Bourbon Chicken

4.63 from 8 votes

Bourbon Chicken

This Easy 20 Minute Bourbon Chicken is a copycat of Chinese mall food classic of tender chicken coated in a tangy, sticky sauce with sweet and savory flavors. It's an easy weeknight dinner that’s good down to the last bite!

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Total Time20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: bourbon chicken

Servings: servings

Calories: 360kcal

Author: TipBuzz

Ingredients

Sauce

1 cup chicken broth
2/3 cup soy sauce low sodium (see note)
1/2 cup apple juice
1 tbsp cider vinegar or white vinegar
1/4 cup bourbon
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp minced fresh ginger or 1/2 tsp ground ginger

Chicken

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts cubed, or chicken thighs
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp garlic minced
2 tbsp cornstarch
salt and pepper to taste
green onion minced
red pepper flakes optional

Instructions

In a medium bowl, mix chicken broth, soy sauce, apple juice, cider vinegar, bourbon, ketchup, brown sugar and ground ginger. Reserve.
Place a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. When hot, add 1 tbsp vegetable oil and half of the cubed chicken in a single layer.
Fry for 2 minutes until lightly browned. Then use kitchen tongs to flip the pieces and cook 2 more minutes on the other side. Remove to a plate.
Wipe the pan clean with paper towel. Add the remaining 1 tbsp oil and fry the remaining chicken pieces the same way. Then remove to the plate.
Add the garlic to the pan and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Then add the reserved sauce and bring to a boil for 10 minutes.
Add the chicken to the sauce and boil for 2 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water in a cup and pour into the pan.
Let the sauce thicken stirring constantly for up to a minute or two, just until it's thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Note that the sauce will thicken further off the heat.
Remove to serving plates and garnish with optional green onions and red pepper flakes.

Notes

Chicken: You can substitute boneless, skinless chicken thighs for juicier meat if you prefer.
Soy sauce: I suggest using Kikkoman or San-J low-sodium (also gluten-free).
Cornstarch: Pre-mix the cornstarch and water into a slurry to avoid getting lumps in the sauce. If you don’t have cornstarch, you can use ¼ cup flour mixed with 2 tablespoons water but use a small whisk to avoid lumps.
Make Ahead: You can make this dish up to two days ahead of time and store in an airtight container in the fridge (the flavor actually intensifies with time). You can also freeze for up to one month.

Nutrition