Crock Pot Bourbon Chicken Recipe is a must-try dish! Recipe
This Crock Pot Bourbon Chicken recipe is a flavorful, easy-to-make slow cooker dish featuring tender chicken thighs simmered in a sweet and tangy bourbon-infused sauce. Perfect for busy weeknights, it yields a rich, comforting meal that pairs beautifully with rice or cauliflower rice for a low-carb option.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours (high) or 6 hours (low)
- Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes (high) or 6 hours 10 minutes (low)
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Low Lactose
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
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
Garnish
- ¼ cup chopped green onions, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Add the trimmed boneless skinless chicken thighs to the bottom of the slow cooker, making sure they are laid out evenly.
- Mix the Sauce: In a separate bowl, whisk together light brown sugar, soy sauce, bourbon whiskey, apple cider vinegar, ground ginger, honey, red pepper flakes, and minced garlic until fully combined.
- Cook the Chicken: Pour the sauce mixture evenly over the chicken thighs in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours, until the chicken is thoroughly cooked and tender.
- Shred or Chop the Chicken: Carefully remove the chicken from the slow cooker and chop or shred it to your preferred texture.
- Thicken the Sauce: In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and water to create a slurry. Stir this slurry into the sauce left in the slow cooker.
- Combine & Finish Cooking: Return the chopped chicken to the slow cooker, stir everything to coat the chicken in the thickened sauce, and cook for an additional 5–10 minutes until the sauce has thickened nicely.
- Garnish and Serve: Turn off the heat, sprinkle chopped green onions on top, and serve the bourbon chicken over white rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice for a low-carb option.
Notes
- You can substitute chicken breasts for thighs, but thighs remain juicier and more flavorful when slow-cooked.
- For a stronger bourbon flavor, increase the bourbon whiskey to ½ cup and slightly reduce the soy sauce.
- Adjust the quantity of red pepper flakes to control the spiciness according to your taste preference.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for 3–4 days and freeze well for longer storage.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 4.8 oz chicken plus sauce)
- Calories: 370 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 980 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 33 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
Keywords: Bourbon chicken, Slow cooker chicken, Crock pot recipes, Easy dinner, Chicken thighs, Comfort food
