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Bourbon Chicken

This Bourbon Chicken skillet features a sticky, glossy sauce that combines sweet and savory flavors, perfect for quick weeknight dinners.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Comfort Food
Calories: 500
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 4 large large chicken breasts, chopped into bite-sized pieces and patted dry
  • 2 tbsp sesame oil
  • ½ tsp pepper
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • ¼ cup apple juice (or bourbon if available) Bourbon gives depth, apple juice works fine
  • ¼ cup ketchup
  • ½ cup soy sauce Use light soy to reduce saltiness
  • ¼ cup water
  • ⅔ cup brown sugar
  • ½ tsp ground ginger
  • 3 tsp minced garlic Fresh garlic = bigger flavor
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch For coating chicken
  • 1 tsp cornstarch For thickening sauce
  • ¼ cup green onions, sliced

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces and pat dry. Toss the chicken with 1 tbsp cornstarch in a large bowl so each piece gets a light coating.
  2. Heat 2 tbsp sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken in a single layer and cook until no pink remains, about 5–6 minutes.
Cooking
  1. Drain excess juices from the pan and continue cooking the chicken until the edges turn golden and slightly crisp, about 3–4 more minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, whisk together pepper, onion powder, apple juice (or bourbon), ketchup, soy sauce, water, brown sugar, ginger, minced garlic, and 1 tsp cornstarch in a medium bowl until smooth.
  3. Once the chicken is nicely browned, pour the sauce into the skillet and scrape up the browned bits. Bring everything to a gentle boil.
  4. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5–7 minutes, stirring often until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken.
Serving
  1. Remove from heat and let the pan rest for 5 minutes to thicken slightly. Sprinkle sliced green onions over the top and serve over fluffy white rice.

Notes

Chop chicken ahead for quick weeknight cooking. If the sauce is too thin, simmer longer off-heat. For heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes or switch green onions to cilantro.