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Crock Pot Bourbon Chicken

Crock Pot bourbon chicken with tender bite-sized chicken thighs and a glossy mahogany sauce. Slow-cooked until the sauce coats the meat, then thickened with a quick cornstarch slurry for a restaurant-style finish.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Crock pot bourbon chicken
  • 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 0.333 cup bourbon
  • 0.333 cup soy sauce
  • 0.25 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 tbsp ketchup
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp cold water
  • 1 sesame seeds for garnish
  • 1 green onions for garnish
  • 1 cooked white rice for serving

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Slow-cook the chicken
  1. Place the chicken pieces in the slow cooker.
  2. Whisk bourbon, soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes until smooth.
  3. Pour the sauce over the chicken so the pieces are well coated.
  4. Cook on low for 4–5 hours or high for 2–3 hours until the chicken is cooked through.
Thicken and serve
  1. Whisk cornstarch and cold water together, then stir the slurry into the slow cooker.
  2. Cook on high for 15–20 minutes, until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy.
  3. Serve the bourbon chicken over white rice, garnished with sesame seeds and green onions.

Notes

For the silkiest, glossy sauce, whisk the cornstarch slurry until fully smooth before adding, and keep the slow cooker on high during the thickening window. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days in a sealed container; reheat gently. Freezing is not recommended due to texture changes from the cornstarch. For a lighter option, use low-sodium soy sauce and reduce brown sugar by 1–2 tbsp.