The first time I had bourbon chicken was, you guessed it, at the mall.

Briefly in my teens, I worked at a Dippin’ Dots stand right near our food court, aptly named ‘The Picnic”. That mall has since closed and locked its doors but when I worked there, the smell coming from this certain restaurant (what was it called??) would always waft its way right on into my nostrils. It happened so often that one day I caved in and finally ordered it. A little sweet, a little tangy and a smidge of spicy. It was love at first bite.

Come to find out, there’s actually no bourbon in bourbon chicken. It is believed that this dish was created in a Chinese restaurant on Bourbon Street in New Orleans.

Fast forward quite a few years when one can use the internet to search “bourbon chicken” and make it at home. For the life of me, I can’t remember where I originally found this method. However, over the past 15 years I’ve made some changes to my recipe; omitting certain ingredients, scaling down the sugar etc. The results? Notable. The smell of this cooking and that glossy amber sauce kills me (the good kind!) every single time and is always a winner in my house.

To Make Bourbon Chicken Gather:

for the sauce:

garlic (fresh) – Adds distinct punchy flavor.
ginger (fresh) – Lends a pungent, spicy and sweet flavor.
dark brown sugar – Lends sweetness.
ketchup (not pictured) – Adds sweet and tangy flavor as well as richness and thickness to the sauce.
cornstarch – Helps to thicken the sauce.
red pepper flakes – Gives the sauce subtle heat.
apple juice – Also lends sweetness as well as subtle fruity flavor.
low sodium tamari – Or use low-sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos.
apple cider vinegar – Lends tangy fruity notes and a rich depth of flavor.

for the chicken:

garlic powder – Adds flavor that’s sweeter yet milder than fresh garlic.
baking soda – Used to tenderize the chicken.
kosher salt – Enhances the flavors of the dish.
low-sodium tamari – Or use low-sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos.
boneless skinless chicken breasts – Cut into same size pieces so it will cook evenly.
corn starch – Used to coat the chicken, giving it a nice crust once pan-fried.
avocado oil – For pan frying the chicken.

Make The Sauce:

In a medium bowl add 3 cloves minced fresh garlic, 1 teaspoon of grated fresh ginger, 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, 2 tablespoons ketchup, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (more or less to taste), 1/2 cup apple juice, 1/4 cup tamari (or alternative) and 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar.

Whisk well and set off to the side.

Make The Chicken:

In a large mixing bowl, measure and add 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon white pepper, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 tablespoon tamari (or an alternative listed above).

Stir well to combine. It should foam up a bit.

Add in 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 pounds of boneless skinless chicken breasts that have been cut into bite-size pieces. Toss well to combine and set off to the side for 15 minutes.

In a 12-inch skillet or large wok, add 1 tablespoon avocado oil. Heat on medium-high. Check to see if the oil is hot enough, by placing the end of a wooden chop stick in the oil. If bubbles surround it, it’s ready.

Once the oil is hot, toss the chicken with 1/4 cup of cornstarch.

Then, working in batches, arrange roughly a third of the chicken pieces in an even layer.

Cook 4 to 6 minutes (or until a golden crust has formed) before using tongs to turn. Cook for an addition 4 minutes or so (or until fully cooked) before transferring the cooked chicken to a clean platter. Repeat with the remaining chicken pieces, adding more oil as needed.

Pull It Together:

Once all of the chicken is golden brown, reduce the heat to medium and allow the empty pan to cool a bit before pouring in the bourbon chicken sauce.

Increase the heat to high and bring the sauce to a boil until it has thickened. This shouldn’t take long.

Once thickened, reduce the heat to medium-low and add the chicken back in.

Toss well to coat.

And heat the chicken through about 1 minute.

I always serve this saucy bourbon chicken over over rice (ie. protein packed, white, brown or cauliflower) with roasted broccoli or broccolini on the side.

Scatter sliced green onions over top and sometimes I will top with toasted sesame seeds for some crunch.

A regular here this method, everyone at the table loves this method and in turn, I think you’ll love this method. It’s truly so Worth the pot and a million times better than the mall food.