Bourbon Chicken – The Secret Recipe Club
Today’s recipe is brought to you by Angie @ Successful2gether.com. That was my assigned blog this month for The Secret Recipe Club, a fun group I joined 3 months ago that has bloggers from all over the world sharing recipes and comments on a HUGE scale.
Blog assignments are kept secret, so the first thing I do on reveal day is to scroll through the link hop (at the bottom of this post) to find out who got Island Vittles and what they chose to make. It’s a great way to meet other food bloggers and to try out some new recipes!
When I saw Bourbon Chicken on Angie’s site, I knew that was the recipe for me. I’d never heard of the dish before, but just the title conjured up images of shiny glazed chicken, slightly sweet and salty with a hint of bourbon flavour.
At least that’s what I thought — then I read the recipe.
As it turns out, there’s no bourbon (or booze of any kind) in Angie’s version. When I took my research a little further afield on the internet, I was surprised to find that most recipes for Bourbon Chicken are completely void of bourbon. What do I know?
Slightly puzzled but never dissuaded from including booze in the cooking process, I set about adapting Angie’s recipe to include a little JD — and Coke — ’cause what goes better with bourbon than that?
The first time I made this, I used thighs instead of breasts, Coke instead of apple juice. Other than adding 1/4 cup JD to the sauce, those were the only changes I made to Angie’s recipe. Both Howard and I enjoyed it — it was glazed, sweet, salty and delicious — good enough to make again just 3 days later!
The recipe below is the result of a few more personal taste tweaks that I made to the recipe the second time around. I omitted the ketchup and replaced it with a little Worcestershire Sauce to make up for the loss of umami, substituted OJ for the vinegar and reduced the chili flakes ’cause we thought it was a little too spicy. (Which is unusual around here!)
It won’t win any nutrition awards, but it is darn tasty, and it makes a deliciously quick mid-week meal. Some stir fried veg would make the perfect side, but if you’re short on time like I was the night of these photos, stir some frozen edamame into your rice during its last 7 minutes of cooking to squeeze at least a little green into your meal.
(click on the title below for a printable version of the recipe)
: Bourbon Chicken
: A quick and delicious dinner perfect for a busy weeknight. Serve over rice with stir-fried vegetables.
- Boneless & Skinless Chicken Thighs or Breast – 1 lb (450 g)
- s+p – to taste
- Bourbon – ¼ Cup (60 ml)
- Coke – ¼ Cup (60 ml)
- Soya Sauce – ¼ Cup (60 ml)
- Brown Sugar – ¼ Cup (60 ml)
- Orange Juice – 2 Tble (30 ml)
- Worcestershire Sauce – 1 tsp (5 ml)
- Garlic, minced – 1 clove
- Chili Flakes – ½ tsp (3 ml)
- Vegetable Oil – 2 Tble (30 ml)
- Cut up the chicken into small bite-sizes pieces and season with salt and pepper.
- Combine the bourbon, coke, soya sauce, sugar, orange juice, Worcestershire Sauce, garlic and chili flakes and stir to dissolve the sugar.
- Heat the oil in a heavy skillet over med-high heat for 2-3 minutes, until shimmering. Add the chicken and cook, undisturbed, for 2 minutes. Stir, then cook 2 more minutes, until lightly browned.
- Re-stir the sauce, add to the pan and toss well. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a quick simmer and cook until the sauce is reduced to a shiny syrup that clings to the chicken, about 10 minutes.
- Serve immediately over steamed rice.
Notes:
- because the chicken boils in the sauce for quite a long time, I prefer thigh meat over breast, which tends to dry out.
Preparation time: 5 minute(s)
Cooking time: 15 minute(s)
Number of servings (yield): 4
Culinary tradition: Chinese
Copyright © © 2009-2011 Island Vittles/Theresa Carle-Sanders. All rights reserved. Don’t Steal — Karma’s Real.
This looks lovely, I’m very eager to try new ways to cook up chicken and this fits the bill!!! Nice meeting u thru SRC!
I love your variations! This is one flavorful dish!!
UMAMI!!!!
I’m with you; it’s not Bourbon Chicken without the Bourbon ;-) (says the girl with Kentucky and Texas ancestry)
Yum!! I need to bookmark this it sounds great!
This looks like a great recipe. It is fun cooking with you in the SRC. Hope you are having a great day and thanks for sharing!
Miz Helen
Stopping by from group B. So fun to be in the Secret Recipe Club with
you. Great Post! This bourbon chicken sounds and looks delish…I love your tasty tweaks and additions! The bourbon and coke sound like a great substitute!
If you haven’t already, I’d love for you to drop by my blog and check out my SRC recipe this month: Avocado Omelet
When I HAVE to eat in the mall food court, bourbon chicken is my choice. I’ve never wondered why it’s called bourbon chicken when it has no alcohol whatsoever. Got a chuckle over how you included JD and coke in yours. I’m sure it was great.
I’m with you. I’ll take the jack and coke! This looks like a delicious dish and I’m excited to try it. I’ll let you know how it turns out. Just doing a little Secret Recipe Club surfing. So glad it brought me to your great little piece of cyber space!
Lots of yummy love,
Alex aka Ma What’s For Dinner
http://www.mawhats4dinner.com
I’ve never heard of Bourbon Chicken, an interesting dish! I really enjoyed reading through your blog (and trying one of your recipes :)) as part of this month’s SRC.
Why is it that booze and food just go so well together? I might have to try this one soon! And I’ve got chicken thighs waiting to be thawed…
Another reason I need to buy bourbon!!!
oh my! That looks ridiculously tasty.
This is a fabulous pick! oops so yummy! Great SRC pick!
You and I think alike. I would have gravitated toward a dish with the word bourbon in it too, then been shocked that there wasn’t any. You did a great job adding it and turning a good recipe into a great recipe. It looks gorgeous.
Your added touches make this look even more amazing and perfectly saucy.
We adore bourbon steak and I’m now going to have to give your bourbon chicken a try too, bet it’s just as wonderful.
If you haven’t already, I’d love for you to check out my group “A” SRC recipe this month: Welsh Cakes.
Lisa~~
Cook Lisa Cook
Sounds and looks great. Thanks for sharing.
:) your version looks great! I too was a bit taken aback when i saw the original recipe didn’t have bourbon it it! i may have to try your adaptation! :) looks super yummy!
Whoa…bourbon chicken without bourbon? Weird. Must be us Canadians not understanding these American things. I like your tweaks to the recipe!
I’m with you Carolyn, but why is it that the Canadians are the ones putting in the bourbon? Not that I’m complaining…Theresa
Excellent recipe choice. We have this dish at a local restaurant and it’s awesome! I’ll definitely be giving it a try sometime soon.
This is my first time joining the SRC. I hope you’ll stop by and visit.
:)
ButterYum
Hubby would enjoy this meal sounds wonderful andi
Strange that it’s bourbon chicken but not bourbon. Looks delicious. Love your photographs.
I would have been disappointed too! I love a little booze in my food :) Great adaptation.
Angie has a great site as well! Love visiting all these participants :)
Mmmmmm…. bourbon! I must try a vegan version of this!!
I’ve made a bourbon chicken before but this one sounds so much better, with more flavorful ingredients! Great SRC pick :)
Check out my SRC post if you like!
http://steaknpotatoeskindagurl.blogspot.com/2011/09/septembers-secret-recipe-club-reveal.html
Thanks Desi! The JD makes it pretty special…Theresa
I love Bourbon Chicken, and I’ve never tried to make it at home. That’s all about to change. That is making me super hungry right now. Looks absolutely delicious!
Great recipe pick this month!
Yum! Another fabulous looking weeknight meal to add to my ‘to make’ list. Looks great — I’m loving SRC, so many new recipes to try!
Way to be creative, I love it!
Thanks for being part of Group B of the SRC with me! My SRC recipe this month was: Pioneer Woman Chicken Pot Pie.
http://momscrazycooking.blogspot.com/2011/09/pioneer-womans-chicken-pot-pie-secret.html
everything tastse better with a bit of bourbon
Stopping by from SRC. This looks delicious and easy. My kids are coming over tomorrow and I was looking for something different to cook. This just might work.
I bet this chicken has tons of great flavor!
Awesome to be in the Secret Recipe Club with you. Please join our link up for *Project LunchBox* You have wonderful recipes that can inspire others to make healthy meals at home http://su.pr/221xT1