Bourbon Chicken (Easy Recipe!)
Bourbon Chicken (Better Than Takeout) smothers tender chunks of chicken in a homemade bourbon sauce for a quick and easy weeknight meal! One of my favorite take-out style dishes made with bourbon, brown sugar, ketchup, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, and more for a delicious recipe that packs a serious flavor punch!
This Bourbon Chicken Sauce is better than takeout!
This Bourbon Chicken has a sticky homemade sauce that’s the perfect balance of salty and sweet, making this dish taste like you just grabbed it from Bourbon Street! After eating it just once, I bet you’ll reach past the take-out menu to grab this recipe card every time!
Serve this over white rice for a complete meal your whole family will love!
Rebecca’s Recipe Review
Taste: A delicious balance of savory, sweet, and sour. This Bourbon Chicken has a taste that will bring you right back to the food court days at the Mall! Only this time, you’re enjoying it at home!
Texture: Tender chunks of chicken smothered in a thick, sticky sauce.
Ease: 5/10
Pros: A dinner that hits the table in 30 minutes or less without the need for any fancy ingredients!
Cons: None!
Would I Make This Again? Yes! We even love turning this recipe into a great stir-fry variation just by adding steamed broccoli, carrots, and snow peas!
Easy Bourbon Chicken Recipe Ingredients
This Bourbon Chicken Recipe comes together quickly and easily! To start, just coat diced chicken breasts with salt and pepper before cooking them on the stovetop in olive oil.
If you prefer, you can use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts. Chicken thighs are known for being juicer so they’re definitely a great option for this recipe!
Then bring this Bourbon Chicken to life by mixing together the sauce using:
- soy sauce
- chicken broth
- ketchup
- Bourbon
- light brown sugar
- apple cider vinegar
- garlic paste
- ground ginger
Once it simmers, you’ll add in a water and cornstarch mixture to thicken it up to sticky perfection! When it’s time to enjoy, just garnish with green onions and sesame seeds!
All that’s left is deciding if you’ll serve this over white rice or mix it into a stir fry! Or both!
I love this dish!!! Will definitely put this on my rotation The sauce is so yummy!!!
– Barbara
How To Make Bourbon Chicken
- Coat the diced chicken breast with salt and pepper.
- Cook the chicken in olive oil over medium-high heat. Then transfer it to a bowl and set it aside.
- Whisk together the soy sauce, chicken broth, brown sugar, ketchup, bourbon, apple cider vinegar, garlic, and ginger in a large bowl. Next, pour the sauce into the pan and let it simmer.
- Mix together the water and cornstarch in a small bowl until smooth. Then add it to the bourbon mixture and whisk together, allowing it to simmer all together until it thickens.
- Add the chicken, tossing to coat. Serve over rice, and enjoy!
How to serve this Easy Bourbon Chicken Recipe
We love serving this chicken recipe over rice because it soaks up all the delicious sauce. It can also be served on it’s own with veggies on the side.
How To Store Bourbon Chicken Sauce
Keep any leftover Bourbon Chicken in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days. Leftovers can also be frozen for up to one month.
To do so, place them in a Ziploc bag and squeeze out the excess air before placing them in the freezer.
Can I Use This Sauce Over Fried Chicken?
Yes, you can! Crispy, crunchy Bourbon Chicken would be super delicious!
Do I Have To Use Bourbon In This Recipe?
Since Bourbon is the signature ingredient in this recipe, I don’t really recommend substituting it out. Doing so would alter the final taste of this recipe. If, for some reason, you choose to, I suggest swapping it out for 1/4 cup of apple juice.
Is bourbon chicken cooked with alcohol?
Yes, 1/4 cup of Bourbon Whiskey is used in this recipe, that’s what gives it it’s name and unique flavor.
More Chicken Dinner Recipes To Try
- One Pan Greek Chicken Quinoa – A flavorful, healthy dinner option that’s loaded with seared chicken!
- Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo – Tender, juicy pieces of sauteed chicken served in creamy, cheesy sauce!
- Honey Ginger Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner – An easy, one-pan meal that’s packed with delicious flavor!
- Harissa Chicken Tray Bake – Crispy chicken is smothered with spicy Harissa paste and then roasted!
- Cajun Chicken Pasta – Spicy cajun-rubbed chicken laid on top of linguine pasta that’s covered in a creamy sauce with a kick!
Did You Make This Recipe?
If you’ve tried this recipe, please let leave a review in the comments below. I love hearing from you! Don’t forget to tag me – @sugarandsoulco – on Instagram and Pinterest with your photos, or join our Sugar & Soul Show-offs Community and share them there.
This recipe was originally published in September 2017 and was updated in April 2021 with a new recipe and photos.
Easy Bourbon Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1½ pounds chicken breast diced into 1-2” pieces
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Sauce
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup ketchup
- ¼ cup bourbon
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- Green onions and sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the chicken, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
- Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned chicken and cook for about 6 to 9 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a bowl and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, chicken broth, brown sugar, ketchup, bourbon, apple cider vinegar, garlic, and ginger. Pour into the pan and let simmer for 5 minutes to reduce slightly.
- In a small bowl, mix together the water and corn starch until smooth. Pour into bourbon mixture and whisk quickly to combine. Let simmer until thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add in the chicken and toss to coat and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Serve hot over rice.
Notes
- If you want a spicy version, add 1 tablespoon of chili paste to the sauce.
- Water can be used in place of chicken broth.
- 1½ teaspoons of freshly grated ginger may be used in place of ground ginger.
- ¾ teaspoon of garlic powder may be used in place of garlic paste.
- Dark brown sugar may be used for a deeper, richer flavor.
- Bourbon is the signature ingredient in this recipe and should not be omitted.
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
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This was DELICIOUS! I did add some hot cherry peppers from the garden but otherwise followed recipe. Next time will double so we have leftovers (because we—2 of us!—ate it all)!
Delicious recipe! My family loved it!
I make this quite frequently, just as written. Everyone loves it. I serve it with basmati rice. Makes a delicious dinner!
I love this dish!!! Will definitely put this on my rotation The sauce is so yummy!!!
Absolutely amazing! So easy and delicious
Perfect combination of sweet, salty and sour.My husband and I really enjoy it. Adding a Tablespoon of dark soy sauce for coloring.
My husband asks me to make this!! So yum and easy!
It’s one of our favorites, too!
I’ve made this twice, it’s so delicious! Served over basmati rice, it’s the perfect dinner.
Smelled and tasted wonderful! Easy as can be!
So glad you enjoyed it!
East and flavorful recipe. Will definitely make again. Thank you for sharing.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, it’s one of our favorites too!
Made this tonight! Loved it. It’s a keeper.
Made this tonight for my wife and I, at first I was going to half the recipe but decided against that. It is so easy and so good! All of the flavors come through.
Thanks for a great meal. I would imagine the trees are getting beautiful there as they are here in northern North Dakota.
Yes, as a matter of fact I looked out my kitchen window this afternoon and noticed how much the trees had changed in just a day or two. The next few weeks will be gorgeous.
So glad you enjoyed the dish – always a hit in our house and leftovers reheat well!
Can’t wait to try this recipe for my family
Hi Sam from Culinary Compass! What a fun and easy recipe! Gotta love meals that take only 30 minutes to make (and are deliciously spicy to boot).