Description

This Crock Pot Bourbon Chicken recipe delivers tender, flavorful chicken thighs simmered in a sweet and savory bourbon sauce. Slow-cooked to perfection, this dish is easy to prepare and perfect for a comforting weeknight meal. Garnished with fresh green onions, it pairs wonderfully with rice or cauliflower rice.

Ingredients

Scale

Chicken

3 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed

Sauce

1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup soy sauce
⅓ cup bourbon whiskey
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon honey
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 cloves garlic, minced

Thickener

3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water

Garnish

¼ cup chopped green onions

Instructions

Prepare the chicken: Trim the boneless skinless chicken thighs to remove excess fat and any unwanted pieces, then place them evenly at the bottom of your slow cooker.
Make the sauce: In a separate bowl, whisk together light brown sugar, soy sauce, bourbon whiskey, apple cider vinegar, ground ginger, honey, red pepper flakes, and minced garlic until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
Combine and cook: Pour the prepared sauce evenly over the chicken in the slow cooker. Cover with the lid and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6 hours, until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.
Shred the chicken: Remove the cooked chicken thighs from the slow cooker and shred or chop them into your preferred texture. Set the shredded chicken aside.
Thicken the sauce: Create a slurry by mixing cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Stir the slurry into the sauce remaining in the slow cooker to thicken it.
Combine chicken and sauce: Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and mix thoroughly with the thickened sauce. Cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken further.
Finish and garnish: Turn off the slow cooker heat and garnish the bourbon chicken with the chopped green onions just before serving.
Serving suggestion: Serve the bourbon chicken hot over a bed of white rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice for a complete meal.

Notes

For a spicier kick, increase the amount of red pepper flakes.
If you prefer a thicker sauce, you can add more cornstarch slurry gradually until desired consistency is reached.
This recipe freezes well—store leftovers in airtight containers and thaw before reheating.
Substitute chicken breasts if you prefer leaner meat, but cooking times may vary slightly.
Use gluten-free soy sauce if you need to keep this recipe gluten-free.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours on high or 6 hours on low
Category: Main Course
Method: Slow Cooking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: bourbon chicken, crock pot chicken, slow cooker chicken, sweet and savory chicken, easy dinner recipe, bourbon sauce chicken