Easy Bourbon Chicken is chicken breasts cut into cubes and simmered in a homemade bourbon sauce that is as easy to make as it is delicious. For another tasty chicken recipe, try my Chipotle Chicken recipe.
Easy Bourbon Chicken
Did you know that bourbon chicken is named after Bourbon Street in New Orleans but has become a popular menu item at many Asian restaurants in America? (Read more on Immaculate Bites.) This Cajun dish can be made in less than half an hour, so skip take-out and make your own! Pile this flavorful chicken over some fried rice and serve with a side of your favorite vegetables.
Ingredients
Chicken: I used chicken breasts in this recipe, but you could definitely use chicken thighs as well. Some prefer thighs because they have more flavor than chicken breasts.
Bourbon: Yes, the name of this dish is Bourbon chicken, but you could leave it out (or use any kind of whiskey you have on hand). The alcohol will cook down, but if you do not have any (or don’t want to use) bourbon, substitute 1/4 cup apple juice with a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar.
Chicken Stock: You can make your own chicken stock to use in recipes like this one.
Slurry: The corn starch and water is mixed together and added to the bourbon sauce to thicken it up.
How to Make Easy Bourbon Chicken
This is such an easy dish to get on the table, and it is packed with flavor! To get started making this recipe, first, cut the chicken breasts into cubes. After cutting up the chicken, cook it in olive oil over medium-high heat. This will take 10-15 minutes, depending on the size of the pieces of chicken. Chicken is fully cooked when an internal temperature reaches 165°F.
As the chicken is cooking, make the bourbon sauce. To make the sauce, mix together the bourbon, soy sauce, chicken stock, ketchup, brown sugar, garlic, and ginger in a small bowl. Add the sauce to the skillet with the cooked chicken and let it simmer for 3-4 minutes. Make the slurry to add to the dish; this will thicken up the sauce. Serve warm over rice. Once you see how easy and tasty this recipe is, you will want to have this recipe on hand for a busy weeknight, or any night, for that matter!
More Chicken Recipes
Easy Bourbon Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
- ¼ cup bourbon
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons water
- sliced green onions, for garnish
Instructions
- To a large skillet over medium-high heat, add olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the cubed chicken. Cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink and has reached an internal temperature of 165°F.
- As the chicken is cooking, mix together the bourbon, soy sauce, chicken stock, ketchup, brown sugar, garlic, and ginger in a small bowl.
- Remove the skillet from heat. Pour the sauce into the skillet with the cooked chicken. Return to the heat to simmer over medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes.
- While the dish is simmering, make the slurry. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water. Pour the slurry into the skillet and stir until the sauce is thickened.
- Serve over rice and garnish with chopped green onions (optional).
Did you make this recipe?
You can tag me at @iamhomesteader.
Made this tonight and it was a hit! We don’t drink so I used your substitution of 1/4 cup apple juice with a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar. It was so good! My husband demanded we have this often. Made it with your fried rice and it was great together. Thanks for the wonderful recipes!
My family loves this recipe! It is quick easy and very simple to make 🙂 we paired ours with Rice Pilaf Not one bit was left 🙂 thanks for a new favorite
What’s the CATCHUP for?
Apologies, it goes in with the other ingredients. The instructions state where. Thanks!
Easy to make and turned out really well. Used Jack Daniels in place of bourbon and doubled the recipe for a big family. I sent a link to both of my kids in college because it is easy to make, the ingredients are reasonably priced and usually found in a typical pantry.