Crock Pot Bourbon Chicken Recipe is a must-try dish! Recipe
This Crock Pot Bourbon Chicken Recipe is a flavorful, easy-to-make slow cooker dish featuring tender chicken thighs simmered in a rich bourbon-infused sweet and savory sauce. Perfect for busy weeknights, it delivers a comforting, restaurant-quality meal without the hassle.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours (high) or 6 hours (low)
- Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes (high) or 6 hours 10 minutes (low)
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Halal
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 3 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
Sauce
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 cup soy sauce
- 1/3 cup bourbon whiskey
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
Thickener
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
Garnish
- 1/4 cup chopped green onions
Instructions
- Prepare Chicken: Place the trimmed boneless skinless chicken thighs at the bottom of the slow cooker, ensuring they lay in an even layer for even cooking.
- Make Sauce: In a separate bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, soy sauce, bourbon whiskey, apple cider vinegar, ground ginger, honey, red pepper flakes, and minced garlic until well combined.
- Add Sauce to Chicken: Pour the prepared sauce mixture evenly over the chicken thighs in the slow cooker, coating them thoroughly.
- Cook: Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6 hours, until the chicken is fully cooked and tender enough to shred easily.
- Shred Chicken: Remove the cooked chicken from the slow cooker and chop or shred it into your preferred texture, returning it to the cooker afterward.
- Thicken Sauce: Mix the cornstarch and water in a small bowl to create a slurry, then stir this mixture into the sauce in the slow cooker to thicken it.
- Finish Cooking: Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker, stir well to combine with the thickened sauce, and cook for an additional 5–10 minutes until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
- Garnish and Serve: Turn off the slow cooker, sprinkle the chopped green onions over the top, and serve the bourbon chicken over white rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice for a low-carb option.
Notes
- For the best flavor, use fresh bourbon whiskey, but quality can vary based on brand.
- You can substitute chicken breasts if preferred, though thighs remain juicier and more tender.
- Adjust red pepper flakes to control the heat level or omit for milder taste.
- To keep it low-carb or keto-friendly, serve with cauliflower rice instead of traditional rice.
- The sauce can be thickened further by adding more cornstarch slurry for a glaze-like consistency.
- Leftovers store well refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheat gently to avoid drying out the chicken.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 360 kcal
- Sugar: 16 g
- Sodium: 950 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 34 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
Keywords: Crock Pot Bourbon Chicken, slow cooker chicken, bourbon chicken recipe, easy chicken dinner, sweet and savory chicken
