Chicken Bourbon And Rice

Ingredients

5-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 3 pounds)

3 tablespoons cornstarch, divided

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

4 tablespoons canola oil, divided

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup water

½ cup apple juice

¼ cup bourbon

½ cup chicken broth

⅔ cup low-sodium soy sauce

⅓ cup ketchup

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 cup packed light brown sugar

½ teaspoon onion powder

½ teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Directions

Easy Bourbon Chicken

Instructions:

Prepare the Chicken:

Cut the chicken breasts into 1-inch pieces. In a large bowl, toss the chicken with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, salt, and black pepper to coat evenly.

Cook the Chicken (First Batch):

Heat 2 tablespoons of canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot and a piece of chicken sizzles when added, place half of the chicken pieces in the skillet. Cook for about 3 minutes without stirring. Turn the chicken and cook for an additional 3 minutes, until golden brown. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.

Cook the Chicken (Second Batch):

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the skillet and cook the second half of the chicken in the same way. Remove the chicken from the pan once fully cooked.

Sauté the Garlic:

In the same skillet, add the minced garlic and cook for about 20 seconds, until fragrant.

Make the Sauce:

Add water, apple juice, bourbon, chicken broth, soy sauce, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, onion powder, ground ginger, and crushed red pepper flakes to the skillet. Stir well and bring the mixture to a boil.

Cook the Chicken in the Sauce:

Return the cooked chicken to the skillet and simmer the mixture for 10-15 minutes, allowing the sauce to reduce by half.

Thicken the Sauce:

In a small bowl, mix the remaining tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water to create a slurry. Stir the slurry into the skillet and cook for a few more minutes until the sauce thickens.

Serve:

Once the sauce is thickened and the chicken is well coated, serve the bourbon chicken immediately with your favorite sides.