Ingredients
— The Chicken —
2 lbs (900g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized chunks
1 tablespoon cornstarch
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil (for searing, optional but recommended)
— The Bourbon Sauce —
½ cup soy sauce (low sodium is best)
½ cup bourbon whiskey (or apple juice for a non-alcoholic version)
⅓ cup brown sugar, packed
¼ cup ketchup (adds body and tang)
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced (or 1 tsp ground ginger)
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for a kick)
— The Slurry (To Thicken) —
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water
— Garnish —
Sliced green onions
Sesame seeds
Instructions
1. **Prep Chicken:** In a bowl, toss the chicken chunks with 1 tablespoon cornstarch, salt, and pepper until lightly coated.
2. **Sear (Optional):** Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken for 2-3 minutes per side. (You can skip this and dump raw chicken in, but searing adds better texture). Transfer chicken to the slow cooker.
3. **Make Sauce:** In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, bourbon, brown sugar, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes.
4. **Combine:** Pour the sauce over the chicken in the slow cooker. Stir to coat.
5. **Cook:** Cover and cook on **LOW for 4–5 hours** or **HIGH for 2–3 hours**. The chicken should be very tender.
6. **Thicken:** About 20 minutes before serving, whisk the remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water in a small cup to make a slurry. Stir this into the slow cooker.
7. Turn heat to HIGH and cook, uncovered, for 10–15 minutes until the sauce bubbles and thickens into a glaze.
8. **Serve:** Serve hot over steamed white rice, garnished with green onions and sesame seeds.
Notes
Alcohol Note: While the slow cooker does cook off some alcohol, it doesn’t evaporate all of it like boiling on a stove does. If serving to kids or avoiding alcohol, substitute the bourbon with apple juice.
Chicken Thighs: Thighs are superior for this recipe as they stay moist in the sugar/soy environment. Breasts tend to dry out and become stringy.
Sweeter Sauce: If you want that exact ‘mall’ taste, you may need to increase the brown sugar to ½ cup.
Storage: Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days. The sauce will thicken further as it cools.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 240
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American / Chinese-Fusion