Crock Pot Bourbon Chicken

This Crock Pot Bourbon Chicken is sweet, savory, sticky, and full of flavor.

The chicken cooks until tender, then gets coated in a rich bourbon sauce.

It is the kind of easy dinner that tastes even better over a warm bowl of rice.

Some nights call for tender chicken that can cook away while you get everything else done. 🍗 Crock Pot Bourbon Chicken is an Easy Slow Cooker Dinner with a sweet and savory sauce, making it a tasty pick when you want Chicken Crockpot Recipes Easy enough for a busy night. Save this pin for your next cozy crockpot chicken dinner! 📌

Makes: 6 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 4 hours on LOW or 2–2½ hours on HIGH
Total time: About 4 hours 15 minutes

Why I Love This Recipe

There is something special about a dinner that smells good long before it is time to eat. Bourbon chicken does exactly that. As it cooks, the kitchen fills with the smell of garlic, ginger, brown sugar, and a rich sweet sauce.

I also love that the slow cooker does most of the work. There is no need to stand over a pan cooking several batches of chicken. Add everything, let it cook, and thicken the sauce near the end.

A few more reasons this recipe stays in my dinner rotation:

Chicken thighs stay tender and juicy in the slow cooker.
The sauce has a nice mix of sweet, salty, and tangy flavors.
Bourbon adds a warm, deep flavor without making the sauce taste like a drink.
The cornstarch slurry makes the sauce thick enough to cling to the chicken.
It is easy to serve with rice and a simple vegetable.

What You’ll Need

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1½-inch pieces
½ cup packed light brown sugar
½ cup low-sodium soy sauce
⅓ cup bourbon
¼ cup apple juice
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely grated
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons cold water
3 green onions, thinly sliced, for serving
6 cups cooked white rice, for serving

Recipe and Instructions

Step 1: Add the Chicken

Cut 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs into 1½-inch pieces. Place all of the diced chicken in the black oval crockpot and spread it into an even layer.

Step 2: Make the Bourbon Sauce

In a medium bowl, whisk together ½ cup packed light brown sugar, ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce, ⅓ cup bourbon, ¼ cup apple juice, 2 tablespoons ketchup, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 4 minced garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger, and ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes. Whisk until the brown sugar starts to dissolve.

Step 3: Add the Sauce

Pour all of the bourbon sauce over the 2 pounds of cut chicken thighs in the crockpot. Stir gently so every piece gets coated.

Step 4: Slow Cook the Chicken

Place the lid on the crockpot. Cook on LOW for about 4 hours or HIGH for 2 to 2½ hours, until the chicken is tender and has reached at least 165°F (74°C) in the center.

Because slow cookers can run at different temperatures, start checking the chicken near the early end of the cooking time.

Step 5: Make the Cornstarch Slurry

When the chicken is cooked, whisk 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 3 tablespoons cold water in a small bowl until completely smooth. Do not add dry cornstarch straight to the crockpot because it can make lumps.

Step 6: Thicken the Sauce

Stir the 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 3 tablespoons cold water slurry into the cooked chicken and bourbon sauce. Cover again and cook on HIGH for 15–20 minutes, stirring once if needed. The sauce should turn shiny and become thick enough to coat the chicken.

Step 7: Serve

Divide 6 cups cooked white rice among 6 round bowls. Spoon the bourbon chicken and thick sauce over the rice. Finish with 3 thinly sliced green onions.

Why This Recipe Works (Quick Science)

Chicken thighs have more fat and connective tissue than chicken breasts. That helps them stay moist during the long cooking time.

Brown sugar gives the sauce sweetness and body. Soy sauce brings salt and savory flavor. Apple cider vinegar adds acid, which keeps all that sweetness from tasting too heavy.

Bourbon brings caramel, oak, and vanilla-like flavors. As everything cooks together, those flavors blend into the sauce.

The final trick is cornstarch. When cornstarch gets hot, its starch granules swell and thicken the liquid. That is what turns the thin cooking liquid into a shiny sauce that sticks to the chicken.

Pro Tips

Cut the chicken into similar 1½-inch pieces so it cooks evenly.
Chicken thighs work better than breasts for long slow cooking because they stay juicy.
Use cold water for the cornstarch slurry. Hot water can make the cornstarch clump.
Check the chicken early if your slow cooker tends to run hot.
Add the green onions after cooking so they stay fresh and bright.

Tools You’ll Need

Black oval crockpot with lid
Cutting board
Chef’s knife
Medium mixing bowl
Small mixing bowl
Whisk
Liquid measuring cup
Dry measuring cups
Measuring spoons
Serving spoon
Instant-read thermometer
Round bowls for serving

Substitutions and Variations

Chicken breasts: You can use them, but begin checking early because breast meat dries out faster.
No bourbon: Replace the ⅓ cup bourbon with ⅓ cup additional apple juice. The flavor will be different but still tasty.
More heat: Increase the crushed red pepper flakes to ½ teaspoon.
Less heat: Leave the red pepper flakes out.
Lower sodium: Be sure to use low-sodium soy sauce.
Rice: Try brown rice or cauliflower rice instead of white rice.

Make-Ahead Tips

Cut the chicken and mix the sauce the night before. Keep them in separate covered containers in the refrigerator. The next day, put everything in the crockpot and start cooking.

You can also slice the green onions ahead of time and refrigerate them in a small sealed container.

Common Mistakes

Adding dry cornstarch to the sauce: It can form stubborn lumps. Mix it with the 3 tablespoons cold water first.
Cutting chicken too small: Tiny pieces can cook too quickly and become dry.
Using regular soy sauce without adjusting: It can make this dish much saltier.
Cooking too long: Slow cookers vary, so check the chicken around the minimum cooking time.
Expecting thick sauce right away: Slow-cooker sauce stays fairly thin until you add the cornstarch slurry and heat it again.

What to Serve With Crock Pot Bourbon Chicken

Steamed white or brown rice
Broccoli
Green beans
Roasted carrots
Steamed snap peas
Stir-fried vegetables
Cucumber salad
Cauliflower rice

Macros Information

Approximate nutrition per serving, including 1 cup cooked white rice:

Calories: about 550
Protein: about 36g
Carbohydrates: about 70g
Fat: about 12g
Fiber: about 1–2g
Sugar: about 20g

These numbers are estimates. The exact macros will change with the chicken, soy sauce, bourbon, rice, and other brands you use.

Leftovers and Storage

Keep cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
Store the rice separately when possible so it does not soak up all the sauce.
Reheat the chicken gently in the microwave or in a saucepan until it reaches 165°F (74°C).
Add a spoonful of water if the refrigerated sauce has become too thick.
Freeze the bourbon chicken without the rice for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

FAQ

Q: Does bourbon chicken taste strongly like bourbon?
A: No. Bourbon gives the sauce a deeper, warmer flavor, but soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and apple juice are also easy to taste.

Q: Can I leave out the bourbon?
A: Yes. Replace the ⅓ cup bourbon with ⅓ cup apple juice. It will not have quite the same depth of flavor, but the recipe will still work.

Q: Can I use frozen chicken?
A: Thaw it first. For food safety and more even cooking, start this slow-cooker recipe with thawed chicken.

Q: Why is my sauce thin?
A: Make sure you use the full 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons cold water. After adding it, cook on HIGH for another 15–20 minutes so the starch has enough heat to thicken the sauce.

Q: Can I use chicken breast?
A: Yes. Cut it into similar pieces and watch the cooking time closely. Chicken breast is leaner and can become dry if cooked too long.

Q: Is the alcohol completely gone after slow cooking?
A: Do not assume it is. Slow cooking does not guarantee that every trace of alcohol cooks away. If avoiding alcohol is important, replace the bourbon with apple juice.

Final Thoughts

Crock Pot Bourbon Chicken gives you tender chicken, a glossy sweet-and-savory sauce, and very little hands-on cooking. Spoon it over hot rice, add those fresh green onions, and dinner is ready.

Give it a try the next time you want an easy slow-cooker meal. If you make it, leave a comment with how yours turned out, any changes you made, or any questions you have.