Bourbon Chicken | Imamother

Amarante

Tue, Sep 10 2024, 2:08 pm

This was a big hit - not the healthiest but healthier than takeout and I did serve with brown rice and simple steamed veggies. Stir fry veggies would also work well

Bourbon Chicken

Excerpt From: America's Test Kitchen - The Complete Cook's Country TV Show Cookbook

SERVES 4 TOTAL TIME: 40 MINUTES

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Our recipe for Bourbon Chicken—dark meat chicken pieces in a sticky, sweet-savory sauce—was inspired by the one we sampled at Today’s Cajun Seafood in New Orleans. Brown sugar added complex sweetness to our sauce and balanced the soy sauce’s umami. Toasted sesame oil added roasty depth, while minced garlic and grated ginger provided pungent bite. A shot of bourbon imparted aromatic notes of vanilla and caramel. We employed a velveting technique (tossing the bite-size chicken thigh pieces in a combination “of cornstarch and some of the sauce mixture) to ensure tender and juicy chicken and a thick-yet-glossy sauce. Cider vinegar stirred in at the end added brightness.

Use a good-quality soy sauce—such as Kikkoman Soy Sauce—for this recipe. Serve with rice.

½ cup soy sauce
½ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup water
2 tablespoons bourbon
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
½ teaspoon pepper
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoons cider vinegar

1. Combine soy sauce, sugar, water, bourbon, sesame oil, and pepper in 2-cup liquid measuring cup. Microwave until hot, about

2 minutes. Whisk to dissolve sugar. Toss chicken, cornstarch, and 2 tablespoons soy sauce mixture in bowl until thoroughly combined.

2. Heat vegetable oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chicken (skillet will be full) and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes.

3. Stir in garlic, ginger, and remaining soy sauce mixture. Bring to boil and cook until sauce is syrupy and rubber spatula “dragged through it leaves wide trail before filling back in, 6 to 8 minutes. Off heat, stir in vinegar. Serve.

Proper Sauce Reduction

Once all the ingredients have been added to the skillet, it’s important to reduce the sauce so that it clings to the chicken. You’ll know it’s done when it’s dark and syrupy and a rubber spatula dragged through it leaves a wide trail before filling back in.