Bourbon chicken is a quick and easy dish with big umami flavor that’s ready in just 15 minutes! Be sure to serve with plenty of the scrumptious sauce.
Previously, I’ve shared my easy bourbon salmon. It’s marinated then roasted and comes out super yummy.
And I recently realized I hadn’t yet shared my bourbon chicken recipe, so here we are today!
This chicken dish is super easy to make, comes together quickly and has amazingly rich and complex flavors.
The umami element is just off the charts!
You’ll be wanting to slurp up that sauce with a spoon, it’s so tasty.
(You can also make a hands-off version with this crock pot bourbon chicken - every bit as scrumptious!)
Plus, it’s ready in about 15 minutes. Can’t beat that for a quick dinner!
(You can check out all of my 15 minute chicken dinners for more inspiration. I’m all about the quick and easy!)
Now, to be sure, this has a distinct bourbon flavor. That is sort-of the point.
(I'm a bourbon lover through and through. An old fashioned is my favorite drink and I usually have somewhere around 5-8 different bourbons on hand at any time.)
Also, the bourbon does not cook all the way out. It’s a small amount, but just wanted to put that out there if you’re concerned about it.
OK, let’s get cooking. Cause you are going to want to dive right into this dish!
I’ve got some notes, tips and substitutions coming up below on how to make bourbon chicken. Just tryin’ to be helpful. Feel free to scroll on down to the recipe card if you prefer.
Ingredient Notes:
Chicken: You can use chicken breasts or chicken thighs for this recipe, whichever you have. They just need to be cut into 1-inch pieces to cook through quickly and evenly.
Bourbon: Any decent brand of bourbon or whiskey will do.
Soy sauce: I use and recommend low-sodium soy sauce to help control the amount of sodium in the dish. Feel free to substitute tamari if you need this to be gluten-free.
Ginger: Fresh ginger is best here, but you can substitute ground ginger if needed. You’ll use about ¼ teaspoon.
Cornstarch: The cornstarch slurry helps thicken up the sauce and give it that glossy sheen, so don’t skip it!
Oh, and you can serve this with some garnishes if desired. Sliced green onions, a sprinkle of sesame seeds or a lime wedge to squeeze over top are all good options.
Speaking of serving, let’s get ready to eat.
Serving Ideas:
Bourbon chicken is great served over steamed white or brown rice to help soak up some of that delicious sauce.
You could also keep it low-carb and serve it with some easy cauliflower rice.
Or try it with some rice noodles; anything to soak up that sauce!
As for veggies, steamed broccoli or asparagus, green beans or snow peas all work great with this dinner.
Last thing... what to do with any leftovers.
The leftovers of this bourbon chicken keep well! Once cooled, store the leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
You can also freeze the leftovers. Place in a freezer-safe ziploc bag or container, label it, and freeze for up to 5 months.
There you have it! Another quick and easy chicken dinner that is big on flavor but simple to make any night of the week.
I hope you give it a try soon.
Enjoy!
XO,
Kathryn
Bourbon Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup bourbon
- ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
Optional garnishes:
- Sliced green onions, sesame seeds, lime wedges
Instructions
- Season chicken pieces with salt and black pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken and sear until browned on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. (The chicken does not need to be cooked through at this point; it will continue cooking.)
- Meanwhile, combine the bourbon, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic and ginger in a bowl and whisk until well combined and the sugar is dissolved.
- Add the sauce to the pan and bring to a simmer. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
- In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water. Add the mixture to the pan and cook for another 2 minutes, until the sauce is slightly thickened.
- Serve chicken immediately with sauce drizzled on top and any desired garnishes.
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