This Bourbon Chicken Recipe is going to be a new go-to for your family. With its delicious bourbon chicken sauce and how easily it comes together, your family is going to ask for this again and again. If you are craving bourbon chicken like the food court, make this recipe!
I am so excited to be working with Gold’n Plump® to bring you this amazing and delicious recipe using their boneless skinless chicken thighs.
With three kids in school this year and seven (SEVEN!) activities between them, we have been finding that we REALLY need to be on our A game and on our toes. Like all the time. Always.
I’m realizing the further we get into this parenting game that it’s a full contact team sport. Man-to-man defense is ideal, but it’s more important that you have a good teammate. I’m pretty lucky because my teammate is all in AND good looking. #winning
Because my teammate also does an amazing job at folding all the laundry, I really like to make dinners that he loves. Loooooves. Not just kind of likes. And this Bourbon Chicken Recipe definitely fell into the love category. After a few bites, he said, “I love this. I would eat this all the time.”
THE BEST BOURBON CHICKEN RECIPE
To make the best Bourbon Chicken recipe, you first need to start with the very best chicken. I made this recipe using Gold’n Plump’s boneless skinless chicken thighs. They are incredibly tender and stay so moist during the cooking of this recipe. I love using Gold’n Plump Chicken because it always holds up best in my recipes and stays perfectly tender no matter what recipe I’m making. I also love that their chickens are raised on family farms in Wisconsin and Minnesota (sweet words to this Midwestern girl’s heart) and they are all natural and raised without any antibiotics, ever.
The chicken thighs are cut into bite-sized pieces and lightly coated in corn starch. Then they are fried in just a little bit of olive oil in two batches to give them a nice crispy texture.
THE PERFECT BOURBON CHICKEN SAUCE
There is a small known fact (or maybe story) that the name for this dish actually comes from the street, Bourbon Street, and not the liquor. But adding Bourbon to this sauce gives it such a delicious flavor, that I ran with it. However, you can easily make this bourbon chicken recipe without alcohol.
Most of the ingredients for this sauce are things I bet you already have on hand:
- garlic
- ground ginger
- crushed red pepper
- apple juice
- bourbon
- light brown sugar
- ketchup
- apple cider vinegar
- chicken stock
- soy sauce
So simple, right?
HOW DO YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE FOR BOURBON CHICKEN?
- Cut the Gold’n Plump Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs into bite-sized pieces and coat with seasoned corn starch.
- Brown in batches and remove from the skillet.
- Add the ingredients for the sauce to the pan, gently whisking together and bring to a boil.
- Add the chicken back to the pan and cook for 20 minutes. Serve over rice and enjoy!
OTHER CHICKEN DISHES YOU ARE SURE TO LOVE!
- Baked Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs – Another great easy dinner!
- Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
- Stuffed Taco Chicken
- Instant Pot Chicken Tacos
- Easy Chicken Marsala
For more amazing chicken recipes make sure to follow Gold’n Plump on social media! You can find them on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter.
Bourbon Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup apple juice
- 1/4 cup bourbon (optional)
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar (packed)
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- scallions and sesame seeds optional for garnish
Instructions
- Cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces. Place them in a large bowl and set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Add it to the chicken thighs and toss to combine.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes on each side. Cook in 2 batches. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside. The chicken needs to only brown, not cooked through.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the skillet, scraping up any browned chicken bits. Whisk the sauce together and bring to a boil. Return the chicken to the pan and toss it with the sauce. Let the chicken and the sauce simmer for 20 minutes.
- While the chicken is cooking, make some rice. Serve the finished chicken over rice and garnish with scallions and sesame seeds. Enjoy!
Dorene says
For the Bourbon Chicken recipe, can I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts instead of thighs? My family only likes white meat?
You can! The taste might be a little different, and you might have to alter the cooking time so it doesn’t dry out, but it will still be delicious!
Kyla Jocson says
My family loves chicken, so another chicken recipe would make them so happy! Would love to try this at home soon :)
I hope you love it!
Harmony says
Excellent recipe. Great flavor and so tendet. Thank you!
clarissa says
thank Lisa i have a fall in my shower but i always read your page, i dont cook to musch now. thank.
Sarah says
The bourbon chicken is outstanding, my white rice… not so much. Can you help?
Do you happen to have an instant pot? It cooks rice perfectly every time. I recommend 1 cup of rice to 1 1/4 cup of water. Then use the rice setting (12 minutes), and let the steam release naturally.