If Chinese takeout like Sweet and Sour Chicken or Orange Chicken is your comfort food go-to then you’re going to love this Bourbon Chicken recipe! Made with real bourbon it’s sweet, savory, sticky, crispy and so rich in flavor all thanks to a few simple ingredients and key tips! This dish is super quick and easy and tastes so delicious because its homemade. I love to serve this with fluffy rice and green onions for a complete Chinese-inspired meal! If you would like something more truly authentic than my Americanized version, then try something from Woks of Life.
What you need to make this recipe
Chicken – you can use either chicken breasts or chicken thighs both work just as well just make sure they are skinless and boneless.
Cornstarch – this is a key ingredient for creating a light and crispy batter on the chicken and for thickening the sauce!
Bourbon – If you’re a bourbon aficionado, save the good stuff for sipping and reach for a less-expensive brand for marinating the chicken and simmering the sauce. You can always tilt a splash of the good stuff into the sauce at the last minute for an extra hit of bourbon goodness.
Chicken stock – Make sure to use low sodium so the dish isn’t overly salty.
How to Make Bourbon Chicken
1. Mix the soy sauce, stock, bourbon, sugar, and spices in a bowl and set aside.
2. Cut the chicken into strips and then toss in cornstarch.
4. Fry the chicken in batches until crispy then set aside on a plate.
5. Add garlic to the hot pan and fry for a minute until fragrant.
5. Add the sauce to the pan and bring to a boil to deglaze the pan.
6. Add the chicken and simmer until the sauce has thickened and reduced, serve.
Pro tips for making this recipe
- There are a few red pepper flakes in this recipe that gives a subtle heat but if you’d like this to be extra spicy try adding in some sriracha, chili powder, or extra red pepper flakes.
- When cooking the chicken do it in batches and don’t overcrowd the pan so it turns golden and crispy!
- Don’t use an extra special Bourbon for this recipe, a less expensive brand will do.
- If you don’t have bourbon you could use brandy, Scotch or Whiskey!
- If you prefer you can use fresh ginger instead of ground it will just give a stronger flavor.
- Brown sugar gives a delicious caramelized flavor you won’t get the same results with white sugar.
- The sauce will thicken as it reduces thanks to the sugar and cornflour.
- Use low sodium chicken stock and soy sauce so you can control how much salt goes into the dish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I prepare this in advance?
Yes, you can prepare the whole dish and reheat it when you are ready to eat or you can fry the chicken in advance so all that’s left to do is cook the sauce and add the chicken at last minute.
Non-alcohol substitutions for bourbon
Contrary to popular belief, alcohol doesn’t cook out of foods as quickly as you might think. So, if you’re planning to serve this dish to the kiddos, opt for a 21-and-under substitution for the bourbon, such as organic unfiltered apple juice.
What to serve with this
I love to serve this bourbon chicken with rice and sprinkling on green onions on top, it’s so simple and delicious. Check out our Instant Pot Brown Rice recipe to make perfect fluffy rice in no time. You could also serve this with sauteed broccoli, noodles, or a nice fresh salad.
Can you freeze this?
Absolutely, bourbon chicken freezes really well but just make sure to thaw it completely before reheating. Leftovers will also keep well in the fridge for around 2-3 days.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this Bourbon Chicken then don’t forget to leave a rating and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Bourbon Chicken
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1/3 cup bourbon
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 3 green onions chopped thinly for garnish
Instructions
- Mix the soy sauce, stock, bourbon, brown sugar and spices in a bowl then set aside.
- Cut the chicken into half inch thick strips then cut into 1-2 inch pieces. Place in a bowl and toss with cornstarch so the pieces are coated.
- Add oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot add the chicken in two batches. Cook on one side for about 3 minutes then flip. Do not move around, let it get nice and crispy.
- Transfer chicken to a plate and add about two tablespoons of oil to you pan add garlic and cook while moving constantly until fragrant. less than a minute.
- Pour in the sauce and use a wooden spoon to mix and deglaze the pan. Bring to a boil and cook for a minute then add the chicken back in and reduce to a simmer. Move the chicken to coat and cook until reduced by about half.
- Garnish with sliced green onions and serve with rice.
Notes
- I usually end up using closer to a pound and a half of chicken for this recipe.
- There are a few red pepper flakes in this recipe that gives a subtle heat but if you'd like this to be extra spicy try adding in some sriracha, chili powder, or extra red pepper flakes.
- When cooking the chicken do it in batches and don't overcrowd the pan so it turns golden and crispy!
- Don't use an extra special Bourbon for this recipe, a less expensive brand will do.
- If you don't have bourbon you could use brandy, Scotch or Whiskey!
- If you prefer you can use fresh ginger instead of ground it will just give a stronger flavor.
- Brown sugar gives a delicious caramelized flavor you won't get the same results with white sugar.
- The sauce will thicken as it reduces thanks to the sugar and cornflour.
My whole family loved this and the chicken was so juicy. Doubled recipe and it went great. What I loved that it was all things that I had around the house, and you better believe I have plenty of bourbon! So tasty over rice. Thanks for another delicious one!
My son wanted to get a Chinese takeaway but I persuaded him to cook this instead. He wasn’t enthusiastic but was super happy with the results. Better than any takeaway… simply delicious.
Made this chicken dish yesterday for my family- they LOVED IT!!!
Great recipe. This was the first time I cooked with alcohol and I loved it. I watched your videos on YouTube and I’ve made both your orange chicken recipe and the bourbon chicken recipe. I gave them both 5 stars. However, I agree with your comment when comparing the two recipes — the orange chicken is also my favorite.
Delicious! I watch your youtube channel all of the time, and love your recipes. I tried this one tonight, made a half recipe more sauce, stir fried broccoli, peppers and onions seperate, then served all together in a rice bowl..my husband and I loved it and will make this one a regular addition to my meal plan every month!
In the recipe you list chicken broth, elsewhere you say chicken stock. Which do you use? Thank you.
Hi Carol, I use those interchangeably, but stock is the way to go 🙂
Made this dish this evening and my family LOVED it!! The chicken was flavourful and So juicy. Served it with Fluffy mashed potatoes, it was a comfort food dream!! Want to try this sauce on some BBQ ribs next summer.
I loved the sauce for these, what’s your favorite bourbon?
would another kind of alcohol rather than bourbon be good (whiskey, brandy etc.)
yes! Just choose one you like the flavor of.