Bourbon Chicken

Method

• Prep:

  Start by prepping everything before you turn on the heat. Season your boneless skinless chicken thighs with salt, chicken bouillon, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. Finely chop your garlic and ginger and set aside. Pre-make your sauce by combining the soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, honey, and water in a bowl or jar. Give it a good shake or stir and set it aside so it is ready to go when you need it.

  Cooking:

  Heat a medium high skillet with avocado oil and sear the chicken thighs on each side until you get a good deep brown color. You are not cooking the chicken all the way through at this point, just building color. Once you have that sear remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside.

  Go in with the chopped garlic and ginger into the same pan and cook until fragrant. Add in the bourbon to deglaze the pan and let the alcohol cook off for about a minute.

  Pour in your pre-made sauce and bring it to a simmer. While the sauce is coming up, chop your chicken thighs into strips. Add the chicken back into the pan and let everything simmer together, stirring frequently so the sauce does not burn to the bottom of the pan. You want to let the sauce reduce down by about half until it is thick, sticky, and coating every piece of chicken and the chicken is cooked all the way through.

  Serve over white rice with broccoli on the side.

• TIPS AND TRICKS:

  -Prepping everything before you start cooking is the key to this recipe coming together quickly and smoothly. The cooking process moves fast so having your sauce pre-made and your garlic and ginger already chopped means you are never scrambling.

  -Do not fully cook the chicken during the sear. You just want good color on the outside. The chicken will finish cooking in the sauce while it reduces and that is what keeps it juicy and tender all the way through.

  -Keep stirring the chicken around as the sauce reduces. The honey and brown sugar in the sauce can burn to the bottom of the pan quickly if you leave it sitting too long without moving it.

  -Let the sauce reduce fully before pulling it off the heat. You want it thick and glossy and coating the chicken, not thin and watery. That reduction is what gives you that restaurant quality sticky finish.

  -Bourbon is what gives this dish its signature depth of flavor. Make sure you let the alcohol cook off fully before adding the sauce so you do not end up with a harsh boozy taste in the final dish.

• WHAT TO SERVE WITH THIS:

  -White rice is the classic pairing and honestly the perfect base for soaking up all of that sticky bourbon sauce. It is a combination that just works every time.

  -Steamed or roasted broccoli on the side adds some freshness and color to the plate and pairs great with the sweet and savory flavors of the chicken.

  -Fried rice is another great option if you want to take the whole meal up a notch and turn it into something that really feels like a full takeout spread at home.

• FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

  Can I use chicken breast instead of chicken thighs?

  You can use chicken breast if that is what you have but chicken thighs are the better choice for this recipe. Thighs are more forgiving with higher heat and stay juicy even after simmering in the sauce. Chicken breast can dry out faster so if you go that route just keep a close eye on it and pull it as soon as it is cooked through.

  Do I have to use bourbon?

  The bourbon adds a really nice depth of flavor and a slight sweetness that is signature to this dish. If you want to skip it you can substitute with apple juice or chicken broth for the deglaze. The flavor will be a little different but it will still be a solid dish.

  How do I know when the sauce has reduced enough?

  You will know the sauce is ready when it has thickened up and coats the back of a spoon. It should look glossy and sticky and cling to the chicken instead of running right off. If it still looks thin just give it a few more minutes on the heat and keep stirring.

  Can I meal prep this recipe?

  Absolutely. This bourbon chicken stores really well in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. Reheat it in a skillet over low heat with a splash of water to loosen the sauce back up and it tastes just as good the next day.

  What can I use instead of oyster sauce?

  If you do not have oyster sauce you can substitute with hoisin sauce for a similar sweet and savory flavor. The taste will be slightly different but it works well in a pinch. You can also find oyster sauce at most grocery stores in the Asian food aisle.