Why Make This Recipe
Bourbon Chicken in a slow cooker is an easy and flavorful dish. It combines sweet and savory notes with tender chicken, making it perfect for a busy day. You can set it and forget it, letting the slow cooker do all the work while you attend to other tasks. Plus, the aromas that fill your kitchen will make everyone eager for dinner!
How to Make Bourbon Chicken
Ingredients:
- 3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 cup soy sauce
- â…“ cup bourbon whiskey
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
- ¼ cup chopped green onions, for garnish
Directions:
- Add the chicken thighs to the bottom of a slow cooker.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, soy sauce, bourbon, apple cider vinegar, ground ginger, honey, red pepper flakes, and minced garlic.
- Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken in the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
- Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and chop or shred it to your preferred texture.
- In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and water to make a slurry. Stir it into the sauce in the slow cooker.
- Return the chopped chicken to the slow cooker and stir everything together. Let it cook for another 5–10 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Turn off the heat and garnish with chopped green onions before serving. Serve over white rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice for a low-carb option.
How to Serve Bourbon Chicken
Bourbon Chicken is best served warm over a bed of rice. Whether you choose white rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice, it creates a perfect base for the saucy chicken. Garnishing with green onions adds a nice touch of color and flavor.
How to Store Bourbon Chicken
To store Bourbon Chicken, place any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will stay good for about 3–4 days. You can also freeze the chicken for up to 2-3 months. Just make sure to let it cool completely before freezing.
Tips to Make Bourbon Chicken
- For extra flavor, marinate the chicken in the sauce for a couple of hours before cooking.
- If you like it spicier, add more red pepper flakes or even chopped fresh chili.
- Serve with steamed vegetables to make it a complete meal.
Variation
You can make Bourbon Chicken with other meats, like pork or beef, using the same sauce. You may need to adjust the cooking time based on the type of meat you choose.
FAQs
Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs?
Yes, you can use chicken breasts, but thighs are more tender and flavorful.
Can I make this dish without bourbon?
Yes, you can substitute bourbon with a little more apple cider vinegar or use chicken broth for a non-alcoholic version.
How can I thicken the sauce more?
If you want a thicker sauce, you can add more cornstarch slurry or let it cook longer on high to reduce the liquid.
Bourbon Chicken
A flavorful slow cooker Bourbon Chicken dish with sweet and savory notes.
- Total Time: 375 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 cup soy sauce
- â…“ cup bourbon whiskey
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
- ¼ cup chopped green onions, for garnish
Instructions
- Add the chicken thighs to the bottom of a slow cooker.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, soy sauce, bourbon, apple cider vinegar, ground ginger, honey, red pepper flakes, and minced garlic.
- Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken in the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on high for 240 minutes or low for 360 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
- Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and chop or shred it to your preferred texture.
- In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and water to make a slurry. Stir it into the sauce in the slow cooker.
- Return the chopped chicken to the slow cooker and stir everything together. Let it cook for another 5–10 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Turn off the heat and garnish with chopped green onions before serving. Serve over white rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice.
Notes
Marinate the chicken for extra flavor, and adjust spices to taste. Best served warm over rice.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 360 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: None
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 25g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 56g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 27g
- Cholesterol: 75mg