Relive the delicious memories of your favorite mall food court with this Copycat Mall Bourbon Chicken. Tender pieces of chicken are perfectly cooked and coated in a mouthwatering bourbon sauce that is both sweet and savory.
This easy-to-make recipe captures the essence of the original, bringing the mall food court experience right to your kitchen.
Serve Bourbon Chicken over white rice and garnished with chopped green scallions. If you start our Perfect Steamed White Rice recipe right before starting the chicken, both will be ready to put on your table in 30 minutes or less.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Any cook loves a quick and easy meal. But, to recreate that flavorful memory of a satisfying food court favorite like a copycat meal of mall Bourbon chicken is an even bigger bonus.
Enjoy the comforting flavors of restaurant-style bourbon chicken without ever having to leave your house. This recipe is made with simple ingredients and easy-to-follow instructions, allowing you to create a delicious meal that rivals anything you can find at the mall.
- Quick and easy to prepare: With simple ingredients and straightforward instructions, this recipe can be made in no time, making it perfect for busy weeknights.
- Sweet and savory: The signature bourbon sauce is perfectly balanced between sweet and savory, creating a flavor profile that is both comforting and satisfying.
- Tender and juicy: The chicken is cooked to perfection, resulting in tender and juicy pieces that melt in your mouth.
- Nostalgic: The recipe faithfully captures the iconic flavor of your favorite mall food court dish, evoking fond memories and satisfying your cravings.
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Bourbon Teriyaki Chicken Ingredients
This recipe allows you to recreate the iconic mall food court flavor at a fraction of the cost, saving you money while still satisfying your cravings. The recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to feed a crowd or to have leftovers for multiple meals.
- Chicken thighs - Boneless, skinless.
- Salt
- Cornstarch
- Vegetable oil
- Garlic - Minced
- Ginger root - Fresh, grated.
- Crushed red pepper flakes
- Chicken stock
- Bourbon
- Soy sauce
- Brown sugar
- Vinegar
- Toasted white sesame seeds
- Green scallions for garnish (optional)
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How To Make Bourbon Style Chicken Teriyaki
Making your own bourbon chicken is significantly cheaper than ordering it from a mall food court. You can use fresh, high-quality ingredients to create a healthier and more flavorful dish. This recipe can be easily adapted to use different protein options, vegetables, and sauces, making it a versatile meal that can be enjoyed in various ways.
Not an ingredient, but you will want fluffy white rice to serve this on. Try our Perfect Streamed White Rice recipe.
Brown The Chicken
- Lets start by preparing the chicken. Cut into chunks. Toss with the salt and the cornstarch.
- Add to a skillet with heated vegetable oil. Brown the chicken lightly. You are not actually cooking the chicken in this step, just browning the cornstarch tossed chicken so that there is some browning.
Make The Bourbon Chicken Sauce
- Transfer the chicken back to the bowl that you tossed it with cornstarch in. You will use the same empty skillet to now prepare the bourbon chicken sauce.
- Cook the garlic, ginger, and crushed red pepper flakes. Add the liquids and the sugar.
- Add the chicken to the sauce and bring to a boil. Simmer to reduce sauce until it thickens.
Putting It All Together
Your final product will be a delicious skillet dish that the bourbon chicken sauce coats the chicken pieces.
- Add the chicken back to the skillet, and cook and additional 5-8 minutes until chicken cooked.
- Sprinkle the toasted sesame seeds and mix in. Serve this Bourbon Chicken skillet dinner over white rice and garnish with chopped green scallion or chives.
Serving Suggestions
Copycat Mall Bourbon Chicken is a delicious, convenient, and budget-friendly way to enjoy a classic food court favorite. It's perfect for busy weeknights, nostalgic cravings, and satisfying your sweet and savory desires.
Serve this super easy mall bourbon chicken recipe with a salad, some fruit, and rice.
This easy dinner recipe would go perfectly with our Tropical Fruit Salad, Perfect Steamed White Rice, and even Cinnamon Stewed Pears.
Related Recipes
Substitutions and Variations
Here are a few delicious variations using this bourbon chicken recipe:
- You can use chicken breasts if you prefer, just be careful to not over cook it so it stays tender.
- The red pepper flakes can be omitted if you don't like your teriyaki style bourbon chicken spicy.
Equipment
Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. Below are some of my favorite pieces of equipment that I use when making this mall bourbon chicken recipe.
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Storage and Reheating
- Store the wet ingredients (lettuce, tomato, onion) separately from the dry ingredients (buns) in the fridge, and recombine when ready. Good for 2-3 days.
Tips For Success
- Be sure to use skinless, boneless chicken thighs.
- Purchasing boneless thighs will save you a ton of work de-boning.
- Non Alcoholic alternatives to Bourbon would be Hoisin sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, Bourbon Chicken is a great freeze ahead dinner meal. Just use the microwave to reheat, or a medium low stovetop setting.
Look for a BBQ sauce that is whiskey or bourbon flavored.
More Delish Ideas
Copycat Mall Bourbon Chicken
Equipment
- Roasted White Sesame Seeds (Iri Goma) 8 Oz by Shirakiku (8 ounce)
Ingredients
- 3 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 " piece of fresh ginger root grated
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 ½ cups chicken stock
- ⅓ cup bourbon
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 4 Tablespoons vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon toasted white sesame seeds
- Chopped green scallions for garnish optional
Instructions
- Cut the chicken thighs into 1" to 1 ½" chunks. Add chicken chunks to a large bowl and sprinkle with salt and toss with the cornstarch.
- Heat a 12" skillet with the vegetable oil. When hot, add the chicken and lightly brown. Don't cook the chicken entirely, just get some browning for 2-5 minutes. Transfer partially cooked chicken back to the bowl.
- Using the same skillet, add garlic, ginger, and chili flakes. Lightly cook on medium for 1 minute.
- Add in the stock, bourbon, soy sauce, brown sugar, and vinegar. Bring to a boil, lower heat to a bubbling simmer to reduce sauce about 6 to 8 minutes.
- After sauce has reduced so that is coats the back of a spoon, add the partially cooked chicken in the bowl. Cook chicken and sauce on medium to medium high about 5 minutes. Don't raise heat too high, as you don't want to scorch the sauce. Don't overcook the chicken, just cook until no longer pink and still tender.
- Reduce heat, check to ensure the chicken is cooked, and sauce thickened. The sauce should coat or glaze the chicken.
- Toss in toasted sesame seeds and mix well.
- Serve over white rice with chopped green scallion for garnish.
Notes
- Be sure to use skinless thighs.
- Purchasing boneless thighs will save you a ton of work deboning.
- Non Alcoholic alternatives to Bourbon would be Hoisin sauce.
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