Hi, I’m Mollie, and I have an addiction: Takeout Bourbon Chicken. It has gotten so bad I had to learn how to make this Copycat Bourbon Chicken at home.
Copycat Bourbon Chicken
How does a Northerner come to crave this Southern dish developed in and named after New Orleans’ famed Bourbon Street? One taste at our local food chain Leeann Chin and it happened. And it didn’t stop there. Before I knew it, any time I saw Bourbon Chicken, anywhere, I had to have it.
About Copycat Bourbon Chicken:
If you know Bourbon Chicken, you know it’s succulent grilled chicken swimming in a tangy sweet sauce that has just a bit of a kick. It’s that juxtaposition between sweet and tangy that gets me every time and the hint of ginger and spice in the dish drives the flavor home.
Y’all know how I feel about fast food: there’s no doubt there’s an allure. It’s quick, easy, and when you’re out and about and hungry, it’s always there. It’s one of those spur-of-the-minute decisions that’s easily justified, but it’s always pricier than you’d think – and it adds up if you do it often.
This crave-able copycat Bourbon Chicken hits all the marks of sticky sweet goodness and even better is quick and easy – so quick it can be on the table faster than it takes the rice to cook – and much faster than it takes to drive to the mall! And I’m gonna show you how to bring it to the table at a budget price.
Fried Rice Recipe
Serving:
You’ll want to serve Bourbon Chicken with White Rice, Brown Rice, or Fried Rice. Maybe even Cauliflower Rice. You do you! I like to make my Perfect Instant Pot Rice; it’s a set-it-and-forget-it method so I don’t need to fuss while I make the chicken.
You couldn’t go wrong with adding in an appetizer! An egg roll or two or maybe cream cheese wonton, after all, Leeann Chin was said to “invent” them.
Perfect Instant Pot Rice
Grill or Saute:
Not all Bourbon Chicken is grilled but Leeann’s is. My recipe gives options for either.
- Cooking in a skillet is so much faster and easier (in my opinion) without all the fussiness of babysitting a grill or grill pan. Or cleaning the grill pan! Uggh!
- If you’re willing to take the extra time and effort, the grilled chicken is out of the world delish.
Optional Veggies:
In no way shape or form have I ever seen Bourbon Chicken cooked with vegetables, but hey, I’m a Grandma that loves a few and I say “Eat your veggies!”
I like to add a few veggies, onions and mushrooms (completely optional) for these reasons:
- They taste wonderful and add a little freshness.
- They help break up what can be a little bit of a one-note dish.
- A few veggies extend the chicken, making the dish just a bit cheaper overall – if the mushrooms are at a great price, that is.
Making the Bourbon Chicken:
Bourbon Chicken took me more than a few tries to perfect, and I tinkered quite a bit. I tried variations side by side with the famous Leeann Chin’s version and with one at a nearby mall food court.
I wanted to make sure I was on track and frankly, I wanted to make sure this copycat version had a depth of flavor and wasn’t too, too sweet. This hits it all and I think it’s better than any chain Bourbon Chicken. Feel free to tinker to your taste and add more sugar if you’d like it sweeter.
There are choices in ingredients – the first choice tastes closest to the restaurant versions; the second choice is still good and might keep you from searching for/buying ingredients you might not keep on hand.
It baffles some, but there’s usually no bourbon in bourbon chicken; I add an optional tablespoon, just for fun. I think it adds a little kick. The dish is just fine without it.
Storing:
Store in an airtight container for three to four days, separate from rice. It might need a touch of water when reheating. Heat in the microwave, stopping to stir every minute or on the stovetop over low heat, stirring often.
Do not freeze this dish; the sauce will be compromised.
Bonus Chicken Wings:
I don’t have a formal “recipe” but chicken wings can be dusted with Cajun seasoning, baked or fried, then basted with the reduced sauce. Check out the method on my Honey Garlic Chicken Wings.
Honey Garlic Chicken Wings
Saving Money on Copycat Bourbon Chicken:
In 2014 this recipe for four with rice was $4.20; in 2024, it was $7.19, $1.80 per serving with careful shopping and sale-priced chicken & mushrooms. At Leeanne Chin’s, it was $10.19 plus tax for one serving.
Chicken:
- In order of pricing, on sale boneless, skinless thighs are the best value, boneless, skinless breasts, next.
- Chicken drops to a low about once a quarter. Take advantage, stock up, and freeze in portions your family will use.
- As a general rule, rock-bottom grocery store sale prices are better than those at discount stores like Aldi or Lidl, or your buyer’s club.
Mushrooms:
- Mushrooms are often 1/2 off before holidays. Aldi and Lidl’s prices are close to the grocery store’s sales price. The bargain is the button mushroom.
- Whole mushrooms keep better than sliced. Turn the package upside down and poke several holes in the bottom, then store upside down.
Asian Condiments and Ingredients:
- An Asian market will have the best pricing; alternative discount groceries like Aldi or Lidl may have most of the ones called for in the recipe.
- If not an option, look for sales, often unadvertised (especially around the Chinese New Year.) The market is competitive. Check in the international area of the store and near the American/Asian if your store has both.
Copycat Bourbon Chicken
Copycat Bourbon Chicken
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: main dish chicken
- Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients
Both Versions: Vegetables:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, sliced pole to pole (optional)
- 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced (optional)
Both Versions: Sauce:
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes; more can be added
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (or freshly grated – ground tastes more like the restaurant version)
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup of apple juice or chicken stock
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tablespoon Bourbon or Whiskey, optional
- 2 tablespoons Plum Sauce (or 2 tablespoons ketchup)
- 2 tablespoons Rice Vinegar (or 1 tablespoon apple cider or white vinegar)
- 1/8 teaspoon of liquid smoke (recipe is best with the liquid smoke)
Skillet Version – Chicken:
- 1 pound chicken, cut into chunks, about 3/4 inches (see note)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 green onions, sliced thinly on the diagonal, for garnish
Grilled Version – Chicken:
- 1 pound chicken, If thighs, pound to even thickness. If breasts, slice in half horizontally and pound
- oil as needed for grill grates or grill pan
- 2 green onions, sliced thinly on the diagonal, for garnish
Instructions
Recipe Notes:
- This easy skillet recipe cooks in minutes, so start the rice first, which will take about 20 minutes.
- Chicken can be difficult to cut to size, but do aim for 3/4″ so the chicken is done as the sauce is thickened. Too small it may be dry and too large, the sauce may need to be thinned.
- If not using the onions and mushrooms, simply omit them and start the recipe by adding the oil to the skillet, then the remaining sauce ingredients.
Sauce:
Mix together before starting recipe.
Skillet Version:
In this version, the chicken cooks right in the skillet after the onions and mushrooms are golden brown.
Preheat a large saute pan or skillet to medium-high with the two tablespoons of oil. Add onions and mushrooms if using. As the onions and mushrooms begin to cook, toss chicken pieces with cornstarch. When the vegetables are golden brown, push them aside, and add the chicken, separating with a spatula. Cook until chicken is not quite finished, but has turned white on all sides.
Add sauce to skillet. Bring to a boil, add a lid, and reduce to a good simmer. Simmer for several minutes, stirring occasionally until chicken is well coated with sauce and cooked through. If sauce seems too thin, remove the lid and allow some evaporation. If too thick, add water, a tablespoon at a time.
Sprinkle finished dish with green onion and serve with rice.
Grilled Version:
In this version, the chicken is grilled until there are good grill marks and added to the skillet after the mushrooms are golden brown.
Preheat a large saute pan or skillet to medium-high with the two tablespoons of oil. Add onions and mushrooms if using. As the onions and mushrooms begin to cook, grill chicken over medium-high heat, on grill or in grill pan, oiling grates as necessary. Turn once or twice, getting good grill marks. Chop into bite-sized pieces.
Once the vegetables are golden brown, add sauce ingredients and cook until slightly thickened. Add chicken to the skillet and toss together with the sauce; simmer until chicken is cooked through and sauce is desired consistency.
Sprinkle finished dish with green onion and serve with rice.
Nutrition:
per serving estimate, for chicken and sauce: Cal 382; fat 11g; chol 83mg; carb 44g; sod 695. prot 34g; sug 25g
Recipe made January 2014, updated 2024