It’s likely that someone gave you a free sample of Bourbon chicken while you were at a mall food court minding your own business. If you’ve ever wondered where the bourbon is in the chicken or where it got its name, you’ve come to the right place.
Have you ever walked through a mall food court, minding your own business, when a piece of chicken on a toothpick is held enticingly in your path? It was probably Bourbon Chicken. The reason it’s used for samples? It’s sticky, sweet, and irresistible. We suggest you skip the mall and satisfy your mall food court cravings at home instead.
You’ve come to the right place if you want to know if it has bourbon in it or how it got its name. We have all the juicy details of this bold, American chicken dish.
A lot of Chinese-Americans love bourbon chicken, and over the years it’s become almost like a cult favorite. A sticky, sweet, and salty sauce coats juicy chicken pieces. It’s easy to see why so many people love this unusual flavor mix. But what is it about bourbon chicken that makes it so addicting? Let’s look at it.
A Blend of Savory, Sweet and Smoky Flavors
The hallmark of any good bourbon chicken is the sauce – it strikes the perfect balance of savory, sweet and smoky flavors. Typically, the sauce contains soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and bourbon whiskey
The soy sauce provides a rich, umami backbone. The brown sugar adds a lovely caramel sweetness that plays off the savoriness of the soy. Garlic and ginger provide a spicy, aromatic depth. And the bourbon? Well, that’s the secret ingredient that gives bourbon chicken its signature smoky essence and depth of flavor.
It’s this blend of complementary flavors – the sweet balancing the salty, the savory enhanced by the smoky – that makes every bite of bourbon chicken so craveable. The sauce adheres nicely to the chicken, ensuring you get juicy, saucy pieces in each mouthful.
Crispy, Tender Chicken Pieces Soak Up the Sauce
Along with the famous sauce, the chicken is a big part of what makes bourbon chicken so good. These days, chicken is cooked so that the inside stays moist and tender while the outside gets crispy.
Frying or baking the chicken pieces creates a nice contrast between the crispy exterior coating and the juicy meat inside. This textural variety makes the experience of eating bourbon chicken even more appealing.
The crunchy coating also helps the chicken soak up the tasty sauce even better. Each bite has soft, juicy chicken and a sticky, flavorful sauce that goes well with it—a perfect match of tastes.
A Balance of Sweet and Savory APPEALS to the Palate taste preferences naturally gravitate toward a combination of flavors rather than a single dominant taste. This is why dishes that balance sweet, salty, sour and bitter tastes often taste the best to us.
Bourbon chicken nails this balance exquisitely. The sweet brown sugar takes the edge off of the salty soy sauce and umami flavors. No single taste overpowers the others. This allows all the flavors to complement each other beautifully.
The overall effect is a dish that provides diverse flavors in harmony, hitting all the right notes on your palate. This combination of tastes caters perfectly to our taste predilections, making bourbon chicken a universally crowd-pleasing dish.
Appealing Texture Contrasts Add Interest
Beyond flavor, the contrasts in texture also make bourbon chicken such a hit. The crispy outside and tender meat offer varying textures in the chicken itself. But the sauce adds another dimension.
As the sauce saturates the chicken, it transforms from a sticky glaze to a smooth, lush coating around the meat. This sauce provides a lovely viscous texture that plays off the chicken’s crunch.
The soft grains of rice or noodles served alongside provide yet another texture. This variety of textures in each bite keeps your mouth interested and makes eating bourbon chicken a dynamic experience.
A Dish With Many Customizable Elements
One of the great things about bourbon chicken is how customizable it is to suit different tastes. Don’t like it too sweet? Cut back on the brown sugar. Want more heat? Add more garlic, ginger and chili. You can also switch up the protein – try making it with shrimp, tofu or vegetables.
The core sauce flavors can be adapted endlessly. This versatility makes it easy to put your own spin on the classic dish. You can tweak and balance the flavors to create a version of bourbon chicken perfectly suited to your palate.
Satisfying Comfort Food Qualities
At its heart, bourbon chicken is feel-good comfort food. The sauce provides a nostalgic flavor reminiscent of Chinese takeout. The chicken offers hearty, protein-rich satisfaction. And the rice or noodles provide satisfying carbs.
When you’re seeking the warm, familiar comfort of a hearty meal, bourbon chicken delivers. It’s simple, familiar and tasty – the trifecta of comfort food qualities. Add some vegetable sides, and you have a balanced, wholesome and soul-warming meal perfect for any cozy night in.
Ease of Preparation Is a Plus
Compared to some elaborate Chinese dishes, bourbon chicken is fairly simple to prepare at home. The sauce only requires a few standard pantry ingredients. Frying or baking the chicken is straightforward.
With just a handful of ingredients and some easy cooking techniques, you can whip up restaurant-worthy bourbon chicken in your own kitchen. This simplicity makes it an accessible dish for home cooks of all levels.
The ease of preparation means you can enjoy those craveable bourbon chicken flavors anytime the mood strikes. No need to wait for a special occasion or order takeout – just head to your kitchen.
Bourbon Chicken Brings People Together
While it may have originated in Chinese-American cuisine, bourbon chicken has become a broadly beloved dish across cultures. It’s frequently served at parties, potlucks and other social gatherings. The crowd-pleasing flavors and simple preparation make it a hit at family dinners too.
There’s just something warm and communal about polishing off a pan of sticky bourbon chicken with your loved ones. It’s a meal that brings people together. The enjoyment is only enhanced when you can look around and see the bliss on everyone’s faces as they devour this uniquely flavorful dish.
So there you have it – a closer look at all the elements that make bourbon chicken so universally craved and adored. It’s the magical blend of tastes, textures, preparation ease, customizability and communal appeal that make this such a satisfying dish to indulge in. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a sudden craving for some bourbon chicken!
Where and How to Buy Bourbon Chicken Seasoning Mix
If you head to your local supermarket, you might be able to find a mix for bourbon chicken. If you strike out, your best bet is to make your own spice blend.
If you want to make it incredibly easy on yourself, your best bet is to get our Bourbon Chicken Spice & Easy — you might as well stock up and save a little money with the 3-pack! This Meal Starter Spice Mix has everything you need to get started on the signature dish. If you’d rather view the Spice & Easy blends in person, our store locator feature can guide you to where you can view our products on the shelves.
What is Bourbon Chicken?
Bourbon Chicken. A Spice & Easy with a sweet personality and a smoky past. Also, a misleading name because spoiler: there is no bourbon in it. Bourbon Street, in the heart of the historic French Quarter, is known for its colorful nightlife, celebrated restaurants, live jazz, and legendary parties. It was here, legend says, that a Chinese chef developed a sticky, sweet, and smoky sauced chicken that blended Asian flavor favorites like ginger and sesame with classic Cajun characters like white and black pepper, tomatoes, and garlic. Add a touch of honey sweetness and hickory smoke and you have Savory’s elevated take on the fusion cuisine that is currently being sampled at a mall food court near you.
FOOD COURT BOURBON CHICKEN | $10 MEALS #bourbonchicken
FAQ
Does bourbon chicken actually contain bourbon?
This recipe isn’t booze forward despite the name. It’s safe for kids to eat because the alcohol in the bourbon cooks off completely in the sauce. But if you’re worried or don’t have any bourbon on hand, you can use 1/4 cup of hoisin sauce instead.
What does bourbon chicken taste like?
Bourbon chicken usually has a sticky texture and tastes sweet, savory, and slightly sour. There are also hints of spice and smoke. It combines flavors reminiscent of both Chinese-American and Southern-American cuisine. Sweet notes come from things like brown sugar and maybe even honey. Savory notes come from soy sauce, ginger, and garlic. The tanginess can be attributed to apple cider vinegar or other similar ingredients in the sauce.
Is bourbon chicken healthy for you?
A regular serving of Bourbon Chicken has a whopping 726 calories, 25 grams of fat and a shocking 2144 mg of sodium. My recipe is served over healthy brown rice as opposed to the usual white. Now you can enjoy every bite of this decadent meal guilt-free!
What culture is bourbon chicken from?
What is Bourbon Chicken? Bourbon chicken is a New Orleans-inspired Chinese dish. Go figure! It gets its name after Bourbon Street in the city and the whiskey in the recipe. It’s a popular take-out dish consisting of small pieces of chicken cooked in a glossy sweet-and-savory sauce that’s a lot like teriyaki.