Food Court Bourbon Chicken

Ingredients (~6-8 servings)

• 4 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, patted dry
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 tsp fresh ginger, chopped
• 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 3 Tbsp bourbon
• 1 1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 4 Tbsp hoisin sauce
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 1/2 cups water
• Black pepper, as needed
• 1 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 Tbsp canola oil for searing

Cornstarch Slurry

• 1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
• 3 Tbsp cold water

Make the Bourbon Sauce Base

In a medium bowl whisk together the 1/2 cup soy sauce, 3 Tbsp bourbon, 1 1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar, 4 Tbsp hoisin sauce, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 1 1/2 tsp sesame oil and 1 1/2 cups water.

Set this aside – you’ll add it to the pan after browning the chicken.

Season and Sear the Chicken Thighs

Heat 1 Tbsp canola oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

Coat the 4 lbs chicken thighs with a light drizzle of canola oil and season both sides with the 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1 1/2 tsp onion powder, and black pepper.

Sear chicken on both sides for ~8-10 minutes per side until well charred and the internal temp hits 165F.

The key here is getting a good crust – don’t move the chicken until it releases easily from the pan.

Remove chicken from the pan and let rest for ~5 minutes, then chop into bite-sized chunks.

Build the Sauce with Aromatics

Add a little more canola oil to the same pan if needed and add the 6 cloves minced garlic and 1 1/2 tsp ginger.

Cook for ~30-45 seconds until fragrant but be careful not to burn the garlic.

Simmer the Bourbon Sauce Until Thickened

Add your bourbon sauce mixture to the pan with the garlic and ginger.

Continue cooking on medium heat for ~5-7 minutes to let the flavors meld.

In a small bowl, whisk together the 1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch and 3 Tbsp cold water to make your slurry.

Add the cornstarch slurry to the pan and continue cooking until the sauce begins to thicken – this usually takes ~2-3 minutes.

You’re looking for a consistency that coats the back of a spoon but isn’t overly thick.

Toss the Chicken and Serve

Once you’ve reached the right consistency, turn off the heat.

Add your chopped chicken back to the pan and toss to coat everything in the sauce.

Serve over rice and garnish with chopped green onions if you like.

If the sauce gets too thick while sitting, just add a splash of chicken broth to loosen it up.