Copycat Mall Bourbon Chicken
My one pan Bourbon Chicken is moist, tender, and smothered in a sticky sweet sauce. It tastes just like what you get at the mall food court and is ready in 25 minutes.
I love making Asian takeout favorites like shrimp fried rice, crab rangoon, and honey walnut shrimp at home. My newest recipe is this bourbon chicken. It tastes just like what you used to get on a little toothpick at the mall after hitting up Bath and Body Works! It is sticky, tender, and perfect for weeknights! Serve with rice or noodles for an easy 25 minute meal.
Why This Recipe Works: A Sprinkle of Food Science
- Use Chicken Thighs Not Breasts: Dark meat stays juicy and tender thanks to its higher fat content.
- Velvet the Chicken: This Chinese cooking method coats the meat in cornstarch and soy sauce to seal in the moisture. This keeps it moist, never dry.
- Sear and Deglaze: Searing the chicken adds so much flavor and scraping the brown bits into the sauce flavors the sauce too!
Key Ingredient Notes & Shopping Tips
Please visit the recipe at the bottom of this post for the full list of ingredients and measurements.
- Chicken: I like using chicken thighs as they're more forgiving and harder to overcook. You can use chicken breasts but they likely won't be as moist or tender.
- Soy Sauce: You can use regular or low sodium.
- Hoisin: The thick sauce is sweet, salty and a little spicy. I like the brand Lee Kum Kee.
- Bourbon: You can use any whiskey. Avoiding alcohol? You can substitute an equal amount of apple juice or chicken broth.
- Ginger: I like the bright flavor of fresh ginger, but you can use dried.
- Sesame Oil: Do not use this for frying as it is very strong and has a low smoke point. Add just a small amount as it is very potent.
Krystle's Tips: Steal My Culinary School Secrets
- Easily Cut Raw Chicken: Freeze for 15-20 minutes to make it easier to cut. Cut into even pieces to help it cook evenly.
- Pat Dry: Dry chicken to make sure it sears. We don't want it to steam and cook in its own juice. You can cook it in batches if needed.
- Scrape the Brown Bits From the Bottom of the Pan: These add so much flavor!
- Don't Overcook: Cook chicken just until an instant read thermometer reaches 165 degrees.
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📖 Recipe
Copycat Mall Bourbon Chicken
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Ingredients
- 6-8 Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs Diced
- Salt/Pepper To Taste
- 2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
- 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
- 1
Tablespoon
Butter - 2 Cloves Garlic Minced
- ½ Cup Soy Sauce
- ½ Cup Hoisin Sauce
- ½ Cup Brown Sugar Packed
- 1 Teaspoon Sesame Oil
- ¼ Cup Water
- ¼ Cup Bourbon
- 1 Teaspoon Freshly Grated Ginger Or ¼ Teaspoon Dried Ginger
- 1 Pinch Red Pepper Flakes Optional
- Green Onions If Desired For Garnish
Instructions
- In a microwave safe bowl combine soy sauce, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, water, bourbon and sesame oil. Stir.
- Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. Toss with cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of soy sauce mixture.
- In a large skillet over medium high heat oil and sear chicken on all sides. Cook until browned and cooked through around 7-10 minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium and melt butter. Stir in remaining soy sauce mixture, garlic, and ginger.
- Bring to a boil and cook until syrupy around 6-8 minutes. Stir frequently being sure to scrape the bottom of the pan. It is done when a spatula leaves a wide trail that doesn't immediately come back together.
- Reduce heat to low and return chicken to the pan and cook for 1-2 more minutes.
- Garnish with green onions if desired.
Tried copycat Mall Bourbon Chicken — sweet, savory, and so tasty at home!
This copycat mall bourbon chicken is delicious I have enjoyed making it, Thanks for sharing this.
this mall bourbon chicken is amazing! tastes just like the real thing
Delicious chicken recipe - my kids really enjoyed it, which is a win because they're picky!
My new favourite! Swet, sticky, aromatic, with ginger lingering on. Can't wait to make it again.