Bourbon chicken is a dish with New Orleans roots that’s easy to make with chicken thigh pieces cooked in a sweet brown sugar, bourbon, ginger, garlic, and soy sauce glaze. Serve with rice for a restaurant-worthy meal.
This bourbon chicken recipe creates results that are tender, juicy, and oh-so flavorful.
How to Make Bourbon Chicken
You’ll find a detailed ingredient list and step-by-step instructions in the recipe below, but let’s go over the basics:
What Is Bourbon Chicken?
Bourbon chicken is a dish that is named after Bourbon Street in New Orleans, Louisiana and the ingredient that gives it its bold, boozy flavor.
How Do You Make Bourbon Chicken?
Here’s a brief overview of what you can expect when you make homemade bourbon chicken:
- Toss the chicken in cornstarch.
- Cook the chicken in oil, then transfer it to a plate using a slotted spoon.
- Cook the onion, garlic, and ginger in oil in the same skillet.
- In a bowl, mix the cornstarch, sauce, broth, bourbon, sugar, vinegar, and red pepper.
- Add the sauce mixture to the skillet, then cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.
- Return chicken to skillet, cook, and stir until heated through.
- Serve over rice and top with green onions.
Test Kitchen Tips
This top-rated user recipe was tested in our test kitchen. Here are some tips from our culinary experts
- Don’t like the taste of bourbon? No problem! Use apple juice instead.
- This bourbon chicken is best served with rice,” says recipe cross-tester Sarah Brekke. “You could add some stir-fried veggies to boost the nutrition.”
How to Store Bourbon Chicken
Store your leftover bourbon chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise
“Fantastic chicken,” raves one Allrecipes community member. “Great flavor and so easy! Served it with steamed broccoli and the perfect twice-baked potatoes also from Allrecipes!!”
“My whole family loved it,” says Jules. “My husband saved the leftover sauce to use on his rice for lunch the next day. The chicken came out tender, juicy, full of flavor.”
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut in 1-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch, divided
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- ¼ cup minced onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 1/3 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1/3 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
- 1/4 cup bourbon (or apple juice)
- 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 2 cups cooked rice
- 2 green onions, sliced
Directions
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Gather Ingredients.
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Toss chicken with 1 tablespoon cornstarch in a medium bowl.
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Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat; add chicken. Cook and stir until browned; transfer to a plate using a slotted spoon.
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Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet. Add onion, garlic, and ginger; cook and stir until softened and fragrant, 1 to 3 minutes.
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Stir remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch, soy sauce, broth, bourbon, brown sugar, vinegar, and crushed red pepper together in a small bowl.
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Add sauce mixture to skillet; cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.
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Return chicken to skillet. Cook and stir until coated in sauce and heated through, about 2 minutes.
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Serve over rice. Top with green onions.
Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 4 Calories 542 % Daily Value * Total Fat 20g 26% Saturated Fat 5g 26% Cholesterol 208mg 69% Sodium 1110mg 48% Total Carbohydrate 38g 14% Dietary Fiber 1g 3% Total Sugars 9g Protein 46g Vitamin C 3mg 14% Calcium 52mg 4% Iron 3mg 18% Potassium 643mg 14% Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.
