Bourbon Chicken

I have made several variations of the asian-sauce with chicken and rice combination; but none of them have been this good.

Let me put it this way: my husband has declared this to be his favorite meal that I have made for him. He wants me to make it for our friends when they come to dinner. He just said today that he was craving this dish and didn't want to wait for our guests (which is next weekend). I think it is safe to say that this ranks right up there with taco ring.

This recipe is from Melanie, at My Kitchen Cafe. She has an amazing blog and all of her recipes have turned out delicious. This recipe is fantastic and it will definitely not disappoint you! As Melanie said, it is perfectly sweet with a little bit of zing. Served over brown (or white rice or fried rice or lettuce wraps), you can't go wrong.

Bourbon Chicken (Print)
from My Kitchen Cafe
Prep: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

1 to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast* (see review)
4 tablespoons canola oil
cornstarch (optional)
1 clove garlic, pressed or minced
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup apple juice
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce

1. Cut chicken into 1-inch cubes. Heat oil in a large skillet. Dust chicken with cornstarch, if desired. Fry in oil until lightly browned. Watch out for splattering oil! I kept the lid on as much as possible. Drain on paper towels and set aside. Wipe out any excess oil from the skillet.

2. In a small mixing bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Mix well and pour into skillet. Bring to a boil. Add the chicken to the skillet. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes, or until sauce is somewhat thickened.

My Review

• Preparation: 5
• This dish is about 30 minutes from start to finish; great for a busy weeknight!
• Taste: 5
• This is definitely on the top of our favorites list!
• Cost: 4
• The list of ingredients is somewhat long, with a small amount for each ingredient. This is typical of most asian sauces and dishes. The benefit is that they are nonperishable and can be used again in the future.
• Clean-up: 5
• One pan, I like that! Add one more if you make some rice to go with it.
• Changes
• I only had 2 chicken breasts, which I estimated to be about one pound. The original recipe calls for 2 pounds of chicken, but I used the same amount of ingredients for the sauce. This sauce-to-chicken ratio was perfect for my husband and I, as there was some extra sauce for the rice to soak up.
• Summary
• You should make this for dinner tomorrow!