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Crock Pot Bourbon Chicken

Crock Pot Bourbon Chicken delivers tender, bite-sized chicken thighs in a glossy mahogany sauce made with bourbon, soy sauce, brown sugar, and ketchup. Slow-cooked until cooked through, then thickened with a quick cornstarch slurry for a rich, clingy finish.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 4 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 4 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 780
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
Bourbon sauce
  • 0.33 cup bourbon
  • 0.33 cup soy sauce
  • 0.25 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 tbsp ketchup
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 3 garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
Thickener
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp cold water
Serving and garnish
  • 1 sesame seeds
  • 1 green onions
  • 1 cooked white rice for serving

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Add chicken to slow cooker
  1. Place the chicken pieces in the slow cooker.
  2. Spread the chicken into an even layer so it cooks uniformly.
Make bourbon sauce
  1. Whisk together bourbon, soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes until smooth.
  2. Pour the sauce over the chicken and stir gently to coat.
Slow-cook
  1. Cook on low for 4–5 hours or high for 2–3 hours until the chicken is cooked through.
  2. Check that the sauce is bubbling at the edges and the chicken is no longer pink in the center.
Thicken and finish
  1. Whisk cornstarch and cold water together until fully combined and pour/stir into the slow cooker.
  2. Cook on high for 15–20 minutes until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy.
Serve
  1. Serve the bourbon chicken over cooked white rice.
  2. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions just before serving.

Notes

For the glossiest sauce, whisk the cornstarch slurry until no lumps remain before adding it, and keep the lid on during the final 15–20 minutes. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 4 days; freeze yes (up to 2 months) and reheat gently, thinning with a splash of water or soy sauce if needed. For a lower-sugar option, reduce brown sugar slightly and balance with an extra tablespoon of ketchup or vinegar to keep the flavor punch.