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🥢 Better Than the Food Court: Bourbon Chicken

This Better Than the Food Court Bourbon Chicken has all the sticky, sweet, and savory flavor of your favorite mall takeout — but made right at home. Juicy chicken (I use breasts, but thighs work great too) gets seared, then tossed in a glossy sauce made with hoisin, soy sauce, brown sugar, and a splash of bourbon. 
Print Recipe
Bourbon CHicken
Prep Time:5 minutes
Cook Time:15 minutes
Total Time:20 minutes

Ingredients

Chicken:

  • 1-2 tbsp avocado oil
  • Boneless skinless chicken breasts (or thighs, if you prefer)
  • 1 tbsp hoisin sauce

Sauce:

  • ¼ cup hoisin sauce
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • ½ cup bourbon
  • ¼ cup brown sugar

Aromatics:

  • 1-2 tsp Fresh ginger minced
  • 2-3 tsp Garlic minced

Instructions

  • Chicken: I sliced up my chicken breast thin and against the grain. Add a drizzle of oil to a large skillet (I like cast iron) and sear your chicken with 1 tablespoon of hoisin sauce. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until golden and fully cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside.
  • Make the Sauce: In the same skillet (because flavor), add your ginger and garlic. Sauté until fragrant — about 30 seconds. Then deglaze with the bourbon, pour in the hoisin, soy sauce, and brown sugar. Stir and let it simmer for a few minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
  • Combine: Add chicken slices back to the pan. Toss to coat in the sauce and let it all simmer together for a few minutes so the flavors can cozy up.
  • Serve & Enjoy: Spoon it over a bowl of warm rice and top with chopped green onions. That glossy, sticky sauce is basically liquid gold — don’t let a drop go to waste.
Servings: 4