Bourbon Chicken is a saucy skillet dinner with tender bites of chicken coated in a glossy sweet and savory sauce. It has that takeout-style flavor people love, but it's made with simple ingredients and comes together quickly at home.
A Quick Look at the Recipe
✅ Recipe Name: Bourbon Chicken
🕒 Ready In: ~25 minutes
👪 Serves: 4 servings
🍽 Calories: ~430 per serving estimated
🥣 Main Ingredients: Chicken thighs, bourbon, soy sauce, honey, garlic, ginger
📖 Dietary Info: Dairy-free; gluten-free option
👌 Difficulty: Easy: quick skillet dinner with a simple sauce
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The sauce is rich, slightly sweet, and balanced with garlic, ginger, soy sauce, bourbon, honey, and rice vinegar. As it simmers, it thickens into a sticky glaze that coats the chicken without needing bottled sauce or extra sugar.
This is an easy weeknight dinner to serve over rice, cauliflower rice, or steamed vegetables when you want something flavorful but simple. If you love easy chicken dinners, try our Southwest Chicken Salad, Chicken Feta Burgers, or Lemon Chicken Orzo next.
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Why You'll Love this Lemon Chicken Orzo:
Sweet and Savory Sauce: The sauce thickens into a glossy glaze that coats every bite of chicken.
Quick Skillet Dinner: Everything cooks in one pan and is ready in about 25 minutes.
Takeout-Style Flavor: It has that sticky, flavorful sauce you expect from bourbon chicken, but made at home with simple ingredients.
Easy to Serve: Spoon it over rice, cauliflower rice, or vegetables for a simple dinner.
Key Ingredients:
- chicken thighs. Boneless skinless chicken thighs stay tender and juicy as they cook, making them a great choice for bourbon chicken.
- bourbon. Adds depth to the sauce and gives the recipe its classic flavor. The alcohol cooks down as the sauce simmers.
- soy sauce. Gives the sauce its salty, savory base. Use gluten-free soy sauce or tamari if needed.
- honey. Adds sweetness and helps the sauce turn glossy as it thickens.
- garlic and ginger. These add bold flavor and keep the sauce from tasting too sweet.
- cornstarch. Thickens the sauce so it coats the chicken instead of staying thin.
Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this page for exact quantities.
Easy Substitutions & Variations:
- Make it gluten-free: Use gluten-free soy sauce or tamari instead of regular soy sauce.
- Use chicken breast: Chicken breast can be used instead of chicken thighs, but be careful not to overcook it since it can dry out faster.
- Swap the sweetener: Maple syrup can be used instead of honey if that is what you have on hand.
- Make it spicier: Add red pepper flakes, sriracha, or chili garlic sauce if you want some heat.
- Serve it different ways: Serve over white rice, brown rice, cauliflower rice, or steamed broccoli for an easy dinner.
How to Make Bourbon Chicken:
- Step 1: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cubed chicken thighs and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned and mostly cooked through. Add the minced garlic and ginger paste, then cook for 1 minute, stirring often.
- Step 2: In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, bourbon, chicken broth, honey, rice vinegar, and cornstarch until smooth.
- Step 3: Pour the sauce into the skillet and stir to coat the chicken.
- Step 4: Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the chicken is fully cooked.
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Recipe Notes & Tips:
- Use chicken thighs for best texture: Chicken thighs stay tender and juicy, even as the sauce simmers and thickens.
- Cut the chicken evenly: Try to keep the chicken pieces close in size so they cook at the same rate.
- Whisk the cornstarch into the sauce first: Mixing the cornstarch with the soy sauce, bourbon, broth, honey, and vinegar helps prevent clumps.
- Let the sauce simmer until glossy: The sauce should thicken enough to coat the chicken. If it looks too thin, let it simmer for another minute or two.
- Use gluten-free soy sauce if needed: Regular soy sauce usually contains wheat, so use gluten-free soy sauce or tamari to keep this recipe gluten-free.
How to Store:
Refrigerator: Store Bourbon Chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheating: Reheat in a skillet over low heat or in the microwave until warmed through. Add a splash of chicken broth or water if the sauce gets too thick.
Freezer: Freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat gently before serving.
Bourbon Chicken FAQs:
No, the finished sauce should not taste strongly like alcohol. The bourbon adds depth to the sauce, and the sharp alcohol flavor cooks down as it simmers.
Yes, but the flavor will be different. You can replace the bourbon with extra chicken broth for an alcohol-free version, though it will not have the same classic bourbon chicken flavor.
Bourbon chicken is usually served over rice, but it also works well with cauliflower rice, steamed broccoli, green beans, or a simple stir-fry vegetable mix.
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Bourbon Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cubed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ⅓ cup bourbon
- ¼ cup chicken broth
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the cubed chicken thighs and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned and mostly cooked through.
- Add the minced garlic and ginger paste, then cook for 1 minute, stirring often.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, bourbon, chicken broth, honey, rice vinegar, and cornstarch until smooth.
- Pour the sauce into the skillet and stir to coat the chicken.
- Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the chicken is fully cooked.
- Serve warm over rice, cauliflower rice, or vegetables.
Nutrition
Notes
- Use chicken thighs for best texture: Chicken thighs stay tender and juicy, even as the sauce simmers and thickens.
- Cut the chicken evenly: Try to keep the chicken pieces close in size so they cook at the same rate.
- Whisk the cornstarch into the sauce first: Mixing the cornstarch with the soy sauce, bourbon, broth, honey, and vinegar helps prevent clumps.
- Let the sauce simmer until glossy: The sauce should thicken enough to coat the chicken. If it looks too thin, let it simmer for another minute or two.
- Use gluten-free soy sauce if needed: Regular soy sauce usually contains wheat, so use gluten-free soy sauce or tamari to keep this recipe gluten-free.
Jon says
Quick, easy and so delicious.