Crock Pot Bourbon Chicken Recipe

Introduction

This Crock Pot Bourbon Chicken recipe is a deliciously tender and flavorful dish perfect for busy weeknights. Slow-cooked chicken thighs soak up a rich, sweet-savory bourbon sauce that is both comforting and easy to prepare. Serve it over rice for a satisfying meal everyone will love.

Ingredients

• 3 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
• 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
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons water
• ¼ cup chopped green onions, for garnish

Instructions

1. Step 1: Add the trimmed boneless skinless chicken thighs evenly to the bottom of your slow cooker.
2. Step 2: In a separate bowl, whisk together the light brown sugar, soy sauce, bourbon whiskey, apple cider vinegar, ground ginger, honey, red pepper flakes, and minced garlic until well combined.
3. Step 3: Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken in the slow cooker. Cover with the lid and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
4. Step 4: Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred or chop it to your preferred texture. Set aside.
5. Step 5: In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and water to form a slurry. Stir this into the sauce left in the slow cooker to thicken it.
6. Step 6: Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker, stir well to combine with the thickened sauce, and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes to meld the flavors and thicken the sauce further.
7. Step 7: Turn off the slow cooker. Garnish the bourbon chicken with chopped green onions before serving.
8. Step 8: Serve the bourbon chicken hot over white rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice.

Tips & Variations

• For extra heat, increase the amount of red pepper flakes or add a dash of hot sauce to the sauce mixture.
• Use chicken breasts as a leaner alternative, but reduce cooking time slightly to avoid drying out.
• If you prefer a thicker sauce, you can add a bit more cornstarch slurry at the end until the desired consistency is reached.
• Adding a splash of orange juice to the sauce adds a nice citrus brightness that complements the bourbon.

Storage

Store leftover bourbon chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave until warmed through, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use frozen chicken thighs for this recipe?

It’s best to use thawed chicken thighs for even cooking. If using frozen, increase the cooking time and check the chicken for doneness before shredding.

Is the bourbon flavor very strong in this dish?

The bourbon adds a subtle, rich depth without being overpowering, as the alcohol cooks off during the slow cooking process, leaving behind a lovely flavor.

Crock Pot Bourbon Chicken Recipe

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★★★★★

4.6 from 96 reviews

• Author: Zoe
• Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes (high) or 6 hours 15 minutes (low)
• Yield: 6 servings 1x

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Description

This Crock Pot Bourbon Chicken recipe offers tender, flavorful chicken thighs slow-cooked in a sweet and savory bourbon-infused sauce. Perfect for an easy weeknight dinner, the dish features a rich combination of brown sugar, soy sauce, and garlic, finished with a thickened sauce and garnished with fresh green onions. Serve it over rice for a comforting meal that’s sure to please the whole family.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

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

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Instructions

1. Prepare the chicken: Trim the boneless skinless chicken thighs and evenly spread them in the bottom of your slow cooker.
2. Make the sauce: In a separate bowl, whisk together the light brown sugar, soy sauce, bourbon whiskey, apple cider vinegar, ground ginger, honey, red pepper flakes, and minced garlic until fully combined.
3. Combine and cook: Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6 hours until the chicken is thoroughly cooked and tender.
4. Shred the chicken: Remove the cooked chicken from the slow cooker, shred or chop it into your desired texture, then set it aside.
5. Thicken the sauce: Mix the cornstarch and water to form a slurry. Stir this into the sauce left in the slow cooker to thicken it.
6. Combine chicken and sauce: Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker, mix well with the thickened sauce, and cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes to let the flavors meld and the sauce to thicken further.
7. Finish and garnish: Turn off the slow cooker and garnish the bourbon chicken with chopped green onions before serving.
8. Serving suggestion: Serve the bourbon chicken hot over white rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice for a wholesome meal.

Notes

• You can adjust the heat by varying the amount of red pepper flakes or substituting with fresh chili.
• Substitute bourbon whiskey with a non-alcoholic bourbon extract or apple juice for a kid-friendly version.
• Chicken thighs remain juicy and flavorful, but you can use chicken breasts if preferred, though they may cook faster.
• The sauce thickens beautifully with cornstarch slurry, but if needed, add a little more cornstarch mixture for desired consistency.
• Leftovers store well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat nicely.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 4 hours (high) or 6 hours (low)
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Slow Cooking
• Cuisine: American

Keywords: bourbon chicken, crock pot chicken, slow cooker chicken, easy chicken recipe, bourbon sauce, dinner recipe, chicken thighs