Our easy-to-make Bourbon Chicken recipe combines tender chicken breasts and a sweet and sticky sauce with hints of bourbon.
It’s perfect for busy weeknights and fancy enough for a date night or dinner party.
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Bourbon chicken was originally developed in New Orleans on Bourbon Street. Since then, this dish has become a staple in both Cajun-style and Chinese American restaurants.
You’ll find lots of recipes for bourbon chicken on the internet, but trust me when I tell you this is the best!
Serve the sweet and tangy chicken over fluffy white rice and watch the smiles around the dinner table!
Made with simple ingredients you can find at your local grocery store or Asian supermarket, this easy recipe can be on your dinner table in about 30 minutes.
If you like this dish, you may also like our Honey Garlic Chicken and Korean Barbecue Chicken recipes.
Ingredients
Gather the ingredients to prepare our Bourbon Chicken recipe. Culinary professionals call this the “Mise en Place,” which means “everything in its Place.”
Setting up your ingredients not only helps speed up the cooking process but also ensures you have all the necessary ingredients on hand to make the recipe.
Can I Make Adjustments to the Recipe?
Absolutely! If you are not a fan of bourbon, you can replace the bourbon with apple juice or apple cider, although the flavor profile will change a bit.
We used boneless, skinless chicken breasts to make the recipe, but boneless, skinless thighs will work just as well.
For a spicier version, add red pepper flakes, sweet chili sauce, or a dash or two of your favorite hot sauce to the sauce.
How to Make Bourbon Chicken
Follow along with my simple step-by-step instructions to learn how to make Bourbon Chicken in your home kitchen.
- Remove the chicken breast from the refrigerator half an hour prior to cooking to allow it to come to room temperature.
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels.
- Using a sharp knife, slice the chicken into 1-inch slices or cubes. This will help with the cooking process so that all the pieces of chicken are similar in size and cook evenly.
- Add the all-purpose flour, baking powder, table salt, and black pepper to a shallow bowl or container. Whisk to combine the ingredients.
- Place the chicken pieces in the seasoned flour, getting a good coating on the pieces.
- Set aside until needed.
- Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add three tablespoons of butter and the sesame oil to the hot pan. Swirl the butter around so it doesn’t burn.
- Add the pieces to the pan.
- Cook for 4-5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked, turning the pieces to sear all sides. The chicken should have an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Remove the chicken from the pan and place it on a clean plate while you make the sauce. Tent the chicken with aluminum foil to keep it warm.
- Using the same pan, lower the heat to medium and add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the pan. Add the chopped garlic and ginger to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and honey to the pan. Stir to combine. Simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the bourbon to the sauce and whisk together to combine. Let the sauce continue to simmer for 2 minutes. This will burn off the alcohol.
- Place the chicken back into the pan with the sticky sauce.
- Fold the chicken into the bourbon sauce to give it a good coating. Let the chicken simmer in the sauce for 2-3 minutes, turning the pieces over as it simmers.
Remove from heat and serve over fluffy white rice with your favorite vegetable. Garnish with sesame seeds and/or sliced green onions.
Wouldn’t you love to sit down to a plateful of our Bourbon Chicken? The warm, smoky flavors of the bourbon with the sticky, sweet, Asian sauce are a sweet and savory chicken dish you’re going to love to eat as much as you enjoy making it!
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3-5 days. It does freeze well and can be kept frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
To reheat, add a splash of water or chicken broth to a skillet with the Bourbon Chicken over medium heat. Stir as needed until it’s warmed through (about 5–7 minutes). Make sure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
It can also be reheated loosely covered in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring in between, until hot. If the sauce gets too thick, add a little liquid to it.
Recipe FAQs
If the sauce turns out a little too thick, you can add a splash of water to thin it out. You could also add more bourbon, apple juice, or chicken broth to thin it out. If adding more bourbon, give the sauce a minute or two to cook off the alcohol.
Can I make it ahead of time?
You sure can. Bourbon Chicken actually tastes better the next day after the flavors have had time to meld. Store it refrigerated in an airtight container until ready to serve. Gently reheat over medium heat until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
No, it’s not. It’s more tangy and sweet than spicy. But you can kick up the heat if you want a spicier version of the dish.
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Bourbon Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb skinless boneless chicken breasts or skinless, boneless chicken thighs
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter divided 3 tablespoon & 1 tbsp
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons fresh minced garlic or 1 teaspoon of dry garlic
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger minced or ½ teaspoon of dry ginger
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
- ⅓ cup bourbon
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce or regular soy sauce
- 1 ½ tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 ½ tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons sesame seeds for garnish
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Instructions
- Remove the chicken breast from the refrigerator half an hour prior to cooking to allow to come to room temperature
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels.
- Using a sharp knife, slice the chicken into 1-inch slices or cubes.This will help with the cooking process so that all the pieces of chicken are similar in size and cook evenly
- Add the all-purpose flour, baking powder, table salt, and black pepper to a shallow bowl or container. Whisk to combine the ingredients.
- Place the chicken pieces in the seasoned flour, getting a good coating on the pieces, and set aside until needed.
- Place a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add three tablespoons of butter and the sesame oil to the hot pan. Swirl the butter around so it doesn't burn.
- Add the pieces to the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked, turning the pieces to sear all sides. The chicken should have an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Remove the chicken from the pan and place it on a clean plate while you make the sauce. Tent the chicken with aluminum foil, to keep it warm.
- Using the same pan, lower the heat to medium and add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the pan.Use a spatula to release any of the browned bits stuck to the pan.
- Add the chopped garlic and ginger to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and honey to the pan. Stir to combine. Simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the bourbon to the sauce and whisk together to combine. Let the sauce continue to simmer for 2 minutes. This will burn off the alcohol.
- Place the chicken back into the pan with the sticky sauce.
- Fold the chicken into the bourbon sauce to give it a good coating.
- Let the chicken simmer in the sauce for 2-3 minutes, turning the pieces over as it simmers.
- Remove from heat and serve over fluffy white rice with your favorite vegetable.
- Garnish with sesame seeds and/or sliced green onions.
Mila R. Palag says
Excellent recipe for chicken breast; easy to prepare and tastes great! We all enjoyed it; will have to make it again soon! Thanks for sharing, Chef Dennis!
Chef Dennis Littley says
I’m happy to hear you enjoyed one of my favorite dishes!