Description

This Crock Pot Bourbon Chicken recipe delivers tender, flavorful chicken thighs slow-cooked in a savory and slightly sweet bourbon sauce. Perfect for an easy, hands-off meal, this dish combines the rich taste of bourbon, soy sauce, and brown sugar with garlic, ginger, and a hint of heat from red pepper flakes. Serve it over rice or cauliflower rice for a satisfying family dinner.

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 and place the boneless skinless chicken thighs evenly at the bottom of your slow cooker.
Make the sauce: In a bowl, whisk together the light brown sugar, soy sauce, bourbon whiskey, apple cider vinegar, ground ginger, honey, red pepper flakes, and minced garlic until fully combined.
Combine and cook: Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken in the slow cooker, cover with the lid, and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours until the chicken is thoroughly cooked and tender.
Shred the chicken: Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and chop or shred it to your preferred texture. Set aside.
Thicken the sauce: Mix the cornstarch and water in a small bowl to create a slurry, then stir this into the sauce remaining in the slow cooker. This will thicken the sauce.
Combine chicken and sauce: Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker, stir well with the thickened sauce, and cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes to meld flavors and thicken the sauce further.
Finish and garnish: Turn off the slow cooker and garnish the bourbon chicken with chopped green onions before serving.
Serving suggestion: Serve the bourbon chicken hot over white rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice for a low-carb option.

Notes

You can adjust the heat by varying the amount of red pepper flakes according to your preference.
For a gluten-free version, substitute soy sauce with tamari or coconut aminos.
Make sure to shred the chicken neatly for better sauce absorption.
Use good-quality bourbon for best flavor balance.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

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

Keywords: Crock Pot Bourbon Chicken, slow cooker chicken recipe, bourbon chicken, easy chicken dinner, slow cooker bourbon sauce