This bourbon chicken tastes even better then the kind you can find in any food court in any mall. Only for a fraction of the price and no visit to the mall.
This recipe has quickly become a family favorite. Any time I go to the food court I always gravitate towards the bourbon chicken. I’m so glad now that I can make it at home.
Ingredients you will need
- Chicken breasts- boneless and skinless, you can also use chicken thighs if that is what you have on hand. make sure you remove the bones and skin before cutting into pieces. You will need twice as many thighs as you would breasts.
- Corn starch – to thicken the sauce and to help crisp up the chicken while cooking. Potato starch works also.
- Salt and Pepper- always needed to season everything you cook. brings out the natural flavors.
- Apple juice or bourbon – both add great flavor to the dish, of course bourbon is ideal but even in a pinch you can substitute water.
- Ketchup – adds acidity and depth to the flavor.
- Soy sauce – adds the sodium level and helps to bring out the flavor of all the other ingredients.
- Water –
- Brown sugar – adds that sweet sticky flavor that is common with this dish, and with the molasses undertones gives richness.
- Onion powder – a dry rub made from dehydrated onions.
- Ground ginger – a dry spice made from dehydrated ginger. adds a bit of spice
- Minced garlic – Fresh works but I like to keep a jar in my fridge of pre minced garlic in oil
- Green onions – for garnish
- Olive oil – for cooking the chicken, you can also use sesame oil or vegetable in a pinch.
How to make Bourbon Chicken
1.Cut Chicken
Cut raw chicken breasts into bite-sized cubes, about 1″x1″. Add chicken to a medium-sized bowl and season with salt and pepper. Also, add 1 tbsp of corn starch and mix until the chicken is fully coated in corn starch, then set aside.
2. Mix Sauce
In a smaller bowl combine ingredients for the sauce. apple juice or bourbon, ketchup, soy sauce, water, brown sugar, onion powder, ground ginger, pepper, minced garlic, and 1 tbsp corn starch.
whisk everything together.
3.Cook chicken
In a large frying pan or wok heat 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat. once the oil is hot add the chicken and cook until slightly brown. allowing the chicken to almost crisp up but not burn.
4.Add sauce
Slowly pour sauce mix over the chicken in the frying pan. bring to a slight simmer then reduce heat to low and cook till sauce thickens, stirring frequently.
5. Garnish and serve
Serve hot with rice and vegetables of your choice, and sprinkle some finely chopped green onions to garnish.
Bourbon Chicken
Equipment
- 2 bowls
- 1 frying pan or wok
- 1 kitchen knife
- 1 spoon
- 1 whisk
Ingredients
- 3 med chicken breasts boneless and skinless
- 1 tbsp corn starch
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch pepper
- ¼ cup apple juice or bourbon
- ¼ cup ketchup
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup water
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp pepper
- 3 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp corn starch
- ¼ cup green onions
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- cut raw chicken breasts into bite-sized cubes, about 1"x1". Add chicken to a medium-sized bowl and season with salt and pepper. Also, add 1 tbsp of corn starch and mix until the chicken is fully coated in corn starch, then set aside.
- in a smaller bowl combine ingredients for the sauce. apple juice or bourbon, ketchup, soy sauce, water, brown sugar, onion powder, ground ginger, pepper, minced garlic, and 1 tbsp corn starch.
- whisk everything together.
- in a large frying pan or wok heat 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat. once the oil is hot add the chicken and cook until slightly brown. allowing the chicken to almost crisp up but not burn.
- slowly pour sauce mix over the chicken in the frying pan. bring to a slight simmer then reduce heat to low and cook till sauce thickens, stirring frequently.
- serve hot with rice and vegetables of your choice, and sprinkle some finely chopped green onions to garnish.
