Easy Bourbon Chicken Recipe: Sweet & Tangy Family Favorite

Bourbon chicken brings a tantalizing fusion of sweet and savory flavors that dance across your palate with remarkable complexity.

Southern culinary traditions have long celebrated this mouthwatering dish that combines rich, caramelized notes with tender meat.

The recipe refines simple ingredients into a remarkable meal that surprises and delights dinner guests with its unexpected depth.

Home cooks appreciate how quickly this dish comes together, making it perfect for busy weeknight meals.

Each bite promises a harmonious blend of deep, robust flavors that complement multiple side dishes.

Restaurants have popularized this recipe, but recreating it at home allows you to control the intensity and balance of ingredients.

The magic happens when carefully selected spices and spirits merge to create a truly memorable dining experience.

Treat Yourself to Easy Bourbon Chicken Tonight

• Savor Speedy Flavor Explosion: This bourbon chicken recipe delivers maximum taste with minimal effort, making it perfect for busy home cooks who want restaurant-quality meals in under 40 minutes.
• Create Crowd-Pleasing Sauce Magic: The combination of bourbon, apple juice, and brown sugar creates an irresistibly sticky, sweet-and-tangy sauce that coats each chicken piece with layers of complex flavors that will have everyone coming back for seconds.
• Master Easy Restaurant-Style Cooking: The recipe uses simple skillet techniques that transform basic ingredients into a professional-looking dish, allowing home cooks to feel like confident culinary experts without complicated cooking methods.
• Customize Your Comfort Meal: With flexible spice levels and optional sauce thickening, this recipe lets you adjust the heat and consistency to match your personal taste preferences, making it adaptable for different palates and dietary needs.

Ingredients You Need for Easy Bourbon Chicken

• Chicken Breasts: Tender, lean meat that absorbs the bourbon sauce beautifully; boneless and skinless for easy preparation.

• Cornstarch: Key to creating a glossy, silky sauce that clings perfectly to the chicken; helps thicken the sauce and create a smooth texture.

• Salt, Pepper: Basic seasonings that enhance the chicken's natural flavor; use kosher or sea salt for better taste.

• Vegetable Oil, Sesame Oil: Provides a smooth cooking surface and adds a subtle nutty flavor; sesame oil offers an extra aromatic touch.

• Chicken Broth, Soy Sauce: Builds a savory foundation for the sauce; low-sodium options help control salt levels.

• Apple Juice, Ketchup, Brown Sugar: Creates a balanced sweet-tangy profile; brown sugar adds depth and caramelization.

• Garlic, Ground Ginger, Onion Powder: Adds layers of aromatic complexity; fresh garlic provides the most robust flavor.

• Apple Cider Vinegar: Balances sweetness and adds a bright, tangy note; helps tenderize the meat.

• Bourbon: Provides a rich, complex flavor; optional for non-alcoholic version.

• Crushed Red Pepper Flakes: Introduces a gentle heat; can be adjusted to personal spice preference.

Cooking Bourbon Chicken in a Few Simple Steps

Step 1: Prepare the Chicken Coating

Grab a medium bowl

Mix cornstarch, salt, and pepper

Coat chicken pieces thoroughly in the mixture

Step 2: Sear the Chicken

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat

Cook chicken in batches

Brown each piece for about 3 minutes per side

Remove chicken and set aside

Step 3: Create Flavor Base

Use the same skillet

Sauté minced garlic until fragrant

• Chicken broth
• Soy sauce
• Apple juice
• Ketchup
• Bourbon
• Apple cider vinegar
• Brown sugar
• Ground ginger
• Onion powder
• Crushed red pepper flakes

Bring mixture to a boil

Reduce heat and simmer

Step 4: Combine Chicken and Sauce

Return cooked chicken to skillet

Stir into sauce

Simmer until sauce reduces by half

Ensure chicken is fully cooked (about 10 minutes)

Step 5: Optional Sauce Thickening

Mix cornstarch with water

Add to sauce if desired

Simmer for additional 2 minutes

Step 6: Serve and Enjoy

Plate over steamed rice

Allow rice to soak up delicious sauce

Garnish as preferred

Chef Secrets for Flavorful Easy Bourbon Chicken

• Coat Chicken Perfectly: Ensure even cornstarch coverage by using a resealable plastic bag, shaking the chicken pieces to distribute the seasoning uniformly and create a crispy exterior.
• Control Browning Technique: Use a heavy-bottomed skillet and avoid overcrowding to achieve golden-brown chicken pieces with maximum flavor development and consistent cooking.
• Balance Sauce Consistency: Adjust sauce thickness by gradually adding cornstarch slurry, stirring constantly to prevent lumps and create a glossy, clingy sauce that clings beautifully to the chicken.
• Enhance Flavor Depth: Let the sauce simmer slowly to concentrate flavors, allowing the bourbon and spices to meld and create a rich, complex taste profile.
• Serve for Maximum Enjoyment: Let the chicken rest in the sauce for a few minutes before serving to allow maximum flavor absorption and ensure each bite is infused with delicious sauce.

Storing Easy Bourbon Chicken to Retain Its Taste

• Refrigeration: Store leftover Bourbon Chicken in an airtight container within 2 hours of cooking, keeping it fresh in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
• Microwave Reheating: Place chicken in a microwave-safe dish, sprinkle a few drops of water to prevent drying, and heat in 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval until thoroughly warmed.
• Skillet Reheating: Warm chicken in a skillet over medium-low heat, adding a splash of chicken broth to maintain moisture and restore sauce consistency, stirring gently to prevent breaking down the meat.

Side Pairings That Work with Easy Bourbon Chicken

• Pair with Crisp Riesling: The sweet and tangy bourbon sauce pairs perfectly with a chilled Riesling, balancing the dish's rich flavors with its light, fruity notes.
• Serve Alongside Sesame Roasted Broccoli: The nutty, slightly charred broccoli complements the bourbon chicken's sweet and savory profile, adding a healthy green side to the meal.
• Match with Jasmine Rice Pilaf: Fluffy jasmine rice soaks up the delicious sauce while providing a neutral base that lets the chicken's complex flavors shine through.
• Cool Down with Cucumber Salad: A crisp, refreshing cucumber salad with a light rice vinegar dressing cuts through the richness of the bourbon chicken, creating a balanced and exciting meal experience.

Variations to Customize Your Bourbon Chicken

• Spicy Kick Bourbon Chicken: Amplify the heat by doubling the crushed red pepper flakes and adding a dash of sriracha sauce for an extra spicy version that'll make taste buds dance.
• Asian-Inspired Honey Bourbon Chicken: Replace brown sugar with honey and add a splash of sesame oil to create a more authentic Asian-style flavor profile that brings depth and richness to the dish.
• Citrus Bourbon Chicken: Swap apple juice with fresh orange juice and add orange zest to introduce a bright, tangy element that cuts through the richness of the sauce and adds a refreshing twist.
• Slow Cooker Bourbon Chicken: Transform the recipe by preparing all ingredients in a slow cooker, letting the chicken simmer in the sauce for 4-6 hours for an incredibly tender and deeply infused meal.

Easy Bourbon Chicken Recipe

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4.7 from 27 reviews

• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 6 1x

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Description

Delicious bourbon chicken delivers Southern-inspired comfort straight from Louisiana kitchens. Juicy chicken pieces glazed with sweet-tangy bourbon sauce promise a quick, mouthwatering meal you’ll crave again and again.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Protein:

• 3 pounds (1.36 kilograms) chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, chopped into 1-inch pieces

Sauce Ingredients:

• 1 cup (240 milliliters) chicken broth, low-sodium
• ⅔ cup (160 milliliters) soy sauce, low-sodium
• 1 cup (220 grams) brown sugar, dark or light
• ¼ cup (60 milliliters) bourbon
• ⅓ cup (80 milliliters) apple juice
• ⅓ cup (80 milliliters) ketchup
• 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) apple cider vinegar
• 4 cloves garlic, minced

Seasoning and Thickening Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons (32 grams) cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) vegetable oil

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Instructions

1. Prepare a seasoning mixture by combining cornstarch, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Thoroughly coat chicken pieces in this blend, ensuring each morsel is evenly covered.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high temperature. Carefully brown chicken pieces in batches, cooking approximately 3 minutes per side until golden and nearly cooked through. Transfer browned chicken to a separate plate.
3. In the same skillet, quickly sauté minced garlic until its aromatic essence is released, about 30 seconds.
4. Pour chicken broth, soy sauce, apple juice, ketchup, bourbon, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, ground ginger, onion powder, and crushed red pepper flakes into the skillet. Bring the liquid to a vigorous boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
5. Reintroduce the cooked chicken into the simmering sauce, stirring to coat each piece completely. Allow the mixture to simmer, reducing the sauce by half and ensuring chicken is fully cooked, approximately 10 minutes.
6. For a thicker consistency, create a quick slurry by mixing cornstarch with water. Incorporate this into the sauce and continue simmering for an additional 2 minutes until the desired thickness is achieved.
7. Plate the bourbon-infused chicken over a bed of steamed rice, allowing the grains to absorb the rich, flavorful sauce. Garnish with optional chopped green onions for a fresh touch.

Notes

• Bourbon chicken’s origins trace back to New Orleans’ food stalls, where Chinese and Cajun cuisines beautifully collided.
• Marinating chicken overnight intensifies flavor profiles, transforming a simple meal into a culinary adventure.
• Whiskey or apple juice can substitute bourbon, making this recipe adaptable for various dietary preferences and restrictions.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Category: Dinner, Snacks
• Method: Sautéing
• Cuisine: Chinese

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 6
• Calories: 488
• Sugar: 30 g
• Sodium: 900 mg
• Fat: 14 g
• Saturated Fat: 2 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 66 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 24 g
• Cholesterol: 80 mg