who avoids alcohol, or anyone in recovery, leave it out and use the bourbon-free swap below.

Can I Make It Without Bourbon?

Yes. Replace the bourbon with an equal amount of apple juice plus 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Vanilla mimics some of bourbon's warm, caramel-like notes. A splash of extra apple cider vinegar keeps the sauce balanced. It won't taste exactly the same, but it's still sticky, sweet, and delicious.

Can I Use Chicken Breast?

Yes. Cut it into the same bite-size pieces and shorten the simmer time by a few minutes so it doesn't dry out. Pull it once the chicken reaches 165°F inside.

You can mix the sauce up to 3 days ahead and keep it in a jar in the fridge. You can also cut the chicken a day ahead. Fully cooked bourbon chicken keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge and reheats well with a splash of water or apple juice.

Bourbon Chicken Recipe (Better Than the Food Court!)

Name: Homemade Bourbon Chicken Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces; ½ teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon black pepper; 1 teaspoon onion powder; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 teaspoon smoked paprika; 2 tablespoons cornstarch; ½ tablespoon (1½ teaspoons) sesame oil; Nonstick cooking spray, for the rack; 1 tablespoon vegetable oil; 4 to 6 garlic cloves, minced; 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated; ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce; ½ cup packed light brown sugar; ⅓ cup bourbon; ½ cup apple juice; ⅓ cup ketchup; 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar; ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes; 1 tablespoon cornstarch; 2 tablespoons cold water; 2 green onions, sliced

Description

Food court-style bourbon chicken recipe: juicy thigh pieces in a sticky, sweet-savory brown sugar and bourbon glaze. Ready in about 30 minutes.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Chicken:

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 tablespoons cornstarch
½ tablespoon (1½ teaspoons) sesame oil
Nonstick cooking spray, for the rack

For the Aromatics:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 to 6 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated

For the Bourbon Sauce:

½ cup low-sodium soy sauce
½ cup packed light brown sugar
⅓ cup bourbon
½ cup apple juice
⅓ cup ketchup
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

To Thicken and Finish:

1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water
2 green onions, sliced

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Instructions

Prep the pan: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Set a wire cooling rack on top of a rimmed baking sheet and spray the rack with nonstick spray.
Season and coat the chicken: In a large mixing bowl, toss the chicken with the salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Add the 2 tablespoons cornstarch and the sesame oil and mix until every piece is evenly coated.
Bake: Spread the chicken in a single layer on the rack, leaving a little space between pieces. Bake about 15 minutes, until lightly golden and nearly cooked through.
Make the sauce while the chicken bakes: In a bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, bourbon, apple juice, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, and red pepper flakes until the sugar dissolves. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Pour in the sauce, bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer and cook, stirring now and then, until slightly reduced, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Add the chicken: Add the baked chicken to the skillet and stir to coat. Simmer 3 to 5 minutes, stirring, until the chicken is cooked through (165°F) and well coated.
Thicken if needed: If you want a thicker glaze, stir the 1 tablespoon cornstarch into the cold water until smooth. Pour it in a little at a time and simmer 1 to 2 minutes, stirring, until the sauce is thick and glossy.
Serve: Top with the green onions and serve over steamed white rice or fried rice, or with stir-fried vegetables. Spoon extra sauce over the top.

Notes

Chicken thighs are best: Breast works, but it won’t be the same. If you use it, cut the simmer by a few minutes so it stays juicy.
Like it sweeter? Stir in extra brown sugar 1 teaspoon at a time until it’s sweet enough for you.
Extra garlic: I add a couple more cloves than the recipe calls for. Go for it.
No bourbon: Replace with an equal amount of apple juice plus 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
Smoky version: Add ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika to the sauce.
Storage: Leftovers keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Reheat with a splash of water or apple juice.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Main Dish
Method: Cook
Cuisine: American, Cajun-Chinese