Description
A restaurant-quality crispy bourbon chicken recipe featuring a double-dredge coating for maximum crunch and a rich, glossy sauce made by properly reducing bourbon, soy sauce, and brown sugar.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 pinch garlic powder
- Vegetable oil (for frying)
- 1/2 cup bourbon whiskey
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water (slurry)
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels and cut into 1.5-inch bite-sized pieces.
- Season chicken generously with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Whisk together cornstarch, flour, and remaining dry spices in a large bowl.
- Toss chicken pieces in the mixture to coat evenly; shake off excess.
- Heat about 1/2 inch of oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat (approx. 350°F).
- Fry chicken in batches for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Transfer fried chicken to a paper towel-lined plate.
- In the same skillet or a small saucepan, sauté minced garlic and ginger in a tablespoon of oil for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in bourbon, soy sauce, brown sugar, and rice vinegar, scraping up browned bits from the pan.
- Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 5-7 minutes until reduced by one-third.
- Stir in red pepper flakes.
- Slowly drizzle in the cornstarch slurry while stirring constantly until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
- Toss the crispy chicken pieces into the sauce, gently folding to coat evenly.
- Serve immediately while the chicken is still crunchy.
Notes
Patting the chicken dry is critical for crispiness. Do not overcrowd the pan when frying to maintain oil temperature. Serve immediately to keep the coating crunchy. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated in an air fryer or oven at 350°F to restore crispiness.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Approximately 1/4 of
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 30
- Sodium: 900
- Fat: 35
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 35
Keywords: crispy bourbon chicken, bourbon sauce, fried chicken, weeknight dinner, easy chicken recipe, sweet and savory chicken