Crock Pot Bourbon Chicken Recipe
This Crock Pot Bourbon Chicken recipe features tender, juicy chicken thighs slow-cooked in a sweet and savory bourbon sauce with hints of garlic, ginger, and a touch of heat from red pepper flakes. Perfectly thickened and garnished with fresh green onions, it’s an easy and delicious meal ideal for serving over rice or cauliflower rice for a low-carb option.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours (high) or 6 hours (low)
- Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes (high) or 6 hours 10 minutes (low)
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Low Fat
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 3 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
Sauce
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 cup soy sauce
- ⅓ cup bourbon whiskey
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
Thickening
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
Garnish
- ¼ cup chopped green onions
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Add the trimmed boneless skinless chicken thighs to the bottom of the slow cooker, making sure they are spread evenly.
- Make the sauce: In a separate bowl, whisk together the light brown sugar, soy sauce, bourbon whiskey, apple cider vinegar, ground ginger, honey, red pepper flakes, and minced garlic until fully combined.
- Add sauce to slow cooker: Pour the prepared sauce evenly over the chicken thighs in the slow cooker.
- Cook the chicken: Cover the slow cooker and cook the chicken on high for 4 hours or on low for 6 hours, until the chicken is fully cooked and tender enough to shred.
- Shred the chicken: Remove the cooked chicken from the slow cooker and chop or shred it to your preferred texture for better sauce absorption.
- Make slurry and thicken sauce: In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and water to create a slurry. Stir this slurry into the sauce remaining in the slow cooker to help thicken it.
- Combine chicken and sauce: Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir well to combine the thickened sauce with the chicken. Let cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes until the sauce has thickened to your liking.
- Garnish and serve: Turn off the slow cooker. Garnish the bourbon chicken with the chopped green onions before serving. Serve the bourbon chicken over your choice of white rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice for a low-carb alternative.
Notes
- For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free soy sauce or tamari.
- Adjust the red pepper flakes to control the heat level according to your preference.
- Bourbon adds a rich flavor but can be omitted or substituted with apple juice for a non-alcoholic version.
- Using chicken thighs instead of breasts helps keep the meat juicy and flavorful during slow cooking.
- This dish reheats well and can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Serve with steamed vegetables or a side salad for a complete meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 1/6th of recipe)
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 24 g
- Sodium: 1150 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 105 mg
Keywords: Crock Pot Bourbon Chicken, slow cooker chicken, bourbon chicken recipe, easy chicken dinner, tender chicken thighs, slow cooked chicken
Find it online: https://topreci.com/crock-pot-bourbon-chicken-recipe/