Description
Bourbon Chicken brings the sizzling street market flavors right to your dinner table with tender, glazed chicken pieces that dance between sweet and savory. Saucy and simple, this quick dish delivers restaurant-quality results without complicated techniques, making your weeknight meal feel like a tasty culinary adventure.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 2 pounds chicken thighs, skinless
Liquid and Flavoring Ingredients:
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- ⅓ cup bourbon
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup brown sugar, tightly packed
Seasoning and Thickening Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 3 tablespoons cold water
Instructions
- Trim 2 lb of chicken thighs into 1-inch pieces, removing excess fat for clean, uniform chunks.
- Whisk together ⅓ cup soy sauce, ⅓ cup bourbon, ½ cup water, ½ cup brown sugar, 1 tsp ground ginger, ¼ tsp black pepper, ½ tsp garlic powder, and 1 Tbsp rice vinegar in a mixing bowl.
- Warm 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet at medium-high heat for 2 minutes until shimmering.
- Add chicken pieces to hot skillet. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes until edges turn golden and moisture evaporates.
- Pour entire sauce mixture over chicken. Stir to coat completely and bring to a rolling boil.
- Reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, allowing flavors to meld and chicken to absorb sauce.
- Dissolve 1 Tbsp cornstarch in 3 Tbsp cold water, creating a smooth slurry with no lumps.
- Mix cornstarch slurry into skillet, stirring constantly until sauce thickens to a glossy, clingy consistency, about 2-3 minutes.
- Transfer chicken to serving plate, spooning extra sauce over the top for maximum flavor.
Notes
- Trim chicken thighs carefully to keep the meat tender and prevent excess grease in the final dish.
- Use apple juice as a non-alcoholic bourbon substitute without losing the rich flavor profile of the recipe.
- Create a smooth cornstarch slurry by whisking the cornstarch with cold water before adding to prevent lumps in your sauce.
- For a low-carb version, serve the bourbon chicken over cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles instead of traditional white rice.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Sautéed
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 306 kcal
- Sugar: 25 g
- Sodium: 1013 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 23 g
- Fiber: 0.3 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 115 mg