Warning: this bourbon chicken recipe is super addictive. You can’t stop after eating just one!
I’m telling you this as a friend: make sure you’ve got people standing around when you take these babies off the stove or the grill because once you taste one, you’ll want to eat the entire platter, sticky fingers and all.
Do you think I’m joking? I double-dog dare you to not eat just one. Go ahead! Try me.
Related: Turkey, Cranberry, and Cream Cheese Pinwheels for a Party
You can skip the skewers if you’d like, and just cut the chicken up into bite-sized pieces and stab them with toothpicks.
The star of this recipe is the marinade, so whether you serve this bourbon chicken on skewers or not is secondary.
Just make sure you remember to have fun! (although pssst… the bourbon helps that part!)
This recipe also works with a variety of different proteins!
Try tossing the sauce with:
- pressed tofu then baked with the prepared sauce on a sheet pan
- pork tenderloin smothered in the sauce and wrapped in foil before baking
- chicken stir fry served with rice and vegetables
- steak bites, sliced off the grill
- pork chops on the one, grilled
In other words, feel free to get creative!
A quick word about the marinade on this bourbon chicken:
The sauce for these skewers is incredibly easy to make, and it’s up to you just how “sticky” you’d like to make them. As you can see in the pics, the sauce is somewhat thin and pourable; the recipe as written doesn’t make a gloopy, sticky sauce.
But if you’re looking for a sauce that’s thicker, or you want to “sticky-i-fy” it a bit more, you’ve got a couple of options:
- Double the ingredients in the sauce recipe and plan on cooking it much longer; the sauce will reduce and reduce and reduce as it simmers, and the longer it reduces, the thicker and stickier it gets.
- Add a cornstarch slurry to the sauce, made by mixing equal parts cornstarch and water until you’ve got a runny consistency. Whisk that into the sauce and simmer an extra 5 minutes or so to cook the cornstarch. Once it’s off the heat and begins to cool, the sauce will thick up.
- Add more honey and less bourbon, playing around with the ratios until the consistency is what you prefer.
Sticky Bourbon Chicken Skewers
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs skinless chicken thigh
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup honey
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cloves garlic clove
- ½ cup bourbon
- wooden skewers
Instructions
Prep Ahead:
- Cut the chicken, if needed, and thread onto skewers. Transfer to a resealable bag or container.
- Combine the remaining ingredients in a resealable container.
- Store chicken and sauce ingredients in the fridge for up to 7 days, or the freezer for up to 3 months.
Prepare From Prepped:
- Thaw ingredients as necessary.
- Follow the instructions in Steps 3-6
Make From Fresh:
- Cut the chicken into long strips, then skewer. Set aside.
- Combine the rest of ingredients in a bowl and whisk until smooth.
- Add the sauce to a large, wide saucepan set over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat. Cook at a simmer for a further 10 minutes, until the sauce thickly coast the back of a spoon.
- Add the skewers and turn in the sauce to coat.
- Cook until chicken is cooked through, about 8-10 minutes. Turn occasionally to prevent the sauce from burning.
- Remove the chicken skewers from the pan and set aside. Spoon any remaining sauce into a bowl to be used as a dipping sauce on the skewers.
Notes
Spiralized Sweet Potato Gluten-Free Breakfast Casserole
Ruthy Kirwan
Hi Monica- You could do either, but I’d recommend freezing before cooking. Make the sauce as instructed, then transfer it to a container when it’s cool enough to handle and freeze it separately from the chicken. When you thaw the sauce, you may want to heat it on the stove for a bit to re-thicken it, as it might get slightly watery during the freezing process. Then you can toss with the chicken and cook together or as needed.
Good luck! Let me know if you freeze, and how it goes for you!
Monica
Delicious!
If I wanted to double and freeze the recipe, would I freeze before or after cooking the chicken in the sauce?
Rob
Made this as the recipe is written, except did not do skewers, used whole chicken tenders, and it is great! Things I might do differently next time, grill/precook the chicken then coat/simmer with/in the sauce, add a little spice, maybe a pinch of cayenne or red pepper flakes for flavor. But overall, this one is a keeper.
Leila
This recipe has been an exceptional recipe for me. Those who haven’t tried the recipe should try it now.
Ruthy Kirwan
Hi Tiffany, the chicken is cooked with the sauce! Then the sauce reduces down during cooking and caramelizes to get “sticky”. Anything left in the pan is for dipping. I definitely don’t recommend using sauce that had raw chicken in it, either:) I’ve amended the words of the recipe to be a bit more clear, so no one makes that mistake. Thank you for pointing it out!
Tiffany
This sounds good & I can’t wait to try it. But, as written, please do not toss raw chicken in sauce and then use sauce to coat cooked chicken!
Sally
Delicious… didn’t have quite enough honey so I added some maple syrup. I probably cooked it for a total of 10 minutes and it thickened up just perfectly. I put my chicken on the grill outside and then basted with sauce… had plenty left over to dip in. Pure Heaven!
Stephanie
These look amazing! Adding this to the menu for next week. I love grilling season.
Penny
Actually did thin strips of chicken, thickened with 2T cornstarch in 1/4 cup of water and served over rice! Delish!!
Kathy
Hi Ruthie,
on 9/12/19 you wrote: “I’m so sorry to hear that! I haven’t made these in a while, so I’m going to make them again and see if there’s something I can recommend that can help the sauce come out thicker for you”.
Have you had a chance to make this recipe again and what your thoughts are to thicken the sauce?
Hope to make this week (1/23/22).
Thank you, Kathy
mavee125
This recipe is so good! With my version, I added Korean bbq sauce that I bought from Karman Foods. It was a great twist of the taste. So delicious and flavorful! Love it!
Tammy smith
The sauce was very delicious…yes it’s on the thin side but still great. Only problem I had with it is not sticking to the chicken. The kids ate them all..I had to pour extra sauce in their plate.
Rhonda Copeland
Would brown sugar work instead of honey? Maybe that would make the sauce stickier? I’m going to try it.
TRACY BURNSIDE
We loved these!! They cook up so quick and are delicious!! I left the heat up a little more than medium and the sauce thickened perfectly!! Will definitely make these again – so yummy!
Stephanie
Sauce was great in the chicken. Grilled ours. Just need to caramelize the sauce more. Can’t rush a good thing. . It will thicken by its self. Great recipe. Thank you!!
Nancy
The flavor is wonderful but it’s true, this is a very thin sauce. The picture I believe is a little deceiving. I added corn starch to mine to thicken the sauce.
Diane
Very disappointed in this recipe I expected the sauce to be a thick glaze. The sauce was very thin and not much adhered to the chicken like shown in the pictures. Rethink this recipe. I had to resort wrapping chicken in bacon and pineapple and broiling them to get any crispness.
Gus
This is a simple receipt that tastes great. Will try a little corn starch to help thicken the sauce; however, great flavor and my family devoured them!
Ruthy Kirwan
I’m so sorry to hear that!! I haven’t made these in a while, so I’m going to make them again and see if there’s something I can recommend that can help the sauce come out thicker for you.
Ruthy Kirwan
I’ve never made them ahead of time and reheated, but I’m pretty confident they would work out fine. If you’re nervous, maybe skewer and grill the chicken, then make the sauce separately and then reheat and combine before serving.
Kelly S
Really disappointed in how thin the sauce is! It tastes good, but isn’t making for a good presentation 😢 What did I do wrong?
bb
Can these be made ahead of time and reheated
erik
can these be made ahead of time and reheated?
Ruthy Kirwan
They’re not needed, really- I just added a sprinkle for color and contrast on the photos 🙂 You can definitely add them if you’d like!
BAW
Why isn’t the sesame seeds mentioned In the recipe?
Ruthy Kirwan
Nope! I don’t use anything TOO fancy, but that’s about it. The bourbon I used for this recipe was Maker’s Mark, if I remember correctly.
Alexandria
is there a specific bourbon you use or recommend?!
Wendy szoka
The consistency of the sauce was so thin.. I boiled & boiled the sauce in the hopes it would cook down & never did. The flavor was good but definitely not sticky considering the amount of honey. It was like water. Still an ok flavor after all that but will be looking for a recipe that can actually coat & stick to the meat
Ruthy Kirwan
That’s awesome, so happy to hear you guys liked them! SOO addicting, aren’t they!? Thanks, Claire!
Angela Milnes
These skewers look like they would be such a hit. My family would definitely love this!
Emily
So yummy and the ingredients are simple!
Kristen
This would be perfect for a summer get together! I never tried bourbon chicken before but sounds like I would love it!
Marcie
OMG I want to be eating these right now! Even the name sounds super appetizing!
Claire
These are such a big hit!!!
Everyone loved them and you are right it is impossible to just eat one!
I followed your advice and served individual pieces skewered with a cocktail stick……I am not sure how many I had but I had certainly disposed of quite a few cocktail sticks by the end of the party 😉
susie
What in the sweet heavens is this!!???? These look unbelievably amazing. Especially the last pic with the sauce drizzle! I am saving this recipe for sure!
Britta
I think my husband might die of happiness if I made these for him. 😉 Thanks for the recipe!!
Lisa Huff
Forget the parties, I could eat these for dinner all the time!
Stephanie@ApplesforCJ
I always love an easy appetizer idea. These look perfect for entertaining.
camila
Looks very delicious and simple enough!! Very great recipe!!