Bourbon Chicken

This is the most delicious and easy recipe for Bourbon Chicken- aka Food Court Chicken. This chicken saucy, savory, and sweet. It also cooks in one pan in less than 30 minutes using convenient pantry ingredients!

One-pot meals are a staple in our house. As the months get warmer meals that I can put on the grill or quickly make are my favorite because we can have something on the table quickly and enjoy the evening.

I love evening walks in the warmer months, bonfires, and outdoor evenings at home on our patio. I also love not having to put in a lot of work with dishes and meal prep so we can maximize our night.

This recipe for Bourbon Chicken will be a favorite on your meal plan rotation. It is simple, uses pantry ingredients, and ready in less than 30 minutes.

Sometimes called “Food Court Chicken” in our house because it reminds me of those delicious little sauced bites of chicken at the mall food court. It was one of my favorite things to get, along with a pretzel, when cruising the mall in my middle and high school days.

The sauce for this chicken is so delightfully simple- I love the combination of sweet and savory. If you like a little more heat you can add a few dashes of hot sauce to the sauce before adding it to the chicken.

What do you need to make Bourbon Chicken?

• vegetable or canola oil
• boneless skinless chicken breasts
• ground ginger
• garlic powder
• black pepper
• soy sauce
• bourbon
• water
• rice vinegar
• brown sugar
• cornstarch
• large rimmed skillet

How do you make Bourbon Chicken?

1. Cut the chicken bite sized pieces.
2. In a bowl whisk together the ginger, pepper, soy sauce, bourbon, water, garlic, rice vinegar and brown sugar. Set aside.
3. In a large rimmed skillet, heat the oil on medium high heat.
4. Add the chicken and cook the chicken starts to brown, about 7-8 minutes.
5. Add the bourbon mixture and stir to coat. Allow the liquid to come to a simmer and reduce heat to medium. Simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes. Stir every few minutes.
6. Add in the cornstarch and water mixture to the chicken and stir. The sauce will thicken after a few minutes.
7. Remove from heat and serve over rice.
8. Serve over rice.

Have a few questions? I can help!

Can I use a different type of meat or cut of chicken?

For sure! Thighs work great in this recipe. I also love making it using pork loin as well.

What can I use in place of bourbon?

Any dark liquor works. Whiskey is a great alternative. You could also use a juice, like apple, if bourbon does not work for you.

Do I need rice vinegar?

You need vinegar, but you can use apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar in place. In all honestly, any will work, but those are the best substitutes.

Can I add some veggies?

Of course, I like to add broccoli sometimes. I typically add it about half way through the sauce simmering around minute 4 so it cooks perfectly.

Looking for more delicious one-pot recipes?

One Pot Chicken Parmesan Pasta

One-Pot Chicken Feta Alfredo

One Pot Pesto Feta Pasta with Asparagus

One-Pot Chili Mac

One-Pot Ham and Cheese Pasta

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Bourbon Chicken

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword bourbon, Chicken

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

• tbsp vegetable or canola oil
• 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup bourbon
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/4 tbsp cornstarch
• 3 1/2 tbsp cold water

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Cut the chicken bite sized pieces.
• In a bowl whisk together the ginger, pepper, soy sauce, bourbon, water, garlic, rice vinegar and brown sugar. Set aside.
• In a large rimmed skillet, heat the oil on medium high heat.
• Add the chicken and cook the chicken starts to brown, about 7-8 minutes.
• Add the bourbon mixture and stir to coat. Allow the liquid to come to a simmer and reduce heat to medium. Simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes. Stir every few minutes.
• Dissolve cornstarch into the cold water. Add in the cornstarch and water mixture to the chicken and stir. The sauce will thicken after a few minutes.
• Remove from heat and serve over rice.
• Serve over rice.