Description

Crockpot Bourbon Chicken is the saucy, caramelized slow cooker dinner that tastes like your favorite restaurant dish. Serve over white rice and your whole family will be hovering around the slow cooker asking when it will be ready.

Ingredients

- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs

- Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

- 1/3 cup bourbon (substitute apple juice or chicken broth for an alcohol-free version that tastes equally incredible)

- 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed (dark brown sugar adds a deeper molasses note if you prefer)

- 3/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce (use tamari for gluten-free)

- 2 cloves garlic, minced

- 2 tablespoons cornstarch

- 3 tablespoons cold water

- Optional garnish: sliced green onions, sesame seeds

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Instructions

Step 1: Season the Chicken

Season the chicken thighs generously with kosher salt and black pepper on both sides. This base seasoning matters even with such a bold sauce

Step 2: Mix the Bourbon Sauce

In a medium bowl, whisk together the bourbon, brown sugar, soy sauce, and minced garlic until the sugar is fully dissolved and the sauce is smooth.

Step 3: Combine in the Slow Cooker

Place the seasoned chicken thighs in the slow cooker in a single layer. Pour the bourbon sauce over every piece, making sure each one is well coated.

Step 4: Cook

Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours or HIGH for 3 hours until the chicken is tender and reaches 165°F internally.

Step 5: Thicken the Glaze

About 30 minutes before serving, whisk the cornstarch and cold water together in a small bowl until smooth. Stir the slurry into the sauce in the slow cooker. Increase to HIGH, cover, and cook 20 to 30 more minutes until the sauce transforms into a thick, glossy, caramelized glaze that coats every piece of chicken beautifully.

Step 6: Serve Over Rice

Pile the saucy chicken over steamed white rice and spoon an extra generous drizzle of that gorgeous glaze over the top. Scatter sliced green onions and sesame seeds across everything and serve immediately.

Notes

The cornstarch thickening step transforms thin cooking liquid into a restaurant-quality glaze — do not skip it.

Use low-sodium soy sauce — 3/4 cup of regular soy sauce makes the dish aggressively salty. Amelia’s Secret: Add 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar and 1 teaspoon Worcestershire to the bourbon mixture before cooking.

It adds a depth that makes the sauce taste like a chef spent hours on it. Apple juice is the best bourbon substitute — it closely mimics the sweetness and subtle tang.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
Category: Dinner, Main Course
Method: Slow Cooker
Cuisine: American, Southern