Description
This Food Court Bourbon Chicken Copycat Recipe recreates the popular sweet and savory dish featuring tender chicken thighs simmered in a flavorful bourbon and soy-based sauce. Perfect to serve over rice, it combines the warmth of ginger, garlic, and a hint of bourbon—or a non-alcoholic substitute—to deliver restaurant-quality taste right at home.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 2 lb chicken thighs, skinless, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp black pepper (approx. 4 turns on pepper mill)
Sauce
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/3 cup bourbon (or brown whiskey; dark rum or apple/cranberry juice as substitute)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar (or white wine/plain white vinegar)
- 1/2 cup tightly packed brown sugar
- 1 tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 3 tbsp cold water
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Cut the chicken thighs into 1-inch pieces, removing any excess fat or skin to ensure even cooking and tenderness.
- Make the sauce mixture: In a small bowl, combine ground ginger, black pepper, soy sauce, bourbon (or chosen substitute), water, garlic powder, rice vinegar, and brown sugar. Set this flavorful mixture aside.
- Brown the chicken: Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring every 1-2 minutes to ensure even browning and prevent burning, until the juices evaporate and the chicken starts to brown.
- Simmer in sauce: Pour the bourbon sauce mixture over the browned chicken, stirring well. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes. This step allows the alcohol to cook off and the flavors to meld beautifully.
- Thicken the sauce: Stir in the dissolved cornstarch mixture briskly. The sauce will thicken quickly, coating the chicken with a glossy, rich glaze.
- Serve: Serve the bourbon chicken hot over rice for a satisfying and authentic food court experience at home.
Notes
- You can substitute bourbon with apple juice or cranberry juice for a non-alcoholic version; if using juice, reduce the brown sugar slightly.
- Dark rum is also a suitable alcohol substitute that works well with this recipe.
- Stir the chicken frequently while browning to avoid burning and ensure even cooking.
- Simmering uncovered helps the sauce reduce and intensify in flavor while cooking off alcohol.
- This recipe yields roughly 8 servings, perfect for meal prepping or feeding a family.
- Serve with steamed white rice or your favorite grain for best results.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Bourbon chicken, copycat recipe, food court chicken, bourbon sauce, skillet chicken, easy dinner, sweet and savory chicken
