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Tender and juicy chicken thighs simmered in a brown sugar bourbon sauce all day long. Your family will love this melt-in-your-mouth crockpot bourbon chicken. A classic New Orleans recipe made easy in the crockpot!
I sure do LOVE New Orleans-inspired food! Try my jambalaya recipe, which is also made in the crockpot. This gumbo recipe is another fave and a classic New Orleans dish. I highly recommend a visit there just for the food, it’s SO yummy!
Crockpot Bourbon Chicken
Bourbon chicken is a dish named after the famous Bourbon Street in New Orleans, Louisiana. This recipe also uses bourbon to add a rich deep flavor to the sauce. Paired with sweet brown sugar, the sauce is sweet and sticky and SO delicious! Cooked low and slow, this crockpot bourbon chicken is an incredible dinner ready when you get home.
Crockpot dinners are the MVP at my house! They are easy to put together and are always our favorite dinners. Try this crack chicken, my famous pot roast, or this tasty beef and broccoli. They’re all made in the crockpot and I just know you will love them!
Ingredients Needed
Each ingredient in this crockpot bourbon chicken gives this recipe its mouthwatering flavor! And it’s less than 10 ingredients, which most likely you already have on hand! All measurements can be found below in the recipe card.
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs: Chicken thighs are the secret weapon! It results in the most tender and flavorful chicken.
- Kosher Salt and Pepper: Season the chicken to taste with salt and pepper to add flavor.
- Bourbon: You can also use whiskey, apple juice, or chicken broth.
- Brown Sugar: This creates the sweetness in the sauce and gives the crockpot bourbon chicken the best flavor.
- Soy Sauce: Adds depth and richness to the sauce, giving the chicken that savory and slightly salty goodness that will wow your taste buds.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic adds great flavor!
- Cornstarch: Cornstarch is the thickening agent that helps create a luscious, glossy sauce.
- Cold Water: Make sure to use cold water to help dissolve the cornstarch.
Easy Crockpot Bourbon Chicken
Let’s make the best crockpot Bourbon chicken! It’s so incredibly easy, and the results are so tasty! You’re family will be begging you to make this weekly! The instructions are below and also in the recipe card.
- Season the Chicken and Place in Crockpot: Season the chicken thighs with salt & pepper on both sides and place them in the bottom of the crockpot.
- Make the Sauce and Pour Over Chicken: In a medium bowl add the bourbon, brown sugar, soy sauce, and garlic. Stir well to combine. Pour over the chicken in the crockpot.
- Cover and Cook: Cover with the lid and cook on low for 4 hours or high for 3 hours.
- Add the Cornstarch Mixture: Add the cornstarch and water in a small bowl and whisk until combined. Whisk the cornstarch slurry into the sauce 30 minutes before the chicken is done cooking. This will thicken the sauce.
- Serve Over Rice: Enjoy the chicken over rice and garnish with green onions.
Crockpot Bourbon Chicken Tips
Ready to create mouthwatering bourbon chicken with the convenience of a crockpot? These easy tips and tricks will have you cooking up tender, flavor-packed chicken in no time.
- Chicken Thighs: Use chicken thighs for the best results. You are welcome to use chicken breast and it will cut down on the fat content too. Chicken thighs are just so juicy and tender. They also hold the flavor better!
- Bourbon Alternatives: If you don’t have bourbon, whiskey, brandy or even scotch will work in place of it.
- Leave Bourbon Out: The alcohol from the bourbon does evaporate completely while cooking. It is safe for children to eat. Just replace the bourbon with chicken broth or apple cider.
- Make it Spicy: If you love a little heat, add some red pepper flakes, or sriracha sauce to the glaze when whisking.
Storing Leftovers
Crockpot bourbon chicken makes the best leftovers for lunch the next day! Follow my tips below for storing and reheating this yummy chicken. Everyone will fight over the leftovers so be prepared!
- In the Refrigerator: Allow your crockpot bourbon chicken to cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container. As long as you keep it in the fridge, it should stay good for about 4 days.
- To Reheat: Pop your chicken in the microwave or warm over the stove. Make sure to warm it up with the sauce to keep it from drying out. And you’ll definitely want all the sauce you can get because it’s SO good.
More Chicken Dinner Ideas
Chicken is SO versatile and makes the best dinners! Most of our favorite dinner recipes start with chicken and I’ve lined up a few recipes for you to make this week. I can’t wait for you to try these!
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Crockpot Bourbon Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/3 cup bourbon, whiskey, apple juice, or chicken broth
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons cold water
Instructions
- Season the chicken thighs with salt & pepper on both sides and place them in the bottom of the crockpot.
- In a medium bowl add the bourbon, brown sugar, soy sauce, and garlic. Stir well to combine. Pour over the chicken in the crockpot.
- Cover with the lid and cook on low for 4 hours or high for 3 hours.
- Add the cornstarch and water in a small bowl and whisk until combined. Whisk the cornstarch slurry into the sauce 30 minutes before the chicken is done cooking. This will thicken the sauce.
- Enjoy the chicken over rice and garnish with green onions.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
It was ok, the sauce just didn’t work for us. Seemed like it was missing something. I like the idea of the slow cooker so I might try again with a sauce from a different recipe I like. My sauce didn’t thicken until I put it in a sauce pan, added a little more cornstarch slurry and brought it to a boil. Put it back in with the chicken and added steamed broccoli.
This recipe is very good have made it a few times. This last time I added grated ginger to the sauce and fresh broccoli. (Would uses frozen next time as it took awhile for the fresh to cook.) But it was so good!
The chicken was fine but the sauce was watery even adding the cornstarch. Im not sure where things went wrong. The only substitute I had was broth for bourbon.
This meal was tasty but way too salty. I would suggest less soy sauce or a less salty soy sauce.
Does the alcohol cook off. I have an ignition interlock, and well…..
I guess if I had it for dinner, I would be fine.
Can I make this in the morning, assemble it, and put it in the fridge. Will it marinate the chicken, or will it ruin it?
Can you use bone in thighs, if so, how would you cook it
Yes you can! Bone-in thighs can be swapped in interchangeably.
How do you think bourbon cream would work? It’s usually the only bourbon I have on hand.
Made this tonight and was a big hit with the family. I did use the low sodium soy sauce. The one thing I did different was, I removed the sauce to the stove to make the sauce thicker then I put it back in the crockpot.
I’m actually making this in the Crock-Pot as I write this. I have done it twice now with apple juice but I look forward to trying it with the bourbon. However this time I spaced and added the cornstarch and then said oh crap and took it out quickly but I also added the water. LOL so I’m going to try to do it with only one tablespoon. We’re having it with egg noodles today. Very awesome thank you for sharing 🌷💜
Made this last night and although very tasty, and delicious. I think 3/4 of a cup of Soy was overpowering. Any suggestions from anyone?
I also used 1/3 cup of Apple Whiskey in addition to the 1/3 cup of Bourbon.
Apple Whiskey and Bourbon? How was that? I didn’t know there was an Apple Whiskey.
Is it good? I know some years back Schmernoff made a Green Apple something like wine or Vodka which was delicious, but I don’t drink hard stuff or wine or beer, if I do,it has to be a sweet wine.
I made this with 4 chicken breasts. Cooked for 3.5 hours then added fresh brocolli and the cornstarch slurry and cooked for 30 more mins on low for a total of 4 hours. I didn’t salt or pepper the chicken. Used the bourbon. Served it over jasmine rice with butter. It came out so good. Awesome recipe. Thank you.
This is so delicious! My house smells so good while it’s cooking. 😋
Very easy.
Very tasty.
I’ve cooked this 3 times and the 4th time will be on this cold rainy day.
The fam loves it.
Thanx for sharing Alyssa
Do you need 1/3 cup of each liquid like bourbon, apple juice, and broth?
Yes! But I would recommend only using one or the other. The apple juice, whiskey, and broth are all potential substitutes for the bourbon. Hope that helps!!
I read this recipe to say 1/3 cup liquid of your choice (bourbon, apple juice or broth). To me, your reply to the question above implies a total of 1 cup. Just want to clarify before I make this dish tonight. Thank you. Sounds delicious!
1/3 cup total!
Can I use a instapot
Yes! Add your seasoned chicken breasts to your Instant Pot along with all of the sauce ingredients (minus the cornstatch slurry). Seal and cook for 10 minutes on high pressure. Then set your Instant Pot to sauté, and mix up your cornstarch slurry and add it in. Let it thicken for a couple minutes and it will be ready to enjoy!