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Home Recipe Index Chicken & Turkey

Crock Pot Honey Bourbon Chicken

★★★★★ 4.9 /5
Jump to Recipe Rate Recipe
Rachel Tiemeyer
By: Rachel TiemeyerPosted: 5/11/23Updated: 8/22/23

This post may contain affiliate or sponsored links. Please read our disclosure policy.

A little sweet and a little spicy, this easy Honey Bourbon Chicken recipe is BIG on flavor and takes just minutes to throw in the crock pot. Or, you can make Instant Pot Honey Bourbon Chicken!

Honey Bourbon Chicken and Stir Fry Vegetables on a large white platter
Photo credit: Hélène Dujardin

 
Table of Contents
  • Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe
  • Ingredients Needed
  • How to Make Bourbon Chicken
  • Freezer Tip: Freeze the Leftover Rice!
  • Freezer Meal Instructions
  • More Dump-and-Go Recipes Like This
  • FAQs
  • Recipe: Crock Pot Honey Bourbon Chicken

Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe

1. It’s a super easy recipe to make.

Simply dump the ingredients in the slow cooker and let it cook on low for a few hours. After it’s done, you can quickly thicken up the sauce using what’s called a cornstarch slurry but that’s optional yet quite easy.

2. Bourbon Chicken is complex in flavor.

Thanks to ingredients like fresh ginger (just keep some in my freezer to have on hand), soy sauce (or substitute coconut aminos), honey, green onions, and, of course, bourbon. (More on the bourbon in a minute.)

3. My kids love it!

It’s a little spicy, but you can always pull back on the spice if your family has a sensitive palate. Here are more kid-friendly recipe ideas if you’re on the hunt for some!

4. It’s been very well-tested.

Both of us, as well as our 500 person recipe-testing team for our cookbook! In fact, we spent nearly two years developing and refining the recipes in From Freezer to Cooker. It was quite a feat because every single recipe works in the slow cooker, the Instant Pot, and includes freezer meal instructions!

5. It’s naturally dairy-free and can be made gluten-free.

With our substitutions, this recipe will work for both dairy-free and gluten-free diets. (According to Beyond Celiac, most bourbon is gluten-free due to the distillation process.)

Crockpot Honey Bourbon Chicken

Ingredients Needed

Here is what you will need to make this recipe:

  • Low-sodium soy sauce (For Gluten-Free: use coconut aminos or GF tamari soy sauce.)
  • Honey
  • Ketchup
  • Bourbon or other whiskey (For Gluten-Free: Omit or use chicken stock/broth instead.)
  • Avocado oil or olive oil
  • Fresh ginger
  • Garlic cloves, minced
  • Red pepper flakes
  • Sliced green onions
  • Boneless, skinless medium chicken breasts
  • Cornstarch

How to Make Bourbon Chicken

Make Sauce

In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, ketchup, bourbon, oil, ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes, and green onions. 

sauce for bourbon chicken

Slow Cook in the Crock Pot

Place the chicken and sauce in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on Low for 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours or until cooked through. (The chicken is done when it is no longer pink inside and/or registers 165°F internally.)

bourbon chicken and sauce in a crock pot

Carefully transfer the chicken to a wooden cutting board, dice or shred the meat, and set aside.

Thicken the Sauce

In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water until smooth.

cornstarch slurry

Carefully pour the juices from the slow cooker into a medium saucepan. Add in the cornstarch mixture and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring, until the sauce has thickened, about 3 minutes.

thickening a sauce with cornstarch slurry

Finish & Serve

Return the chicken and sauce to the slow cooker. Stir gently to combine. Serve over rice. Garnish with green onions and serve with stir-fried vegetables, if desired.

honey bourbon chicken on a white dish.

Note: There’s a lot of sauce to spare, so whip up a big pot of rice and a pan of stir-fried veggies to help soak up all that delicious sauce. To save time, make your brown rice in the Instant Pot or buy pre-made brown rice at the store and use the frozen stir-fry vegetable mix.

Cooked brown rice in a small bowl.

Freezer Tip: Freeze the Leftover Rice!

If you don’t end up using all the cooked rice in a recipe, you can freeze the leftovers. We’ve written an in depth post on how to freeze rice here.

Freezer Meal Instructions

Like most of our freezer meal recipes, this freezer-friendly chicken dish is one you can easily double, eat one for dinner tonight, and freeze the other for later. Here’s how easy it is to make ahead and freeze:

Freeze For Later:  Make the sauce. Pour the sauce and chicken into a gallon-size freezer bag or container. Seal and freeze.

Prepare From Frozen:  Note: Have cooked rice, cornstarch, and (optional) stir-fried veggies on hand to complete this meal. Thaw using one of our safe thawing methods. Cook as directed starting in step 2.

Freezer meal: Honey bourbon chicken

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FAQs

What should I know about cooking with bourbon?

I personally don’t drink or enjoy the taste of bourbon. However, when used in cooking, I’ve found that the bourbon lends a smoky caramel-like sweetness that’s hard to replicate with another ingredient.

If you have kids, don’t worry, the alcohol will almost entirely evaporate when the sauce is simmered at the end.

Look for small bottles by the liquor counter, if you don’t have some at home in your cabinet.

What can I substitute for bourbon in a chicken recipe?

Bourbon is often used in recipes to add a sweet, smoky flavor to the dish. If you don’t have bourbon or prefer not to use it, there are a few substitutes you can try:

  1. Whiskey: Like bourbon, whiskey has a smoky, oaky flavor that can add depth to your chicken dish.
  2. Brandy: Brandy is a type of spirit that’s made from distilled wine. It has a sweet, fruity flavor that can add complexity to your chicken dish. Use a dark, aged brandy for the best results.
  3. Chicken Broth: If you don’t want to use an alcohol, a good bet is using low sodium or unsalted chicken broth to replace the liquid and add a little extra flavor.
  4. Apple juice or cider: Another non-alcoholic option is trying apple juice or cider in place of bourbon. The sweet, fruity flavor will work well with chicken and give your dish a unique twist.

Remember, when substituting ingredients in a recipe, it’s important to taste as you go and adjust the seasonings as needed.

How long does Bourbon Chicken cook in the crock pot?

Now here’s the key to delicious Bourbon Chicken: Do not overcook your chicken in the crock pot! If you follow our recipe (only 2 1/2 – 3 1/2 hours), you’re good to go. That’s right..any longer and your chicken will get dried out.

If you really want to get into the weeds, here is an article about How Long to Cook Chicken in the Slow Cooker.

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gluten-free Honey Bourbon Chicken and Stir Fry Vegetables on a large white platter
★★★★★ 4.9 from 12 reviews

Crock Pot Honey Bourbon Chicken

A little sweet and a little spicy, this Bourbon Chicken recipe is big on flavor and takes just minutes to throw in the slow cooker.

Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
Prep: 20 minutesCook: 2 hours 30 minutesTotal: 2 hours 50 minutes
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Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce (For Gluten-Free: use coconut aminos or GF tamari soy sauce.)
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup organic or all-natural ketchup
  • 1/4 cup bourbon or other whiskey (For Gluten-Free: Omit or use chicken stock/broth instead.)
  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (decrease to 1/8 teaspoon, if sensitive to heat)
  • 1/2 cup sliced green onions, plus more for garnish
  • 1 1/2 – 2 pounds boneless, skinless medium chicken breasts or thighs (trimmed of fat)
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Cooked basmati rice or brown rice, for serving
  • Stir-fried vegetables, for serving

Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.

Instructions

Make It Now:

  1. Make Sauce: In the slow cooker, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, ketchup, bourbon, oil, ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes, and green onions. Add the chicken and turn to coat.
  2. Slow Cook: Cover and cook the chicken and sauce on Low for 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours or until cooked through. (The chicken is done when it is no longer pink inside and/or registers 165°F internally.) Carefully transfer the chicken to a wooden cutting board, dice or shred the meat, and set aside.
  3. Thicken the Sauce: Turn the crock pot on High. (You may want to use a small strainer or slotted spoon to remove any random chicken pieces in the leftover juices.) In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water until smooth. Stir the cornstarch mixture into the juices and put the lid on. Let it cook for about 30 minutes, or until thickened into a glaze-like sauce. (Alternately, you can pour the juices into a pot on the stovetop, stir in the cornstarch mixture, and boil for 3 minutes.)
  4. Finish & Serve: Return the chicken to the sauce, and stir gently to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper, as needed. Serve over rice. Garnish with green onions and serve with stir-fried vegetables, if desired.

Freeze For Later:  Follow step 1, placing all the sauce ingredients into a gallon-size freezer bag instead of the slow cooker. Seal the bag, gently toss and massage to combine, and freeze.

Prepare From Frozen:  Note: Have cooked rice, cornstarch, and (optional) stir-fried veggies on hand to complete this meal. Thaw completely using one of these safe thawing methods. Follow steps 2 through 4.


Notes/Tips

Where We Get Our Chicken: We get our meat from ButcherBox. The chicken is organic and curated from small, trusted farms. We highly recommend this service to source healthy meat–like uncured bacon, wild salmon, and grass-fed beef–and have used it for years ourselves. 

Instant Pot Instructions: You can make this meal in the Instant Pot using these instructions.

How to Replace the Bourbon: One of our readers tested this recipe without the bourbon and reported that their family thought it was still delicious. Another tester said it worked with chicken broth instead.

© Author: Rachel Tiemeyer
Cuisine: Asian Method: Slow Cooker

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Rachel Tiemeyer

Rachel Tiemeyer

As co-founder of Thriving Home, Rachel dreams about creating recipes (literally) and uses her husband, her 3 kids, and even the neighbors as guinea pigs several nights a week. She believes that good food has the power to bring families and friends closer together and continues to wake up excited about her job each day, even after 10+ years!

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  1. AvatarCaroline says

    Posted on 11/13/23 at 8:04 pm

    It was easy and delicious! My family loved it!💕

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Carla from Thriving HomeCarla from Thriving Home says

      Posted on 11/14/23 at 10:27 am

      Easy and delicious are two of our favorite words. Thanks for leaving a review Caroline!

      Reply
  2. AvatarAmy says

    Posted on 7/26/23 at 6:08 am

    Family favorite!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Carla from Thriving HomeCarla from Thriving Home says

      Posted on 7/26/23 at 10:33 am

      Yay! Love to hear this Amy. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  3. AvatarHelen says

    Posted on 7/25/23 at 7:59 pm

    Honey Bourbon Chicken is a family favorite! There are never any leftovers when I serve this for dinner! For a shortcut, I use 2-3 cubes of frozen minced ginger from the grocery store as a replacement for the 1 tablespoon of minced fresh ginger. This helps make an easy recipe even easier!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Carla from Thriving HomeCarla from Thriving Home says

      Posted on 7/26/23 at 10:39 am

      Hi Helen. Glad to hear your family loves this! And thank you for sharing your shortcut.

      Reply
  4. AvatarTricia Myers says

    Posted on 3/24/23 at 10:09 am

    Honey Bourbon chicken is a staple in our house! We love the crockpot version and its the best dump and go recipe. No cooking before hand really helps prep. It’s my favorite to bring to a freezer swap. We just get frozen stir fry and minute rice and it’s an easy after school recipe for this teacher. It is so yummy and delicious! Maybe one of the fastest preps on the whole website!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Carla from Thriving HomeCarla from Thriving Home says

      Posted on 3/24/23 at 10:50 am

      Thank you for sharing your shortcuts Tricia! This is one of the favorites at our house as well. I need to grab some frozen stir fry to save that chopping time! 🙂

      Reply
  5. AvatarJulia says

    Posted on 3/9/23 at 11:38 am

    Loved this recipe, the sauce has great flavor!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Carla from Thriving HomeCarla from Thriving Home says

      Posted on 3/10/23 at 9:07 am

      Hi Julia! Thanks for leaving a review. It’s a favorite in my house too!

      Reply
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gluten-free Honey Bourbon Chicken and Stir Fry Vegetables on a large white platter