Bourbon Chicken

Cook up a family favorite with Bourbon chicken, an easy-to-make dish that brings the flavors of New Orleans right to your kitchen.

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Picture a dinner that whisks you away to the lively, music-filled Bourbon Street in New Orleans, all from the comfort of your own kitchen. That’s the magic of Bourbon chicken, a predominantly Asian dish that gets a unique Cajun twist from the unmistakable oaky flavor of bourbon whiskey. This easy-to-make dish is a culinary chameleon of sorts; it can be found on menus at Cajun joints, American Chinese restaurants, and even mall food courts. The main ingredients are simple — soy sauce, brown sugar, orange juice, ginger, garlic, rice vinegar, and, of course, bourbon. When combined, they create a delicious blend of savory, sweet, and tangy flavors. Bourbon chicken is a family favorite in our house, and I bet it will be in yours too. Serve with fluffy white rice to soak up every last drop of that delicious sauce.

What You’ll Need To Make Bourbon Chicken

Courtesy of Jennifer Segal

Step-By-Step Instructions

Make the sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk the soy sauce, sugar, water, orange juice, bourbon, sesame oil, and pepper until well combined.

Courtesy of Jennifer Segal

Prep the chicken: In another medium bowl, toss the chicken with the 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of the sauce mixture until thoroughly combined.

Courtesy of Jennifer Segal

To cook: Heat the vegetable oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken all at once (the skillet will be very full; do your best to spread the chicken into a single layer).

Courtesy of Jennifer Segal

Cook, stirring every few minutes, until deeply golden brown and cooked through, about 10 minutes.

Courtesy of Jennifer Segal

Stir in the garlic, ginger, and light green scallions and cook, stirring constantly, for about one minute; do not let burn.

Courtesy of Jennifer Segal

Add the remaining sauce mixture.

Courtesy of Jennifer Segal

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and cook at a gentle boil until the sauce is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cornstarch/water mixture and cook until the sauce is thickened, about 2 minutes.

Courtesy of Jennifer Segal

Off the heat, stir in the vinegar.

Courtesy of Jennifer Segal

Serve over rice.

Courtesy of Jennifer Segal

You May Also Like

• BBQ-Spiced Chicken Thighs with Tangy Honey Glaze
• Filipino-Style Chicken Adobo
• General Tso’s Chicken
• Char Siu Chicken

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Bourbon Chicken

Servings: 4 to 6 Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cook Time: 20 Minutes Total Time: 40 Minutes

Ingredients

For The Sauce

• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup (packed) light brown sugar
• ¾ cup water
• ¼ cup orange juice, from 1 orange
• 3 tablespoons bourbon
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For The Chicken

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

For Cooking

• 1½ tablespoons vegetable oil (or substitute)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1½ teaspoons grated fresh ginger
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced, light and dark green parts separated
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch combined with 1 tablespoon water
• 2 teaspoons rice vinegar

Instructions

Make the sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk the soy sauce, sugar, water, orange juice, bourbon, sesame oil, and pepper until well combined. Prep the chicken: In another medium bowl, toss the chicken with the 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of the sauce mixture until thoroughly combined.

To cook: Heat the vegetable oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken all at once (the skillet will be very full; do your best to spread the chicken into a single layer), and cook, stirring every few minutes, until deeply golden brown and cooked through, about 10 minutes.

Stir in the garlic, ginger, and light green scallions and cook, stirring constantly, for about one minute; do not let burn. Add the remaining sauce mixture. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and cook at a gentle boil until the sauce is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cornstarch/water mixture and cook until the sauce is thickened, about 2 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the vinegar. Serve over rice.

Pair With

Simple Steamed Broccoli

This article was originally published on OnceUponaChef.com. Follow on Instagram.