Easy Bourbon Chicken that’s crispy, sweet, sticky and tastes just like the kind you grew up eating at the mall!
Easy, Crispy Bourbon Chicken
Making this Crispy Bourbon Chicken actually makes me feel like a teenager. A teenager who was a rebel and once actually took Chinese food into the movie theater!
A quick apology to those people who had to watch Dude Where’s My Car in LA in the late 90’s in a Chinese food scented theater. ๐ My bad.
It was kind of the perfect movie to do that in though because the Chinese takeout drive thru scene still makes me belly laugh.
Back to the task at hand, Bourbon Chicken. This chicken is so deliciously sweet and sticky and has a deep bourbon flavor with hints of the apple juice. It’s good. Super good.
Is there bourbon in bourbon chicken? Yes! There absolutely is, but it cooks down in the sauce so much it just adds a certain unique flavor and won’t impair your driving. If you prefer to skip the bourbon, just double the apple juice.
Some tips to make this the best bourbon chicken ever:
- I used chicken breast because my mall used to. If you want a more tender cut, use chicken thighs.
- If you’d like a thicker coating dredge in the cornstarch, dip in a beaten egg then dredge in some flour and deep fry.
- To make this more spicy double the crushed red pepper or swap the red pepper for Sriracha sauce.
Crockpot Bourbon Chicken Recipe:
To make in the crockpot, cook the chicken (use chicken thighs) as directed and add in half the amounts of the rest of the recipe sauce ingredients (they won’t be able to cook down in the slow cooker). Cook on low for 5 hours. Add in the last tablespoon of cornstarch then cook on high for 30 minutes.
Want more Chinese Food Recipes?
- Crispy Sesame Chicken
- Cheesecake Factory Mandarin Cashew Chicken
- General Tso’s Chicken
- Easy Mongolian Beef
- Panda Express Recipes… every single one in fact: Panda Express Recipes Index
- Many more Chinese food options…
Tools Used in the making of the Easy Bourbon Chicken:
Wok: Great for high heat, quick cooking. This wok is a great addition to your kitchen if you love cooking Chinese food or stir fries in general.
Large Frying Pan: I use this Cuisinart for most of my non cast iron cooking unless I am going with a stainless steel option, then I choose my All Clad.
Soy Sauce: Nothing much to say here except Kikkoman has the best flavor overall and I always recommend reduced sodium.
Easy Bourbon Chicken
Ingredients
- 5-6 skinless boneless chicken breasts - about 3 pounds
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch divided
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 tablespoons canola oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup apple juice
- 1/4 cup bourbon
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 2/3 cup lite soy sauce lower sodium
- 1/3 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
-
Cut the chicken into 1 inch pieces and in a large bowl toss it with 2 tablespoons of the cornstarch, salt, and pepper.
-
Add 2 tablespoons of canola oil into your nonstick skillet on medium high heat and let it heat until adding the first piece of chicken sizzles.
-
Add half the chicken pieces and cook for 3 minutes without stirring.
-
Turn the chicken pieces and cook and additional three minutes.
-
Remove the chicken from the pan.
-
Use the remaining oil to cook the second half of the chicken the same way.
-
Remove the chicken from the pan.
-
Add in the garlic and cook for 20 seconds until you can just smell it.
-
Add in the water, apple juice, bourbon, chicken broth, lite soy sauce, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, onion powder, ground ginger and red pepper flakes.
-
Bring to a boil then add back in the chicken.
-
Cook for 10-15 minutes or until the sauce is reduced by about half.
-
Add the remaining tablespoon of cornstarch to a small glass with a tablespoon of water and stir.
-
Add into the pan and stir.
-
Cook until the sauce is thickened. Serve immediately.
Great recipe but not exactly like the mall bourbon chicken. I made the sauce first and put the raw chicken breasts in the instant pot, poured half the sauce and cooked for 20 minutes. Let the slow release for 5 minutes and then quick release. Took the chicken out and shredded it. I then sauteed the sauce that was left in instant pot adding a mixture of water and cornstarch to thicken the sauce and cooked for 5 minutes. Then I added back in the chicken and served with brown rice and broccoli. It’s definitely a new fave and using the instant pot made it easy
I can’t wait to try this! I want to share a good tip regarding soy sauce. I love Chinese/Asian food but the sodium makes me swell like a balloon! Substitute COCONUT AMINOS. It tastes exactly like soy sauce and has NO coconut flavor at all. Google it. I buy mine at Trader Joes.
Made this for Christmas eve dinner for the family. I made a huge batch, 5 large chicken breasts, so it took a while to make it, but with a little prep before dinner, it was no problem. It was delicious and made a nice change from turkey or salmon, which is what we usually fix for a crowd. This recipe is a keeper for sure.
Came out looking great but It was too sweet.
Lot of good in this recipe. Wife and I made it tonight. we so miss the Mall’s Food Court Bourbon Chicken. Well, we made this recipe. And, it’s not exactly like the food court, because the chicken is fried on a skillet. Which, we found, is not the same texture or feel or taste of the Food Court’s. However, the sauce is WORLD CLASS.
We will not make the chicken this way again (as the recipe says), but we will use this sauce on a different chicken preparation technique. Now, DtD says it is easy, so this is probably what most people can do in a limited amount of time. But, we’re willing to figure it out, where we never have to go out and spend loads of money to eat at places that don’t give ya much. So, we plan to try Sabrina’s sauce with this chicken approach …
I think Copy-KAT might have the approach that makes the chicken closer to the Mall’s look, taste, and texture. And, funny, this is first time that we ever used Bourbon, and DAMNED — does it add incredible flavor. Thanks to Sabrina for teaching us the difference in a sauce before & after Bourbon. Man, is it a huge change.
I’ll update this, if I can remember and if we get it conquered in this century. Also, if anyone has ideas, please let me know too. Thanks.
I’m about to make this dish. Can you use white vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar? I’m already subbing apple juice for the bourbon. Thank you.
Sure though it will adjust the flavor a bit. Enjoy!
And then?
Excellent recipe! I had a little over 2 lbs. of brown meat chicken left over from making ramen broth, and this was the perfect use of it. We usually end up with not enough sauce, so this was just the right amount of sauce to chicken for us. I made a few modifications: using 3/4 cup of sugar and double the bourbon. It was perfect! This will be one of my go- to recipes.
I tried it for the first time today. My boys said they would pay for it if they were in a restaurant. The bomb dot com.
Love it!
This is a great recipe! I found it very sweet and might do only half of the brown sugar next time. Mine also came out quite light, not sure how to get it so dark?
This was delicious!! I used half the amount of sugar and it was still a little sweet for me. I also added some carrots, yellow pepper, and onion because I like more substance to my dish and try not to eat rice. There was plenty of sauce to handle the extra veggies. Definitely a keeper recipe and will be making it often.
Holy cow Iโm stuffed!
Portion control??? Out the window!!
Husband is loving on this recipe, telling me I could open a restaurant on it. Lol Too bad I canโt take credit!
Thanks for the recipe, it was very good! Only substitute I had to the recipe was the soy sauce. I didnโt have enough Kikkoman low sodium, so finished off with a Chinese soy sauce.
Sorry if you feel this ruins your recipe, but I also added some veggies cuz I have to have veggies – (bamboo shoots, straw mushroom, onions, a few jalapeรฑo slices, and celery). But the heart of the recipe remained true.
Thanks again!
Love your veggies additions! Thanks for the 5 stars.
Well I made this tonight 17/11/2020 and it was absolutely gorgeous the only thing I did was lower the amount of soya sauce as I find it to salty and i laid it on a bed of egg noodles with bean sprouts with garlic and finely chopped shallots. Iโll definitely be making this again me and my son loved it
Thanks for coming back to let me know, Bev.
Looks lovely! However, I am an underage chef ? whatโs a good alternative to the bourbon due to being unable to purchase it?
You can substitute apple juice for the bourbon. Enjoy!
double the apple juice!
Hi Sabrina, thanks for this recipe. Itโs so flavorsome and was a real hit with the family. Definitely a keeper.
So glad you all enjoyed it enough to give it a 5 star rating, Joanne.
Husband cooked this tonight and it turned out more like a soup with chicken pieces in it. I’m use to bourbon chicken sauce being thick and sticking to the chicken. Not sure what went wrong…
Oh no! It sounds like he didn’t let the sauce get to a full boil to be able to thicken up. Did he also add then cornstarch slurry at the end?
I wanted to make this recipe. However I do not know what bourbon is? Knowingly, I do not cook at all so I have no idea what exactly I am looking for in grocery stores. All I see is bourbon brown sugar seasoning in a packet?
Bourbon is a barrel-aged distilled spirit. You’ll find it in the liquor section of your grocery store.
Its booze , liquor , hooch, like whiskey you know?
Karen,
Ha ha ha. Yeah, we could have “almost” said the same comment as Quinessa. First time with Sabrina’s recipe that we used Bourbon. A good Bourbon to use with this is Jim Beam’s Straight Bourbon Whiskey. We got it at Spec’s down the street for cheap. I couldn’t believe it, like 200ml for $3.99. You will barely use a fourth of it. So it is very cheap to make this dish.
Quinessa,
See comment to Karen. We bought Jim Beam’s Straight Bourbon cheap at Spec’s. I expected a $20 dollar bottle just to make dish, but we bought $4 bucks. Could have been a 100ml for $1.99 — if I’d known how little we’d use.
Tried this tonight and it turned out extremely salty. Not sure what went wrong. ? Does anyone know how to help me balance the salty taste? Iโm sad. ?
Oh no! Sometimes chicken is pumped with a sodium/water solution so maybe that added to the extra saltiness of the dish?
Hi Davina white I made some sauce the other week and it said to put half a cup of soya sauce in and mine came out the same it was so salty we had to throw the hole dish away. I didnโt know where I had gone wrong cos I fallowed the recipe to the t. Anyway me no my son tasted all the ingredients I had used and it was the soya sauce itโs so salty so I made the sauce again but this time I only put 3 teaspoons in instead of half a cup and the sauce turned out perfect. You could try doing this and then taste to see if itโs ok or needs more soya sauce. Iโm making this dish tomorrow and Iโll be lowering the amount of soya sauce I put in not whatโs itโs saying in the recipe Hope this helps. Iโll post tomorrow how it turns out.
I made this dish and served it over white rice. I followed the recipe exactly. My kids and husband went nuts for it. I got so much praise and I had 0 leftovers. I will definitely be making this again very soon.
My familyโs favorite chicken dinner is your bourbon chicken! We all love it! Thank you so much for sharing!!! Itโs fantastic,I I would give it 100 stars if I could!!
How sweet! Thanks, Betsy.
My kids (and hubby too!) loved this…itโs on our rotation ??
Made this for my family , they loved it!!!! It’s so hard to get everyone to agree. We have found a winner!
Amaaaazing!! Will be making over and over. I marinated my boneless cut up chicken thighs in garlic, onion powder, soy, salt, pepper, and meat tenderizer the night before. Very much recommend thigh meat. More like the mall recipe.
Coupled with this sauce…I can eat half the pan myself ????? ??
What brand of bourbon should I use for this recipe?
I donโt have a certain recommendation. Any bourban will work, ? Enjoy!
God bless you! I was just looking through YouTube videos for bourbon chicken and they all looked so gross, just chicken boiled in some sauce. Thank goodness I found your recipe on Google. I will be making this tomorrow for a friend’s birthday dinner.
Can I use apple cider instead of apple juice?
It will adjust the flavor but if you’re ok with that then yes, you can use it.
Amazing!!! I made this last night for dinner and followed the recipe to a T – it was delish! But I have to say, when I had the leftovers this evening it tasted even better – the glaze was thicker and the chicken was so much more flavorful (probably from marinating in the glaze overnight). I served it with steamed veggies last night and steamed veggies and homemade mac and cheese tonight. Next time I make it, I’m definitely making mashed potatoes. Thank you so much! This recipe will be a “go-to” for me in the future. ๐
Tried your sauce on charcoal grilled barbecued chicken kebabs and substituted pineapple juice for the apple…….YOU seriously need to try too. The pureed bacon helps hold the sauce on the kabobs.
This recipe is fantastic. We live in Scotland and have never found anywhere that serves Bourbon chicken over here. Won’t get to come to USA on holiday this year but this brings back fond memories of previous visits.
What can I substitute for apple juice? The only juice we use on a regular basis is orange juice. Could I just use more chicken broth or what? Thank you.
It will adjust the flavor by not adding it but yes, you can just use more broth.
Was wondering if this re-heated well? I am hoping to make it to take to my mum who is isolating?
Yes, it reheats just fine. That’s so nice of you to think of her.
I am so excited to try this recipe and as I got everything out to make it in the slow cooker, I donโt have any apple juice. Ugh!! Anyone have any tried and true substitutions/suggestions I could try?
I would recommend using white grape juice as a substitute. If you don’t have that, you can add more broth instead though it will change the flavor of the dish.
My family loves Bourbon Chicken so I’ve tried several recipes. No need to look any further, this one is perfect! The amounts make the right amount of sauce which is lacking in other recipes. And it couldn’t be easier for a quick weeknight meal or special occasion. Everyone was raving after the first bite! Thank you for a fantastic recipe!
If I ordered this from a restaurant, I would not be disappointed! Itโs really good. We have made it twice with no alterations. Itโs just the two of us so we have plenty of leftovers (no complaints about that!)
Yay!! Thanks for coming back to let me know, Allie.
Has anyone tried marinating in the bourbon or any of the other ingredients through-out the day before cooking?
Iโve been in the culinary industry for the last 15 years. I have my own catering company and I work as a Sous Chef in a restaurant. Anyways last night I had a hankering for some bourbon chicken like I always get when I decide to eat at Golden Corral! Found this recipe and went to the grocery store. Almost all the chicken was gone and all they had was a pack of boneless skinless chicken thighs so I grabbed it. Long story short I went home cooked acceptor the recipe and it came out great! As a chef I always want to take credit for how delicious the food is but honestly I didnโt have to add anything! Just followed the recipe and everything turned out great!
Thanks so much for your kind words, Cam. I really appreciate that you took the time to let me know how much you enjoyed it.
Do I use regular chicken broth or Better than Bouillon? Because when I clicked on โchicken brothโ it brought me to the better than bouillon .. Iโm afraid it may change the flavor as the better than bouillon very very flavorful and may make it too salty.
I prefer to use Better the bouillon but use what you like.
Are the nutrition numbers accurate? thereโs no way something this amazing is only 8g of carbs and less than 300 calories! made for my girlfriends parents and they absolutely loved it, i think iโm in lol. Thank you!
Well, it’s a program that automatically calculates based on ingredients. I would use it as a guideline but if you’re following a certain diet, you may want to your own calculations to be sure it work. I’m so glad you all love it so much!
It taste so much better when it slowed cooked, my first time making it I slowed cooked it and it taste just like the mall. These instructions for cooking it fast makes the chicken taste dry.
What is a good side dish to make with this? I making it tonight and don’t know what to have with it.
Brussel Sprouts, Baked Beans, Roasted vegetables or even mashed potatoes. So many delicious choices!
Too sweet but otherwise delicious
My husband requested bourbon chicken for his birthday this year since we are practicing social distancing and not going out to eat. This recipe was so much fun to make and was such a breeze. It was so delicious!
I didn’t realize until i was adding my liquid ingredients that I was using half the chicken called for in the recipe. I kept the same amount of bourbon ๐ and reduced the soy sauce.
I also had to improvise with what I had on hand – (pine)APPLE juice.
I couldn’t believe how good it came out. Looked and tasted just like it was from a restaurant. Thank you for sharing.
I’m so glad you decided to give it a try. Thanks for coming back to let me know.
Did you use pineapple juice in stead of bourbon.
I don’t have any bourbon
Yes, absolutely. I often substitute additional apple juice for the bourbon when cooking for kids.
OMG this is amazing. I don’t even have face book and I had to leave a comment! I will never order takeaway again, this is it for life lol
Yay!! Love it!!
THE BEST chicken I’ve tried
Absolutely DELISH!!! I followed the recipe exactly. It tastes just like I ordered it in a restaurant.
This dish is very easy, you can combine almost all the ingredients in a bowl ahead of time to make it all go together fast, and it’s delicious. I made mine with shrimp, but you could even use tofu. I also used fresh ginger. It’s going to be a regular at our house.
I typically don’t write reviews about recipes – however this one is AMAZING!!! It’s so flavorful, the sauce is incredible. I used a combination of chicken thighs and breasts; the chicken turned out tender yet crispy.
So happy you loved it so much to come back and leave a comment! Thank you, Cori!!
Thank you for the Recipe. My wife loves bourbon chicken.
I did the crockpot method, with one variation. Since I also have a flattop griddle, I cooked the chicken on it with some sesame oil to give it that grilled taste.
Turned out great.
Spice-o-licious, very tasty and the aroma while preparing was pretty awesome. Happy husband.
Yay!
This was DELICIOUS and so easy! Really had that “mall food court” taste we were looking for. I used arrowroot powder in place of cornstarch, and used chicken thighs instead of breasts. Also added a wee bit extra red pepper as my husband and I like things spicy. Was fantastic and also tasted great for lunch the next day! Will definitely make again!
I did not grow up eating this at any mall! However, I would have liked to have; I feel I missed a part of childhood now ๐
Great recipe…
I read a bourbon chicken recipe that someone used a bourbon sauce in a jar does anyone know the name of it?
Sounds soooo good but I would like to do a slow cook in the oven with bone in chicken thighs. Would I brown the chicken, start the sauce on the stovetop and then finish cooking everything together in the oven? Any adjustments to the ingredient amounts?
Thanks!
That sounds perfect!
Excellent.. I think the only thing i might disagree with is serve immediately. I tasted it immediately and it was good however after sitting for about 15 minutes and the flavors were absorbed in the chicken it was absolutely delicious!
My daughter is allergic to apples so I wonder if pear juice would be ok to sub for the juice? Apple cider vinegar hasnโt ever bothered her so that isnโt an issue.
I haven’t tried it before but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. Enjoy!
What would you recommend as a substitute for the bourbon? I’m celiac and most liquor isnt an option for me but I really miss this dish!
I would recommend just adding more apple juice to make up for the missing bourbon. Enjoy!
You can sub the bourbon with the equivalent amount of extra apple juice.
I had the same question. If you try it with extra apple juice, please post an update and let us know if it turned out okay.
I made this and it turned out excellent. I had it with white rice. Will make it again.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, John. Thanks for the 5 stars.
This recipe is amazing! It tastes better than the bourbon chicken at the mall! (And thatโs a big accomplishment!)
I recommend using a cast iron skillet, and deglazing it after browning your chicken. This will increase the flavor!
Love the recommendation!
Very good indeed! I just have one question. Whats the point of adding the one cup of water to the mixture if the whole thing gets reduced to half? Wouldn’t that remove the cup of water if not more?
What do you make with it? I’m making it now.
I served mine with a side of rice. I hope you enjoyed it!
The whole family loved this dish! We give it 5 stars!! Can’t wait to try your other recipes!
So happy to hear! Thank you!
Thank so much!!!
We loved your bourbon chicken,I will for sure make again!!! Love,love,love!!!
You’re so welcome! Glad you liked it and hope it always turns out delicious for you!
I made this with boneless skinless chicken thighs and I followed the instructions to the T and it was delicious. I used Jim Bean bourbon
So glad you liked them and they turned out great!
Weโve made this more than three times now and absolutely love the recipe. Our next step is to try it in our instant pot. It is a brand-name instant pot. Have you made it in one before and what do you recommend for settings?
I’m so glad you all love this recipe! I haven’t tested it using an instant pot yet. I’m sure you might be able to find a recipe online using similar ingredients and use that as a guide. Good luck!
Sabrina, my hat’s off to you!! This is amazing! Spot!! On!!
I have searched for 2 decades. Yes, 20 years, for a bourbon chicken recipe that replicates the food court offering and none came close. Some were good, but not the genuine item.
This IS brilliant, you nailed it! I used thigh meat because that’s what my restaurants used, and I just can not believe how good and correct this is!! The flavors are balanced and have “that flavor”. I stumbled on this recipe and site, possibly referenced at Allrecipes, but am I happy I did!!! I see the Orange Chicken, the Sesame chicken, the lemon chicken recipes, and bet your bottom dollar I’ll be making them as well!
Thanks for selflessly sharing these and can’t wait to check out your other recipes, you definitely have “the right stuff”, bravo and thanks again!
Kevin
Aw, thank you so much and happy that you were able to find a recipe that brought back memories and the flavor of beloved dishes. Thanks for coming back and letting me know! Hope to hear how the other recipes turn out. ๐
Amazing! Thatโs all I can say.
Happy to hear that!
For crockpot are you doing steps 1-7 or 8? before you put it in the crockpot? Or do you think you can put everything in as is? Let me now. Thanks.
Great question! The instructions for adjusting to the crockpot are in the post above, after the tips section.
Could I sub half the brown sugar for coconut sugar? Or has anyone tried subbing all brown sugar for coconut OR maple syrup??
I haven’t tried that, I’m not sure what the swap amount would be but if you try it, let me know!
Easy recipe, great taste!!
So I made this for dinner and it was great. Trying to keep my carbs low I didn’t serve with rice and regret that. I did spice it up a bit and the flavor was amazing. I will definitely make it again only I will compliment it with some rice.
This recipe is amazing and is actually as quick as it lists; I usually don’t prep as fast as recipes indicate. Since I don’t have bourbon in the house, I substitute with vanilla extract and it’s still delicious. Definitely a crowd pleaser in our house.
Fantastic! Thanks for the 5 stars.
Did you use a 1/4 c. of vanilla extract for the substitution?
Delicious meal even my picky son liked it. Thank you!
Great recipe! I used whiskey instead of burboun since that’s what I had and it worked fine. Do NOT use regular soy sauce as it was saltaaay. Use low sodium as directed. And careful not to over cook that chicken or it’ll be tough. I wonder if you diced the chicken up if you couldn’t cook the chicken in the sauce and skip the whole “brown it in oil” step…
You can but you’ll lose the deeper flavor and bit of crisp you get from browning it. Enjoy!
Thanks so much for the recipe…Outstanding !!!
You’re welcome, Lisa.
We’ve made this twice so far but not having bourbon on hand, we substituted Laird’s Apple Jack brandy which turned out great.
Thanks for the suggestion!
My hats off to you, this recipe is PERFECT! My husband and father both praised it, and we will be having this again. This recipe is going in my notebook….Thank you!!!
That’s awesome! Thanks for lettine me know Lynne.
So tasty and easy to prepare. My husband thought the sauce was so good that I couldnโt have made it all from scratch ! ?
So glad we were able to impress him!
Iโll give 5* easy, the fam loved it and wife says tastes just like the chicken her and her Mother used to get at the mall. My problem was I only had 1/4 c of Lt brown sugar and to mix with dark and only bourbon I had on hand was some local cheap rot-gut bourbon that work gave out as a Christmas gift?
Hint people, try reducing the sauce before you add your โwhite meatโ so as to not overcook it. Thats why I chose to use well trimmed thigh meat and it turned out great. And may I suggest Makers Mark bourbon, trust me, I live in the middle of bourbon country. Thanks for this recipe!
What a phenomenal recipe! Thank you to the cook that came up with this flavor combination, I did not and would not change a single thing!
So glad you enjoyed it, Jennifer.
I made this for my family and they loved it! They said it tasted just like the Chinese food at the mall! This will be my go to recipe for bourbon chicken from from now on!
Woohoo! Thanks so much for the 5 stars.
Ketchup is not an ingredient for cooking.
Hi Sabrina, I have 2 questions.
-how can I make this recipe gluten free
-can I substitute boneless chicken thighs for chicken breasts
You’d have to make sure that the ingredients you use are labeled as GF (mainly the soy sauce and bourbon). Thighs have a higher fat content than breasts but it will still work with this recipe. Enjoy!
Itโs got a decent taste, but maybe I did something wrong. Itโs not really sticky or crispy. Itโs kind of just a sauce. Iโm sure if it was crispy and sticky I would have loved this, but either I did it wrong or it needs a coating over the chicken to make it a little better, for me at least.
Just as it reacts EASY!! My family loved the meal. Youโre a GodSend. Iโm absolutely speechless.
Keep up the good work!
* Used cognac because I wanna out of Bourbon. Also used pineapple juice because I was out of apple?
This recipe is so delicious!! But, I found that when I reheated it in the microwave the next day for lunch, my chicken was overdone. I struggle with overcooking chicken. Is it possible to make this in the crockpot?
Yes, you can make this in a slow cooker. If you scroll above the recipe card in this post, I wrote a whole paragraph with instructions to follow. ๐
Enjoy!
Can you use arrowroot powder in place of cornstarch?
sure ๐
Could you make this recipe without the bourbon? I have all the ingredients already except for the bourbon lol
You could double the apple juice in place of the bourbon. Enjoy!
Hey Sabrina!
This is Dawnelle….
Do you remember me from the Culinary Business Academy?!
I was looking for a good recipe for Bourbon Chicken for 150 people I am catering for in New Orleans in August. We are going to serve it as a topping on Macaroni and Cheese; perfect for New Orleans cuisine! I saw “Dinner, then Dessert” and it was a nice blast from the past and knew it had to be good What a nice coincidence that the very last event I am catering will include a recipe from my beginnings. I have decided this is my last year and I am finally at peace with my decision. All of my cooking has been done on a 10 foot grill that holds 120 pounds of charcoal with 2400 square inches of cooking surface. It has been a blast, a lot of hard work, and never a dull moment. I would love to hear from you! I gave this a recipe 5 stars because I reviewed the ingredients and it has to be good!
oh my goodness!!! YES!!! What a ride right?! Let’s connect, I’ll email you!
Question. I see the sauce calls for both water and chicken broth. Is there any reason I couldnโt replace the water with more broth? It seems like it would be more flavorful that way. Thanks.
Sure ๐
This recipe was amazing! Even my picky 4 yr old was a fan! I will definitely be making this again. ?
I love when even the picky eaters love a dish! Thanks for coming back to let me know how much you all enjoyed it.
I saw this recipe and been wanting to try…i finally made it. Exellent! It really did taste like the mall bourbon chicken. Also it was very easy, usually i take recipies and put my own additions or subtractions to, but this is really just like free samples
Fantastic! So glad you enjoyed it.
What can you substitute for Apple cider?
If you’re asking about the apple cider vinegar in this recipe, you can substitute with lemon juice, lime juice or 2 tablespoons of white wine. Hope this helps!
Why is this site sending me around in circles?? I’m just trying to get the bourbon chicken recipe. I was asked to create an account in which I did but when I click on save recipe, it keeps asking me to log in when I’ve already done so. This site sucks and will rate it unsatisfactory!!
Oh no, I’m so sorry you’re having issues. Not sure what the glitch is that’s happening but please email me at contact @ dinnerthendessert .com and let me help you with it.
Sounds like a user error Kevin. Great recipe Sabrina!
Is this okay as leftovers reheated in microwave?
Yep ๐
Love this easy recipe. It is now my favorite New dish for company. I just put it in my crockpot on low to keep it warm until served. I have served it over rice or quinoa with stir fried fresh veggies on the side. Great leftover the following day.
I made it and it looked nothing like the pics. The sauce was runny and it tasted ok. But I was expecting the same flavor or close to what you get at the food courts in the mall. This did not reheat well the coating was soggy the next day. Would have to consider less liquid and make enough just for one meal, no left overs. Didnt taste bad but it wonโt be on my must make again list.
Quick question, in step 11. Am I cooking for 10-15 minutes still on medium-high heat? Iโve made a similar recipe before and found the chicken ended up over cooked, so trying to avoid that. Thanks
Yes, you it’ll still be on medium high heat. You have enough liquid in there that it won’t be over cooked. I hope you enjoy it!
Where can I buy bourbon, any grocery store or only at a liquor store?
Depends on the state you live in. In CA I could purchase it almost anywhere. A major grocery store would certainly carry it too.
My best friend and I live in Bermuda where there is no such thing as burboun chicken, weโve been to some malls in America and our favorite thing to eat is the burboun chicken in the food court. We go crazy just thinking about the taste and now that Iโve found this recipe her and I are going to make it for dinner tonight. This is great, thanks so much!!!
Yay!! I hope you enjoy it!
Nicole – Wongโs Golden Dragon In St. Georgeโs serves Bourbon Chicken. Itโs not on the regular menu. Itโs part of their hidden selections. Pleasant Appetite!
My family loves this recipe! I make it about once a month. So juicy and tender, and the spice combination is just right
Thanks!
This was absolutely perfect! I cannot wait to make again, and maybe try it with tofu or tempeh.
Can i leave out the bourbon
No, I’m sorry but you really need it for this recipe.
I may be a little late, but thought I’d mention that vanilla extract can be used as a decent substitute for bourbon. Just use a teaspoon or two though, a little goes a long way with vanilla extract. I would also suggest adding a little extra apple cider vinegar with the vanilla to make up for the lost liquid, and get it closer to a bourbon taste. hope this helps for those that can’t use alcohol for various reasons.
Thanks for the tip!
Thank you. I hate when people who post recipes that have alcohol just say “oh no you need the booze” with no regard or thought to those who can’t/don’t want to have it (or any ingredient for that matter). I have honestly never seen a dish like this that would be ruined without the alcohol, just mildly altered in flavor but not drastically so when you substitute it. Even the ones that have a significant more alcohol flavor, it still is similar but different. This seems like no exception. So thanks again.
Hey there, in further recipe testing after these comments I’ve altered the post to include the option of doubling the apple juice in place of alcohol. Vanilla was too aromatic but doubling the juice really seemed to help.
The alcohol in the “booze” cooks off. Are you afraid someone will see you buying it? LOL
We made this tonight. My son and I got into the kitchen together and cooked ๐ It was, as always, fabulous! My son doesn’t have his own household yet, and that is fine by me. He knows dinnerthendessert ๐ When he makes his own place in the world I know he will eat right ๐
Iโm so glad you guys enjoyed it! Thanks for coming back to let me know!
I see the slow cooker recipe, but could you just put everything in the slow cooker without browning the chicken in a pan first ? When I use a slow cooker, I ONLY want to use the slow cooker!
Sure, I just love having a bit of texture on the chicken to really soak in all the flavor.
Is there a certain bourbon you would suggest or any bourbon will do?ย
I don’t have a certain recommendation. Any bourban will work, ๐ Enjoy!
Made this last night, it was fantastic and easy. I used chili sauce instead of ketchup and cayenne pepper instead of red pepper flakes. Next time I’ll try real ginger. Even picky daughter ate it. Served it with steamed broccoli and rice.
This is absolutely amazing!!! Iโve been looking for a recipe like this for a while, and it was a huge hit! A nice amount of heat. Iโll have to check out more of your recipes! Thank you!
I’m so happy to see you all enjoyed it! Look forward to seeing you around the site!
I made this last night and it was a hit!!! ย Very saucy! ย I also used fresh ginger, added when I cooked the garlic. ย I also used about 8 cloves of garlic! ย This is a new regular! ย Love the leftovers!
So glad you were able to customize it to your liking!
I made this a couple of weeks ago. Very tasty recipe but a little salty for me. Next time, I will use low sodium chicken broth and/or reduce the salt in the coating mixture. There was plenty of sauce to spoon over the chicken and onto the rice. I added frozen/fresh green beans for an added color.
I made this last night and my boyfriend loved it. It was tasty and was saucy enough to have a little extra sauce to spoon over rice. I did the complete recipe but increased the sauce ingredients by more than 1/2. I have an extra 1 1/4 cup left for future uses. The only changes I would make would be to eliminate the salt in the cornstarch mix and/or use low sodium chicken broth, as well. I felt it was a little salty but I did use Aged Soy Sauce (which was not low sodium). The more it cooks down the more the salt will become concentrated. I would also increase the garlic and use fresh ginger instead of powder if you have it (but that is just my taste). I added whole petite green beans at the end for a crunchy feel to it.
I’m so happy to hear that you both loved it! Thanks for the 5 star rating!
Just made this last night and it was a BIG hit. Tasted great, but the sauce did not quite thicken. Would you recommend adding less water or having sauce at a boil for a longer time?
So glad you enjoyed it! I would recommend cooking it longer to allow it to thicken next time. ๐
How many people does this serve? I’m only cooking for two and we’re both really bad at eating leftovers. Should I halve it?
This recipe yields 8 servings so depending on the size of your portions, you may want to halve it as to not have leftovers.
OMG!!!!!! THANK YOU FOR THIS!!!! I’ve been looking for a recipe like this forever and finally here it is. I can not wait to make this. I’ve already made your version of Panda Express Honey Walnut Chicken (which was a hit with my family and so delicious ) So I already know know this is not going to disappoint also.ย
You’re welcome Lacy! I’m so glad you are loving the recipes.
Just made this for dinner, and it’s delicious! My sauce didn’t cling to the chicken as the picture shows. I added fresh broccoli florets and served over basmati rice.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Donna!
Can the apple juice be left out as I donโt have any? Thank you! Amy
No, it’s a pretty important part of the flavoring.
I didn’t have apple juice either but I used the apple flavored bourbon (not sure if I could say the name) and added an extra 1/4 cup of water and burbon and 1/4 cup of brown sugar. It came out perfect!
This is absolutely delicious and so easy!
Iโm so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for coming back to let me know!
This looks like an easy Chinese dish! I love bourbon chicken.
Thanks Des!
What kind of bourbon do you use?
I don’t recall the exact brand that I used when I made this but any bourbon will work for this recipe.
This looks absolutely delicious, and you had me at bourbon! Can’t wait to make it!
Thanks, Dee!
WOW, this has blown my mind. I need to make this ASAP. I wonder if this could be made in the slow cooker. Loving the flavor idea.
Yay!! Stay tuned for the slow cooker version ๐
Did slow cooker recipe ever come out?
Life has been crazy, unfortunately, so not yet.
Love easy and delicious meals!
This chicken looks so juicy!
Thanks Delaney!
I love bourbon chicken! You make it look so simple, haha.ย
Thanks, Leslie!
I am SO excited to see this. My son LOVES what he calls “mall chicken”. He’ll flip when he finds out that I have a recipe for it. I’ve actually been thinking about emailing you a request to see if you would be willing to try a recipe like this. Serendipity! ๐
(I probably won’t make it until next week, AFTER the holidays. But I’ll be happy to report the results when I do. Thanks again!)
Love this!! It definitely seems meant to be!