Weeknight
Bourbon Brown Sugar Chicken
Juicy chicken thighs glazed in a sticky, sweet-and-savory sauce made with brown sugar, garlic, soy sauce, ginger, and bourbon.
Boneless chicken thighs sear until deeply golden, then finish in a glossy bourbon-brown-sugar glaze. Serve over rice and spoon every last bit of sauce from the pan.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- For the bourbon brown sugar sauce:
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ⅓ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup bourbon
- ¼ cup chicken broth
- 2 tbsp honey
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes, optional
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp cold water
- For serving:
- Cooked white or jasmine rice
- Sliced green onions
- Sesame seeds
Method
- 1
Pat the chicken thighs dry and season both sides with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika.
- 2
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for about 5–6 minutes per side until deeply golden. Remove it from the skillet and set aside.
- 3
Reduce the heat to medium. Add brown sugar, soy sauce, bourbon, chicken broth, honey, garlic, ginger, apple cider vinegar, sesame oil, and optional red pepper flakes. Stir well and bring to a gentle simmer.
- 4
Mix the cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl. Slowly stir it into the sauce and simmer for 1–2 minutes until the sauce becomes thick and glossy.
- 5
Return the chicken to the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for another 5–7 minutes, turning and spooning the glaze over the chicken frequently, until the chicken reaches 165°F internally.
- 6
Spoon rice onto each plate and top with the chicken. Pour plenty of bourbon brown sugar glaze over the top and finish with green onions and sesame seeds.