This Bourbon Chicken is a mall food court copycat with tender chicken coated in a sweet, sticky sauce that tastes like the version you remember. It cooks in one pan in about 30 minutes, which makes it an easy weeknight dinner. Serve it over rice to soak up every bit of that sauce.
Why You'll Love This Bourbon Chicken
If you have ever wanted that sticky mall food court chicken at home, this recipe is the one to make. It has the same sweet, savory glaze, tender bites of chicken, and easy skillet method that works well for weeknights.
- True mall copycat flavor: This has the sweet, sticky sauce and tender chicken that make it such a food court favorite.
- One pan dinner: Everything cooks in a single skillet, so cleanup stays simple.
- Great for weeknights: The chicken and sauce come together in about 30 minutes.
- Excellent over rice: The sauce is made for spooning over a bowl of hot rice.
- Good leftover meal: It reheats well for lunch the next day.
What Is Bourbon Chicken?
Bourbon chicken is a sweet, savory chicken dish made popular in mall food courts across the United States. It is usually made with bite-sized pieces of chicken cooked in a glossy brown sauce that leans sweet, salty, and slightly tangy.
Some versions use bourbon, while others rely on stock, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and vinegar to build that flavor.
It is often confused with mall teriyaki chicken, but bourbon chicken is usually sweeter, thicker, and more glaze-like.
Bourbon Chicken vs Teriyaki Chicken (What's the Difference?)
These two dishes are easy to mix up, especially if you remember them both from the mall. They are similar in that both are served over rice and have a glossy sauce, but they are not the same dish.
- Bourbon chicken: Usually sweeter, stickier, and heavier on brown sugar with a glaze-like finish.
- Teriyaki chicken: Usually a little lighter, more soy-forward, and often associated with a thinner sauce or grilled preparation.
- Mall food court version: Bourbon chicken tends to be the richer, sweeter option that really coats the rice.
Ingredients Overview
This recipe uses simple ingredients to make that mall style bourbon chicken flavor at home. Chicken thighs stay tender, and the sauce thickens into the kind of glaze that clings well to each piece.
You will also want rice for serving. White rice is the classic choice, but jasmine rice, brown rice, or fried rice all work well depending on what you have planned for dinner.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How To Make Bourbon Chicken
This is a simple skillet dinner. First, the chicken is lightly browned. Then the sauce is made in the same pan and simmered until it reduces. The chicken goes back in at the end so it finishes cooking in the sauce and gets fully coated.
Step 1: Cut the chicken into chunks, toss with salt and cornstarch, and brown it lightly in hot oil. Transfer it to a bowl and set aside.
Step 2: Add the garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes to the same pan, then stir in the stock, soy sauce, brown sugar, and vinegar.
Step 3: Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce it to a steady simmer until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Step 4: Return the chicken to the skillet and cook until it is done and well coated in the sauce. Add the toasted sesame seeds and serve hot over rice.
How To Get That Sticky Mall Sauce
The best mall bourbon chicken has a sauce that coats the chicken instead of running all over the plate. The easiest way to get that texture is to let the sauce simmer long enough to reduce before adding the chicken back in for the final cook.
- Simmer, do not rush: Let the sauce bubble steadily so it has time to reduce and thicken.
- Watch the spoon test: When the sauce coats the back of a spoon, it is ready for the chicken to go back in.
- Keep the heat moderate: High heat can scorch the sugar in the sauce before it thickens properly.
- Finish with the chicken in the sauce: That last few minutes lets the glaze cling to the chicken instead of sitting underneath it.
Best Rice For Bourbon Chicken
White rice is the classic side for mall style bourbon chicken, but there are a few good options depending on what you want from the meal.
- Steamed white rice: The classic choice and the easiest way to let the sauce stand out.
- Jasmine rice: A good choice if you want a little more fragrance without changing the meal too much.
- Brown rice: Works well if you want a heartier bowl and a little more chew.
- Fried rice: Best when you are turning this into more of a takeout-at-home meal.
For an easy dinner setup, start your rice before the chicken so both are ready at about the same time.
Serving Suggestions
Bourbon chicken is best served hot over rice with chopped green scallions on top. If you want to round out the meal, add a simple vegetable side like steamed broccoli, edamame, or a cucumber salad.
Serve it with steamed white rice, or start your rice in the rice cooker before you begin the chicken so everything is ready at the same time. You can also pair it with cilantro lime rice or fried rice if that better fits your dinner.
For a milder, citrus-forward version of the dish, you can swap in orange teriyaki sauce in place of the bourbon-style sauce for a milder, citrus-forward version.
Substitutions And Variations
Here are a few ways to adjust this recipe depending on what you have on hand:
- Chicken breasts: You can use boneless skinless chicken breasts, but they cook faster and can dry out more easily than thighs.
- Vegetable add-ins: Broccoli, snow peas, or bell peppers can be added if you want to stretch the meal a bit.
- More heat: Add extra red pepper flakes or a small amount of sriracha if you want a little more kick.
- Different serving style: Spoon it over jasmine rice, brown rice, or fried rice instead of plain white rice.
- Meal prep bowls: Portion the chicken with rice and a vegetable side for easy lunches.
Tips For Success
These simple tips help keep the chicken tender and the sauce properly thickened:
- Use chicken thighs: They stay more tender and handle the simmering time better than chicken breasts.
- Brown lightly first: You only need some color at the start since the chicken will finish cooking in the sauce.
- Do not rush the reduction: Give the sauce time to thicken before returning the chicken to the skillet.
- Keep the heat controlled: A sauce with brown sugar can burn if the pan gets too hot.
- Serve while hot: The sauce has the best texture right after cooking.
Storage Options
Leftovers store well, which makes this a useful meal prep dinner too.
- Refrigerate: Store the chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: Freeze cooked chicken and sauce in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.
- Keep rice separate: Store the rice separately so it does not absorb too much sauce.
- Reheat gently: Warm on the stovetop or in the microwave until heated through.
Related Recipes
- Edamame Cucumber Salad
- Fresh Cucumber Kimchi Salad
- Rice Cooker Jasmine Rice
- Rice Cooker Brown Rice
- Teppanyaki Sauce
Frequently Asked Questions
Boneless skinless chicken thighs are the best choice because they stay tender and juicy in the sweet, sticky sauce.
Most mall-style bourbon chicken recipes do not contain alcohol. The flavor usually comes from a sweet and savory sauce made with stock, soy sauce, and brown sugar. Some homemade versions include bourbon, but it is optional.
Yes, but chicken breasts cook faster and can dry out more easily. Chicken thighs stay more tender and are closer to the texture of mall-style bourbon chicken.
Let the sauce simmer long enough to reduce before adding the chicken back to the skillet. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon before the final cook.
The sauce needs time to simmer and reduce. If it is still thin, let it cook a little longer or add a small cornstarch slurry to help thicken it.
No. They are similar mall food court style dishes, but bourbon chicken is usually sweeter, stickier, and more glaze-like than teriyaki chicken.
Many versions of bourbon chicken do not actually use bourbon. The name stuck over time, and the flavor usually comes from a mix of stock, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and vinegar.
Yes, but the sauce will be thinner. You can reduce it longer or use an alternative thickener like arrowroot if needed.
Yes. It reheats well, so it works nicely for meal prep lunches or a second dinner later in the week.
Chinese Recipes
Get The Recipe!
Bourbon Chicken (Mall Copycat)
Equipment
- Large Skillet
- Roasted White Sesame Seeds
Ingredients
- 3 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoon cornstarch
- 3 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 inch ginger root grated
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 ½ cups chicken stock
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 4 tablespoon vinegar
- 1 tablespoon toasted white sesame seeds
- green scallions chopped, for garnish
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.3 lbs boneless, ½ teaspoon salt, 3 tablespoon 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.3 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Using the same skillet, add garlic, ginger, and chili flakes. Lightly cook on medium for 1 minute.3 cloves garlic, 1 inch ginger root, ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Add in the stock, soy sauce, brown sugar, and vinegar. Bring to a boil, lower heat to a bubbling simmer to reduce sauce about 6 to 8 minutes.1 ½ cups chicken stock, ⅓ cup soy sauce, ½ cup brown sugar, 4 tablespoon vinegar
- 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.1 tablespoon toasted white sesame seeds, green scallions
Notes
- Choose the Right Cut: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs stay juicier than breasts and soak up the sauce better.
- Marinate for Flavor: Let the chicken marinate at least 30 minutes (or up to a few hours) to maximize the bourbon-soy infusion.
- Control the Heat: Cook over medium-high heat to sear the chicken without burning the sauce.
- Thicken the Sauce: Simmer sauce separately or finish with a cornstarch slurry for a glossy, clingy coating.
- Serve Immediately: For best texture, serve the chicken hot over rice or noodles before the sauce cools and thickens too much.
Nutrition
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