Sticky-Savory Bourbon Chicken
Bourbon Chicken is a sweet and savory skillet dish made with tender chicken pieces coated in a rich, glossy sauce. This version uses simple pantry ingredients and delivers bold flavor without needing takeout.
Ingredients
- 4 large chicken breasts chopped into bite-sized pieces and patted dry
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- ½ tsp pepper
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ¼ cup apple juice or bourbon if available
- ¼ cup ketchup
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup water
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- 3 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp cornstarch for coating chicken
- 1 tsp cornstarch for sauce
- ¼ cup green onions sliced
Instructions
- Chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces and pat dry. Toss with 1 tbsp cornstarch until lightly coated, shaking off any excess.
- Heat 2 tbsp sesame oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook for 6–8 minutes until no longer pink. Drain excess liquid, then cook another 3–4 minutes until lightly golden.
- In a bowl, whisk together pepper, onion powder, apple juice (or bourbon), ketchup, soy sauce, water, brown sugar, ground ginger, minced garlic, and 1 tsp cornstarch until smooth.
- Pour the sauce into the skillet with the chicken. Scrape up any browned bits from the pan and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken. Add a splash of water if it becomes too thick.
- Turn off the heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Garnish with sliced green onions before serving.