Crock Pot Bourbon Chicken

A simple recipe for a take-out classic, this slow cooker bourbon chicken is flavored with soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, apple, and bourbon whiskey.

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About Crock Pot Bourbon Chicken

Perfect for a quick dinner or easy leftovers, this bourbon chicken gets the slow cooker treatment while keeping all the flavors of your favorite take-out dish.

What is bourbon chicken?

Commonly found in Cajun-themed or American Chinese restaurants, this dish gets its name not only for the bourbon in the recipe but also for Bourbon Street in New Orleans.

The sauce in this dish is made with a base of soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, and garlic, with a deep bourbon flavor and hints of apple.

Will bourbon chicken make you drunk?

While there is bourbon in this recipe, it’s only a small amount (about 1/4 cup). The cooking process will also help “burn off” some of the intoxicating parts of the alcohol. You can read more about how alcohol works in cooking here: No Worries, the Alcohol Burns Off During Cooking – But Does it, Really?

Which bourbon should you use?

I’m always hesitant to answer these questions because, for one, I know there are plenty of bourbons out there that I haven’t personally tried, so who’s to say if I really know the “best” one. And for two, what is considered good can be so different from person to person, whether it’s about taste or price point or just plain ‘ol loyalty to a brand you trust.

BUT, there are a few bourbons I can point you to so that you have somewhere to start. I know these bourbons both from experience and word-of-mouth, so you can trust that they’ll get the job done.

• Bulleit Bourbon
• Oola Waitsburg Bourbon
• Old Grand-Dad Bourbon

How long is bourbon chicken good for?

Once prepared, bourbon chicken can be stored in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to four days.

Can you freeze bourbon chicken?

Yes, you totally can! And better yet, you can freeze this meal either before or after cooking.

To freeze before cooking:

• Add all sauce ingredients to a large freezer bag, seal, then gently shake or massage the bag to mix the ingredients.
• Reopen the bag, add chicken, then seal the bag securely with limited air. Gently shake to coat chicken.
• Lay bag flat in the freezer and allow to freeze in that position, then store in freezer as desired.
• Pre-cooked bourbon chicken can be frozen for up to six to eight weeks.
• When ready to eat, let chicken thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then prepare in a crock pot per recipe instructions.

To freeze cooked chicken:

• Allow the chicken to cool completely and then transfer to a freezer bag, removing as much air as possible before sealing.
• Cooked bourbon chicken can be frozen for up to three months.
• When ready to eat, let chicken thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Chicken can be reheated in the microwave.

What to serve with bourbon chicken

For serving, you can either go ultra-traditional and stick with Asian cuisine or use any classic side. My favorite options include:

• Plain white or brown rice
• 10 Minute Fried Rice
• Garlic Parmesan Broccoli
• Baked Onion Rings
• Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots
• 10 Minute Asparagus

Notes & tips for crock pot bourbon chicken

• I recently upgraded my crock pot to one that comes with bowls for 2.5 Quart, 4 Quart, and 6 Quart and I highly recommend it! It’s so nice to have one unit that can make fabulous dinners and heat up party dips. You can pick one up here: Choose-A-Crock Programmable Slow Cooker, 6 quart/4 quart/2 x 1.5 quart.

More great chicken recipes

Other crock pot favorites

How do you make bourbon chicken in a crock pot?

This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. If you’re looking for the full recipe measurements and instructions, scroll down to Recipe Details.

Step 1 – Start off by adding all of the ingredients to a bowl (cornstarch, green onion, ground ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes, apple juice, honey, light brown sugar, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, water, bourbon, soy sauce, salt, and black pepper) and whisk them up until the sauce is smooth. If you’d like, do a taste test and adjust the seasonings as you see fit.

Step 2 – Place the cut chicken into the bottom of a crock pot, then pour the sauce on top.

Step 3 – Cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or on HIGH for 3 hours.

Step 4 – Serve and enjoy!