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Food Court Bourbon Chicken Copycat

Food court bourbon chicken copycat with tender bite-sized chicken and a glossy dark-amber bourbon glaze. The sauce simmers to a caramelized thickness, then the chicken is tossed until fully coated.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Asian-American
Calories: 780
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

boneless chicken thighs
  • 1.5 lb boneless chicken thighs cut into 1-inch pieces
bourbon
  • 0.25 cup bourbon
soy sauce
  • 0.25 cup soy sauce
brown sugar
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
ketchup
  • 2 tbsp ketchup
apple juice or pineapple juice
  • 1 tbsp apple juice or pineapple juice
garlic
  • 2 garlic minced
ginger
  • 0.5 tsp ginger
red pepper flakes
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
cornstarch
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water for slurry
water
  • 2 tbsp water for cornstarch slurry
vegetable oil
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
steamed rice
  • 1 steamed rice for serving
green onions
  • 1 green onions for serving
sesame seeds
  • 1 sesame seeds for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Brown the chicken
  1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add the chicken in a single layer. Cook without stirring for 3-4 minutes until browned, with the pieces developing dark edges.
  2. Flip the chicken and cook for 2 more minutes until lightly cooked through. Remove the chicken to a plate and leave any browned bits in the pan.
Make the bourbon glaze
  1. Combine the bourbon, soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, apple juice or pineapple juice, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes in the same pan. Stir to dissolve the sugar, scraping up browned bits.
  2. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat. Whisk in the cornstarch slurry until no streaks remain.
  3. Cook at a steady simmer until the sauce thickens to a glaze, about 2-3 minutes. Look for a dark-amber color that coats the back of a spoon.
Coat and serve
  1. Return the chicken to the pan and toss to coat in the glaze. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the coating clings to the chicken.
  2. Serve the bourbon chicken over steamed rice with green onions and sesame seeds. Spoon extra glaze over the top so every bite is coated.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the chicken in a single layer and avoid stirring early so it browns instead of steams. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days in a sealed container; reheat gently in a skillet until hot, adding a splash of water if the glaze tightens. Freezing is yes for up to 2 months, but sauce may thicken on thaw—reheat with a little water to loosen. For a lower-sugar swap, use reduced-sugar ketchup (and keep the brown sugar as written for the caramelized depth).