Bourbon Chicken (Mall Copycat)
Take a nostalgic trip down memory lane with this Mall Bourbon Chicken. This recipe recreates the iconic flavor of your favorite mall food court dish, bringing back childhood memories and satisfying your cravings for the classic taste.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 456kcal
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
Serving: 1g | Calories: 456kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 54g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 136mg | Sodium: 1063mg | Potassium: 974mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 50IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 3mg
