Crock Pot Bourbon Chicken Recipe
A savory and slightly sweet slow-cooked Bourbon chicken recipe made with tender boneless skinless chicken thighs simmered in a rich sauce of bourbon whiskey, soy sauce, brown sugar, and aromatic spices. Perfect for an easy, flavorful dinner served over rice or cauliflower rice.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours (high) or 6 hours (low)
- Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes (high) or 6 hours 15 minutes (low)
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Low Salt
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 3 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
Sauce
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 cup soy sauce
- ⅓ cup bourbon whiskey
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
Thickening & Garnish
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
- ¼ cup chopped green onions, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare Chicken: Add the trimmed boneless skinless chicken thighs to the bottom of your slow cooker, ensuring they are evenly distributed for consistent cooking.
- Make Sauce: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the light brown sugar, soy sauce, bourbon whiskey, apple cider vinegar, ground ginger, honey, red pepper flakes, and minced garlic until well combined.
- Combine in Slow Cooker: Pour the prepared sauce over the chicken thighs in the slow cooker, making sure the chicken is well coated.
- Cook Chicken: Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours, until the chicken is tender and fully cooked through.
- Shred Chicken: Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and chop or shred it to your preferred texture using forks or a knife.
- Prepare Slurry: In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and water to create a slurry that will help thicken the sauce.
- Thicken Sauce: Stir the cornstarch slurry into the sauce remaining in the slow cooker, then return the shredded chicken back into the slow cooker and combine well.
- Final Cook: Let the chicken and sauce cook together for an additional 5-10 minutes until the sauce thickens to your liking.
- Serve: Turn off the heat, garnish with chopped green onions, and serve the bourbon chicken warm over white rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice for a low-carb option.
Notes
- This recipe uses boneless skinless chicken thighs for their tenderness and flavor, but chicken breasts can be substituted if preferred, though they may be less juicy.
- Make sure to taste and adjust sweetness or spice levels by adding more honey or red pepper flakes according to preference.
- For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free soy sauce and cornstarch, or substitute with arrowroot powder.
- If bourbon whiskey is unavailable, you can substitute with a splash of apple juice and a teaspoon of vanilla extract for similar flavor depth.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Serve garnished with green onions and alongside steamed vegetables for a complete meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1 cup of chicken and sauce)
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 980 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 125 mg
Keywords: Crock Pot Bourbon Chicken, slow cooker chicken, bourbon chicken recipe, easy dinner, slow cooked chicken thighs, bourbon sauce
Find it online: https://platedandproud.com/crock-pot-bourbon-chicken-recipe/
