Saucy Bourbon Hen - The Keep At Dwelling Chef

We will’t get sufficient of this Saucy Bourbon Hen and neither will you. This tangy, spicy but candy sauce is the true star of the present right here. Serve it up with white rice or chow mein noodles, and add steamed veggies for an entire meal that’s prepared in half-hour.

For extra Bourbon recipes, attempt Chef Cayt’s Famous Apple Bourbon Caramel Sauce.

Why Our Recipe

Candy, sticky, and finished in half-hour which is even sooner than takeout.
Juicy hen smothered in a sauce that may depart you eager to lick the plate clear.
Devour it plain or serve it over steamed rice, chow mein, or rice noodles.

Overhead shot of Bourbon chicken on a plate of rice with bourbon in background.

New Orleans is without doubt one of the finest cities on the planet for meals with taste. It’s a spot the place a bunch of various cuisines have fused collectively to create a few of the finest flavors. This one is a fusion of Cajun and Chinese language cooking and Cajun delicacies itself is a mix of Native American, West African, French, and Spanish cuisines. New Orleans simply takes the perfect from the whole lot and places it collectively. This dish has a candy and spicy sauce that may make your style buds tremendous blissful! I really like the bourbon as a result of it provides a deep richness to the sauce—add a bit of or quite a bit! And when you don’t have bourbon available, we’ve got a straightforward substitute possibility for you.

Ingredient Notes

Ingredients used to make Bourbon Chicken.

Hen: Reduce the hen into even bite-size items. We use boneless skinless hen thighs as a result of they’re juicy, however you should utilize hen breasts for a leaner possibility.
Cooking Oil: You should use any impartial cooking oil like canola, avocado, or vegetable oil.
Garlic: Freshly minced garlic supplies the perfect taste, however jarred minced garlic works if that’s what you’ve bought.
Sesame Oil: Positioned within the Asian meals aisle of the grocery retailer. We go together with untoasted right here as a result of we cook dinner with it, whereas toasted sesame oil is for ending.
Hen Broth: Utilizing a low-sodium possibility lets you finest management the flavour—it’s an excellent chef tip.
Orange Juice: Provides a sweetness and tang to the sauce. No want for freshly squeezed, however you’ll be able to.
Brown Sugar: Provides caramelization, will increase the sweetness, and balances out the orange juice and bourbon. Use gentle or darkish brown sugar.
Bourbon: Nearly all of the alcohol cooks off so it’s thought-about protected to serve to anybody, however when you desire to cook dinner with out alcohol, you’ll be able to substitute with apple juice with a bit of bit vinegar combined in.
Soy Sauce: Low-sodium is an effective possibility for controlling the salt ranges, however your commonplace soy sauce is what we’ve utilized in recipe growth. Coconut aminos can be used.
Pink Pepper Flakes: These add only a trace of warmth. Double it if you wish to carry extra warmth, or depart it out fully when you aren’t into spicy.
Inexperienced Onion: Provides a pop of coloration and a bit of delicate onion chunk.

Hen Choices

We love utilizing boneless, skinless hen thighs. They’ve simply sufficient fats to remain juicy and flavorful, even when you by accident overcook them a bit of.

Hen breasts will work too. Simply understand that they cook dinner sooner and might dry out extra simply. You’ll wish to watch them a bit of extra intently and intention to tug them off the warmth as quickly as they hit 165°F.

Cooking with Bourbon

Bourbon is what offers this dish its signature taste. It provides a slight smokiness and sweetness. It additionally helps tenderize the hen whereas it cooks. And don’t fear, many of the alcohol cooks off through the simmer, so all you’re left with is wealthy taste and it’s thought-about completely protected to serve to anybody.

For these wanting an alcohol-free possibility, you’ll be able to nonetheless make a scrumptious bourbon hen with out the bourbon. Apple juice is our favourite substitute with 1/2 teaspoon of vinegar combined in. It offers an analogous sweetness with just a bit fruitiness and the vinegar mimics the bitter punch of alcohol.

Overhead shot of Bourbon chicken in skillet.

Sluggish Cooker Variation

Need to make this one in a sluggish cooker? Put together your sauce and brown the hen on the stovetop totally first. Add browned hen and sauce to the sluggish cooker and cook dinner on low for five hours, or excessive for 3 hours.

Wok or Skillet

Chef Cayt loves utilizing a wok for saucy recipes like this one, nevertheless it’s not required. A wok’s excessive, sloped sides make it straightforward to toss and stir the whole lot collectively with out spilling, they usually assist the sauce cling to each piece of hen. It additionally heats up rapidly and evenly, which implies your hen cooks quick and your sauce reduces fantastically with out burning.

A 12-inch skillet will completely get the job finished. Simply ensure that it’s giant sufficient to present the whole lot a bit of house so the hen sears as a substitute of steams. Use what you’ve bought, and the outcomes will nonetheless be scrumptious.