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This Bourbon Chicken recipe is a delicious take on an old food court favorite! If you like the mixture of sweet, savory, and spicy, you’ll love this dish, which is commonly served at Chinese restaurants.
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Do you ever get mad-crazy cravings, the kind that just will not go away until it is satisfied?! Of course, you do. One of my recent cravings has been for Bourbon Chicken. I am a woman on a mission. I know y’all know that Bourbon Chicken they sell in most mall food courts! It’s also called spicy Chinese chicken sometimes and it’s out of this world.
Basically, I’m trying to find a copy-cat recipe of the mall food court version, without much success. In all fairness, the recipes I have tried have been very good, but they’re not THE Bourbon Chicken. I’ve probably tried 6 or 7 different recipes so far. I’m still searching and I am not giving up! I’m not exactly sure what the secret is, but it seems nearly impossible to copy …
Still, this Bourbon Chicken recipe comes real, real close, and it’s absolutely phenomenal, which is why I had to share it with you today. Fast and easy chicken dishes are my faves!
How to make Bourbon Chicken: Ingredients & Substitutions
For this Bourbon Chicken recipe, you will need …
Ingredients
- chicken breasts – you can use any cut of chicken, honestly (like thighs), but I find that the breasts work best in this recipe.
- apple juice and apple cider vinegar – this combination is a replacement for bourbon and comes close to the taste.
- garlic, ginger, crushed red pepper flakes, brown sugar, water, soy sauce – the rest of the sauce you’ll use to cook your chicken. It’s not what I was looking for in terms of being THE Bourbon Chicken…but it’s still excellent!
- cornstarch and water – this makes a slurry/glaze that’s almost a necessity in Chinese cooking! It’ll give your meat a velvet texture and thicken your sauce.
Bourbon Chicken Recipe: FAQs
For the best Chinese-style food experience, get some fried rice and egg rolls. Steamed rice, lo mein, or chow mein are also great options. You can’t beat homemade Chinese!
About 6 servings, depending on how big your servings are. It’s enough to feed most families, certainly! (And trust me, everyone’s going to want a plate!)
Yes! You can keep it in the fridge for about 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Be sure, as always, to use some sort of airtight container or bag.
I’ve tried a ton of brands, even generic brands, and I personally don’t think it makes too much of a difference which you use!! Grab your fave! However, I might spring for the low-sodium kind, if at all possible. Cutting down on your salt intake is always good, and many Chinese-style recipes may be a bit too salty for some, anyway!
Under an hour! You’ll need 10 minutes for prep and 30 minutes to actually cook the chicken.
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Bourbon Chicken
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ – 1 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup apple juice
- ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- ½ cup water
- ⅓ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
- steamed rice, fried rice, or noodles, for serving
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat.
- Add the chicken pieces and cook until lightly browned. Remove the chicken from the pan to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain.
- Add the garlic, ginger, crushed red pepper flakes, apple juice, brown sugar, ketchup, vinegar, 1/2 cup of water, and soy sauce to the skillet and cook over medium-high heat until well mixed and the sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally.
- Add the chicken back into the skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to simmer for 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
- In a small cup or bowl, combine the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water and add the slurry to the skillet. Turn the heat to high and continue to cook and stir until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Serve with steamed or fried rice, noodles, etc.
Notes
- Store leftovers in the fridge for about 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Be sure, as always, to use some sort of airtight container or bag.
- I prefer to use low-sodium soy sauce for this recipe.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
