Crock Pot Bourbon Chicken is easy and delicious! Tender juicy chicken is cooked in a rich bourbon ginger sauce for a delicious meal. The whole family will love it. Serve it over rice, with a side of steamed broccoli, or inside some dinner rolls for a delicious bourbon chicken sandwich!
This Crock Pot bourbon chicken recipe takes all the work out of making dinner, making it perfect for busy weeknights. We love coming home to fall-apart, flavorful and tender chicken. It’s great just about any way you serve it!
Bourbon Chicken
Bourbon chicken received its name because it was created by a Chinese cook who worked in a restaurant on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. Regardless of the name or how it came to be, this dish is absolutely delicious! This recipe creates a sweet and tender chicken that is perfect served over rice and it’s easy to make at home in the slow cooker!
The bourbon chicken sauce takes just a few minutes of prep the marinade and then it simmers in the slow cooker all day! The result is insanely tender chicken with a sweet Asian inspired sauce and lots of flavor.
How To Make Bourbon Chicken
To make this Crock Pot bourbon chicken:
- Combine sauce ingredients together and pour over chicken thighs.
- Turn the Slow Cooker to HIGH for 3 hours or LOW for 6-7 hours.
- Shred the chicken and create a cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce.
A few notes about this recipe… this dish is sweet as Bourbon chicken is a sweet dish (similar to sweet and sour). Do not use light soy sauce, the results and flavor are not the same. Chicken thighs are best in this recipe as they won’t dry out like slow cooked chicken breasts sometimes do!
5+ Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes You NEED in Your Life
- Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings – a classic!
- Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken – sweet and savory
- Crockpot Chicken Tacos – uber flavorful
- Slow Cooker Whole Chicken & Gravy – great for entertaining!
- Slow Cooker Chicken Chili – so easy
- Crock Pot BBQ Chicken – juicy shredded chicken!
Did you enjoy this Crock Pot Bourbon Chicken? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Crock Pot Bourbon Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ cup sliced green onions or more to taste
Sauce
- ½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ⅓ cup apple juice
- 1 ½ tablespoons honey
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ cup Bourbon
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Mix all sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
- Place chicken in slow cooker, pour sauce over top. Cover and cook on low 6-7 hours or on high 3 hours.
- Remove chicken and chop into bite sized pieces and cover to keep warm.
- Meanwhile, combine 3 tablespoons water with cornstarch. Turn slow cooker up to high. Whisk cornstarch slurry into the sauce. Cover and allow to thicken, stirring occasionally (about 10 minutes). Stir chicken back into the sauce and add in green onions.
- Serve over rice.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
love it! I used extra corn starch because I wanted the sauce thicker. I used white rice and served it with peas on top and it was great
This dish has a very good flavor, but the sauce was too watery. I think it was from cooking it in crockpot. I’m going to try it again, but on the stovetop.
don’t have crockpot. how to cook in Dutch oven
I have never tried cooking this in a dutch oven so I can’t say for sure, but I think it would work to cook at 350°F for about 1.5-2 hours. Keep in mind cooking times may vary, you can use a meat thermometer to ensure your chicken is cooked to an internal temp of 165°F. Happy cooking!
Can I use Instapot? I had to toss my crockpot ☹️
I haven’t tested this recipe in the Instant Pot, so I can’t say for sure. However, one reader prepared it by placing the sauce (excluding the water) and chicken thighs in the Instant Pot on manual for 15 minutes. Then they used the sauté setting to thicken the sauce with cornstarch. We would love to hear how it turns out if you decide to try it, Susan!
These all look delicious can’t wait to try them
I wonder can you use vanilla crown royal for the recipe
I haven’t tried it but sounds like a yummy idea! Let us know how it goes!
My husband loves LOVES this recipe! I don’t use Bourbon (one day I will!), didn’t have apple cider vinegar, so used balsamic, but not a lot, fresh squeezed apple juice or cider elevates this dish as well! I pretty much followed the recipe, but added a little more or less of certain ingredients. Very good recipe!!
I used 4 boneless chicken breasts and cut them in 1/2. I also doubled the sauce recipe. It was done (on low) in a little over 4 hrs. It was delicious.
We made as minimal changes as possible to give this an honest review.
I did not have apple juice. I blended a peeled apple in into place….initially.
I used chicken quarters as it’s what I had.
I roasted the quarters with salt and pepper on high for about 3 hours. Then de skinned them and drained the crock. Added quarters back to the pot. I added the sauce mix WITH the slurry mix (made with the sauce mix, NOT with water (I figured there was still liquid being released from available chicken).
After cooked I pulled quarters from the crock and deboned and added back to crock.
During this time my w+ delivery order arrived containing Apple juice arrived. I added 1/2 cup.
Cooked rice in a rice steamer. After all shredded/chunked meat had simmered once again, we topped our bowls of steamed rice.
I did not serve with broccoli (we like. Just didn’t have available at the time).
Absolutely delicious and will go in the monthly rotation.
Thank you!!!
I truly tried to base on non altered. Again. Only thing I changed was using quarters (that I skinned and drained crock) and adding a pulsed apple as I didn’t think my juice would arrive timely.
So glad you enjoyed it, Brenda!
It was nice but I am not sure what the Bourbon is supposed to add except expenses.
We find the bourbon adds a depth of flavor.
excellent recipe, it is a little more time consuming than need but is definitely a keeper
Loved the flavor!
Can someone tell me please what bourbon they used
I’ve used various brands based on what I have on hand and any kind will do. If you’re just using it for cooking, choose an inexpensive brand.
I’ve made this a couple of times now with Buffalo Trace bourbon, a favorite!
the flavour is 5 stars but gave it a 4 because I used chicken breast instead of thighs which would have released more fat, but used only 2lbs so assumed the difference would have made for lots of extra sauce…nope. it was just enough to coat the chicken, no extra like in the photo. will try with a fattier chicken next time. otherwise, followed the recipe exactly and it was delish!
This was so delicious and will be a meal we go back to again. Such a flavorful sauce! We used chicken breasts (cubed at the start) instead of chicken thighs. We also used water instead of the apple juice because we had none on hand.
What would be the difference if made with light soy sauce please as I find regular soy too salty tasting.
The sauce may be slightly lighter in flavor, but will still be delicious! If you try it I would love to hear how it turns out Ellie!
Thinking about making a meal out of this by adding either broccoli or cauliflower to it and spooning that over the rice as suggested. Guess I’d just have to deal with spooning out the veggies with the chicken before stirring in the slurry or cook the veggie on the stove top and add it in when adding back the chicken. Your thoughts?
That’s a great idea Dennis. Either would work, but I often cook them on the side so they don’t get overcooked in the Crock Pot.
This was a hit for my entire family, even for my picky 16-year-old! I served the meat on Hawaiian sweet hamburger buns. delicious, and crock pot easy? A+. Thank you for this recipe!
Hi, I stumbled upon this recipe on Pinterest. I’d love to make it, but it’s just my husband and myself eating. I was wondering if this can be made and then put half in the freezer? Or would it be better to half the recipe at the start? Thank you for your reply.
Yes, this recipe freezes well. It might need to be thickened a bit more once it’s thawed.
Thanks so much for your very interesting recipes, I love reading them, and plan to make several soon!
I am so glad you have been enjoying the recipes Nancy!