Saucy Bourbon Rooster - The Keep At House Chef

We will’t get sufficient of this Saucy Bourbon Rooster and neither will you. This tangy, spicy but candy sauce is the true star of the present right here. Serve it up with white rice or chow mein noodles, and add steamed veggies for a whole meal that’s prepared in half-hour.

For extra Bourbon recipes, attempt Chef Cayt’s Famous Apple Bourbon Caramel Sauce.

Why Our Recipe

Candy, sticky, and completed in half-hour which is even sooner than takeout.
Juicy rooster smothered in a sauce that can go away you desirous to lick the plate clear.
Devour it plain or serve it over steamed rice, chow mein, or rice noodles.

Overhead shot of Bourbon chicken on a plate of rice with bourbon in background.

New Orleans is likely one of the greatest cities on the earth for meals with taste. It’s a spot the place a bunch of various cuisines have fused collectively to create a number of the greatest flavors. This one is a fusion of Cajun and Chinese language cooking and Cajun delicacies itself is a mixture of Native American, West African, French, and Spanish cuisines. New Orleans simply takes the most effective from every little thing and places it collectively. This dish has a candy and spicy sauce that can make your style buds tremendous completely satisfied! I like the bourbon as a result of it provides a deep richness to the sauce—add a bit of or rather a lot! And in the event you don’t have bourbon readily available, now we have a straightforward substitute choice for you.

Ingredient Notes

Ingredients used to make Bourbon Chicken.

Rooster: Lower the rooster into even bite-size items. We use boneless skinless rooster thighs as a result of they’re juicy, however you need to use rooster breasts for a leaner choice.
Cooking Oil: You need to use any impartial cooking oil like canola, avocado, or vegetable oil.
Garlic: Freshly minced garlic supplies the most effective taste, however jarred minced garlic works if that’s what you’ve bought.
Sesame Oil: Situated within the Asian meals aisle of the grocery retailer. We go along with untoasted right here as a result of we prepare dinner with it, whereas toasted sesame oil is for ending.
Rooster Broth: Utilizing a low-sodium choice permits you to greatest management the flavour—it’s a terrific chef tip.
Orange Juice: Provides a sweetness and tang to the sauce. No want for freshly squeezed, however you may.
Brown Sugar: Provides caramelization, will increase the sweetness, and balances out the orange juice and bourbon. Use mild or darkish brown sugar.
Bourbon: The vast majority of the alcohol cooks off so it’s thought-about secure to serve to anybody, however in the event you desire to prepare dinner with out alcohol, you may substitute with apple juice with a bit of bit vinegar blended in.
Soy Sauce: Low-sodium is an efficient choice for controlling the salt ranges, however your commonplace soy sauce is what we’ve utilized in recipe improvement. Coconut aminos may also be used.
Pink Pepper Flakes: These add only a trace of warmth. Double it if you wish to convey extra warmth, or go away it out solely in the event you aren’t into spicy.
Inexperienced Onion: Offers a pop of shade and a bit of delicate onion chunk.

Rooster Choices

We love utilizing boneless, skinless rooster thighs. They’ve simply sufficient fats to remain juicy and flavorful, even in the event you by accident overcook them a bit of.

Rooster breasts will work too. Simply remember the fact that they prepare dinner sooner and might dry out extra simply. You’ll wish to watch them a bit of extra carefully and goal to drag them off the warmth as quickly as they hit 165°F.

Cooking with Bourbon

Bourbon is what provides this dish its signature taste. It provides a slight smokiness and sweetness. It additionally helps tenderize the rooster whereas it cooks. And don’t fear, a lot of the alcohol cooks off throughout the simmer, so all you’re left with is wealthy taste and it’s thought-about completely secure to serve to anybody.

For these wanting an alcohol-free choice, you may nonetheless make a scrumptious bourbon rooster with out the bourbon. Apple juice is our favourite substitute with 1/2 teaspoon of vinegar blended in. It provides an analogous sweetness with just a bit fruitiness and the vinegar mimics the bitter punch of alcohol.

Overhead shot of Bourbon chicken in skillet.

Sluggish Cooker Variation

Need to make this one in a sluggish cooker? Put together your sauce and brown the rooster on the stovetop completely first. Add browned rooster and sauce to the sluggish cooker and prepare dinner on low for five hours, or excessive for 3 hours.

Wok or Skillet

Chef Cayt loves utilizing a wok for saucy recipes like this one, nevertheless it’s not required. A wok’s excessive, sloped sides make it straightforward to toss and stir every little thing collectively with out spilling, and so they assist the sauce cling to each piece of rooster. It additionally heats up rapidly and evenly, which implies your rooster cooks quick and your sauce reduces superbly with out burning.

A 12-inch skillet will completely get the job completed. Simply be sure that it’s giant sufficient to offer every little thing a bit of house so the rooster sears as an alternative of steams. Use what you’ve bought, and the outcomes will nonetheless be scrumptious.