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

How long does honey bourbon chicken cook in the crockpot?

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 .

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: Whiskey : Like bourbon, whiskey has a smoky, oaky flavor that can add depth to your chicken dish. 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. 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. 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.

Is Bourbon Chicken gluten-free?

Our recipe is gluten-free is you use a gluten-free soy sauce or coconut aminos. According to Beyond Celiac , most bourbon is gluten-free due to the distillation process, however, you can omit bourbon/whiskey or use apple juice or no salt chicken stock/broth instead.

Crock Pot Honey Bourbon Chicken

Name: Crock Pot Honey Bourbon Chicken
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 3 h
Total time: 3 h 15 min
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce; 1/3 cup honey; 1/4 cup organic or all-natural ketchup; 1/4 cup bourbon or other whiskey; 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

Did you make this? Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 13 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: 15 minutesCook: 3 hoursTotal: 3 hours 15 minutes

Units:

Scale:

Ingredients

1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup organic or all-natural ketchup
1/4 cup bourbon or other whiskey
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

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

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:

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.
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.
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.)
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 in the refrigerator. Follow steps 2 through 4.

Notes/Tips

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.
Gluten-Free Version:
- Use coconut aminos or GF Tamari soy sauce instead of soy sauce.
- According to Beyond Celiac, most bourbon is gluten-free due to the distillation process, however, you can omit bourbon/whiskey and use apple juice or no salt chicken stock/broth instead.
Instant Pot Instructions: Use our Instant Pot Bourbon Chicken recipe.
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. Other recipes say to use apple juice instead.
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.

Cuisine: Asian Method: Slow Cooker

Find it online: https://thrivinghomeblog.com/slow-cooker-honey-bourbon-chicken/