Go Back

Food Court Bourbon Chicken Copycat

Food court bourbon chicken copycat with bite-sized chicken pieces coated in a dark amber bourbon glaze. Cook chicken in one skillet, then simmer and thicken the sauce for a glossy caramel finish over steamed rice.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Asian-American
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and cooking base
  • 1.5 lb boneless chicken thighs
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
Bourbon glaze
  • 0.25 cup bourbon
  • 0.25 cup soy sauce
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp ketchup
  • 1 tbsp apple juice or pineapple juice
  • 2 garlic, minced
  • 0.5 tsp ginger
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp water
To serve
  • 1 steamed rice
  • 1 green onions
  • 1 sesame seeds

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Brown the chicken
  1. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add chicken in a single layer. Cook undisturbed for 3-4 minutes until browned.
  2. Flip the chicken and cook for 2 more minutes until mostly cooked through and deeper golden. Remove the chicken to a plate.
Simmer and thicken the bourbon glaze
  1. In the same pan, combine bourbon, soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, juice, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Stir until the sugar looks dissolved and the sauce is evenly mixed.
  2. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then whisk in the cornstarch slurry (cornstarch + water). Keep whisking briefly as the sauce starts to thicken and turns glossy.
  3. Cook until the sauce thickens to a glaze, about 2-3 minutes. Watch for a dark amber color and a coating texture that clings to the whisk.
Coat and finish
  1. Return the browned chicken to the pan and toss to coat in the dark amber glaze. Keep the heat on medium-high and spread the chicken in an even layer.
  2. Cook 2 minutes, stirring/tossing as needed, until the glaze clings tightly to the chicken pieces. Turn off the heat when the sauce looks smooth and lacquered.
Serve
  1. Serve the bourbon chicken over steamed rice and spoon extra glaze on top. Finish with green onions and sesame seeds.

Notes

For the closest copycat texture, don’t stir the chicken until it’s browned—single-layer contact drives caramelization. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 3-4 days; reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of water to loosen the glaze. Freezing is not recommended because the sauce can break slightly after thawing. For a lower-sugar option, swap brown sugar with a 1:1 brown sugar substitute and keep the simmer time the same to reach the glaze stage.