Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Add the chicken
- Place the bite-sized chicken thighs into the slow cooker in an even layer.
Make the bourbon sauce
- Whisk bourbon, soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, minced garlic, grated ginger, and red pepper flakes together until the brown sugar dissolves and the mixture looks uniform.
- Pour the sauce over the chicken so the pieces are coated, then press gently to help some sauce reach the bottom.
Slow-cook until tender
- Cook on low for 4–5 hours or on high for 2–3 hours until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the center, stirring once if needed for even cooking.
Thicken and glaze
- Whisk cornstarch and cold water together until smooth, then stir it into the slow cooker.
- Cook on high for 15–20 minutes until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy, bubbling at the edges when you look through the lid.
Serve
- Serve the bourbon chicken over cooked white rice and garnish with sesame seeds and green onions so they sit on top of the mahogany sauce.
Notes
For the best glossy sauce, whisk the cornstarch slurry until fully smooth before adding—lumps won’t disappear in the slow cooker. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 4 days; reheat on the stovetop or microwave until steaming. Freezing is not recommended because the sauce texture can change after thawing. For a lower-sugar swap, use a packed brown-sugar substitute or reduce to 3 tbsp brown sugar and expect a slightly thinner sauce.