We live about 30 minutes from an outlet mall, so we go there more often than we should. Becca absolutely loves the bourbon chicken at the Chinese restaurant in the food court, and I have made special trips to the mall just to get the chicken!
Most of the recipes out there are either attempts to copy the New Orleans original (this is really nothing like that) or some sort of barbecue type sauce.
After much tinkering, trial and error I finally came up with a recipe that is nearly identical (close enough) to what is served at our food court. We love it, I hope you do too.
If your house is like ours, there are probably some General Tso’s fans sitting next to the Bourbon Chicken fans. You can find my General Tso’s copycat recipe here. You might also want to try some of my delicious and easy homemade egg rolls.
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The full recipe card is at the bottom of this post, but I’ll walk you through the process with pictures. If you just want the recipe, scroll down.
Cut the chicken thighs into 1 inch pieces, and remove any excess fat or skin.
In a small bowl combine the ginger, pepper, soy sauce, whisky (or apple juice), water, garlic, vinegar and brown sugar. Set aside.
In a large saute pan or skillet heat the oil on medium high heat.
Add the chicken and cook until the juices have cooked off and the chicken starts to brown, about 8-10 minutes. Stir the chicken every 1-2 minutes so it doesn’t burn and browns evenly.
Add the bourbon mixture and stir well. Allow the liquid to come to a boil and then turn the heat down to medium. Simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes. Don’t rush this as you want the alcohol to cook off from the whiskey.
Add in the cornstarch/water liquid and stir briskly. The sauce will thicken quickly. (If the sauce doesn’t thicken up for you disolve another Tbsp of cornstarch in 2 Tbsp of water and stir that in)
1/4 tsp black pepper (I used 4 turns on the pepper mill)
1/3 Cup soy sauce
1/3 Cup Bourbon (or whatever brown whiskey you have sitting around. Dark rum would probably work too). If you don’t keep alcohol in your house you can substitute apple juice or cranberry juice. If you use juice, use a little less brown sugar. It really is delicious with just apple juice and no Bourbon.
1/2 Cup water
1 Tbsp rice vinegar (white wine vinegar or plain white vinegar would do if you don’t have rice vinegar)
1/2 Cup brown sugar, tightly packed
1 Tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 3 Tbsp cold water
Cut the chicken thighs into 1 inch pieces, and remove any excess fat or skin.
In a small bowl combine the ginger, pepper, soy sauce, whisky, water, garlic, vinegar and brown sugar. Set aside.
In a large saute pan or skillet heat the oil on medium high heat.
Add the chicken and cook until the juices have cooked off and the chicken starts to brown, about 8-10 minutes. Stir the chicken every 1-2 minutes so it doesn’t burn and browns evenly.
Add the bourbon mixture and stir well. Allow the liquid to come to a boil and then turn the heat down to medium. Simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes. Don’t rush this as you want the alcohol to cook off from the whiskey.
Add in the cornstarch liquid and stir briskly. The sauce will thicken quickly.
Serve over rice.
If you don’t have or don’t want to use whiskey in this recipe simply substitute apple juice. The taste is nearly identical. You may use chicken breast in place of chicken thighs, but the food court in my area definitely uses thighs.
The main ingredients are simple: soy sauce, brown sugar, orange juice, ginger, garlic, rice vinegar, and, of course, bourbon. When combined, they create a delicious blend of savory, sweet, and tangy flavors. Bourbon chicken is a family favorite in our house, and I bet it will be in yours too.
The delicious mix of oaky bourbon, light white wine, salty soy sauce, and aromatic spices make the best bourbon street chicken. Make a platter of it with a healthy roster of side dishes for special occasions or if you simply want to treat yourself!
Why Is It Called Bourbon Chicken? Bourbon chicken is named after Bourbon Street in New Orleans (that's also why the “Bourbon” in Bourbon chicken” is capitalized). As the story goes, the dish was popularized in a Chinese restaurant that was located on Bourbon Street.
The boiling point of alcohol is 173.1°F. So, don't worry about using the Bourbon. The alcohol will cook away, leaving no unpleasant aftertaste. Ralph Oestman there is no bourbon in the original Bourbon Chicken Recipes.
This sauce includes natural ketchup, bourbon, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, fresh orange juice, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste and liquid smoke. The liquid smoke is optional, but is essential for smoky bourbon bbq sauce!
Panda Express teamed up with Hot Ones to launch a menu item that's the restaurant's spiciest dish ever. The pair created the new Blazing Bourbon Chicken—a spicy Taiwanese-inspired take on the Southern classic that's made with real hot sauce from the “Hot Ones” interview show.
"Chicken co*ck Whiskey has returned, reclaiming its place among the great American whiskies." "Even as the brand changed hands, it held its appeal as a bourbon known far and wide for its premium flavor."
French engineer Adrien de Pauger laid out the streets of New Orleans in 1721 and chose one to carry the name of the French royal family ruling at the time, Rue Bourbon.
But, at the end of the day, they are distinctly different. Bourbon chicken is an umami bomb that features sweet, nutty, toasty, and spiced notes.Teriyaki chicken, on the other hand, leans into sweet, tangy, and salty flavors.
The heat will cook off any alcohol content from the bourbon making it safe to eat for children. If you prefer to have a non alcoholic sauce, just use the same ingredients excluding the bourbon itself.
Something for everyone. Now here is something for the bourbon lover in your life and if that so happens to be you, well you just scored a batch of bourbon caramel popcorn all to yourself 😉. The alcohol in the bourbon is cooked off, so it's ok for the kids to eat it, if that is a concern.
Since bourbon balls are not cooked in any way, the Maker's Mark® in them is fully active. Difficult as it may be, don't eat too many and do keep these out of the reach of children.
Many distillers also use rye and wheat to flavor their bourbons. Rye makes the bourbon spicy, while wheat produces a softer, sweeter flavor. Others might use grains like rice or quinoa – but each grain chosen, and the amount of each, affects the flavor down the line.
The Recipe - Bourbon is distilled from a fermented mash of grain, yeast and water. The “mash bill” must have a minimum of 51% corn. For most bourbons, the average is about 70%. Other grains such as rye, malted barley, and wheat are considered “flavor” grains.
Cattlemen's® Kentucky Bourbon® BBQ Sauce blends the smooth flavors of oaky bourbon, sweet molasses and warm, signature spices with a thick and rich tomato paste for a bold and smoky sauce that delivers regional character and consistent performance to your recipes.
Vanilla extract and apple cider vinegar have often been used to mimic the taste of bourbon in recipes, but you can clearly tell when they are used as substitutes.
Introduction: My name is Horacio Brakus JD, I am a lively, splendid, jolly, vivacious, vast, cheerful, agreeable person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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