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Crock Pot Bourbon Chicken

A sticky, sweet, and savory slow cooker chicken recipe featuring a rich glaze made with soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, and bourbon. Better than the mall food court version!
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Asian Fusion
Calories: 380
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 3 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch for optional searing
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil for optional searing
Bourbon Sauce
  • 0.5 cup soy sauce low sodium recommended
  • 0.5 cup water or chicken broth
  • 0.33 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 0.75 cup brown sugar packed
  • 0.33 cup ketchup
  • 0.25 cup bourbon can substitute apple juice
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger grated
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes optional
Thickener & Garnish
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water
  • 2 stalks green onions sliced

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker / Crock Pot
  • Mixing bowls
  • Whisk
  • Knife and cutting board

Method
 

  1. Cut chicken thighs into bite-sized 1-inch pieces. (Optional: toss with 2 tbsp cornstarch and sear in oil until browned, then transfer to crock pot).
  2. Place chicken pieces into the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, water/broth, cider vinegar, brown sugar, ketchup, bourbon, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes.
  4. Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken and stir to coat.
  5. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours, until chicken is tender.
  6. 30 minutes before serving, mix the remaining cornstarch with equal parts water to make a slurry.
  7. Stir slurry into the slow cooker. Turn heat to HIGH and cook for 20-30 minutes uncovered until sauce thickens.
  8. Serve hot over rice, garnished with green onions.

Notes

For a non-alcoholic version, replace the bourbon with apple juice. If using chicken breasts, reduce cooking time by 1 hour to prevent dryness.