We live about 30 minutes from an outlet mall, which means we end up there a little more often than we should. And every single trip, without fail, Becca makes a beeline for the Chinese place in the food court because she loves their bourbon chicken. I’ve even made special trips to the mall just to pick up a bowl — it’s that good.
After trying too many recipes online that didn’t quite hit the mark (most are closer to New Orleans–style bourbon chicken or taste more like BBQ), I got determined. After plenty of trial and error, tasting, tweaking, and testing again, I finally came up with a version that tastes almost identical to our favorite food court version. Close enough that we stopped buying it at the mall altogether!
If your family is like ours, your bourbon chicken fans probably sit right next to the General Tso’s fans — so if you love both, be sure to check out my homemade General Tso’s copycat, as well as my easy Homemade Egg Rolls.
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Below, I’ll walk you through each step with photos, but if you’re in a hurry, just scroll to the full recipe card at the bottom.
How to Make Food Court–Style Bourbon Chicken
1. Prep the Chicken
Cut boneless, skinless chicken thighs into 1-inch pieces, trimming away any excess fat or skin. Thighs give you that authentic food court texture and juiciness, but chicken breast works in a pinch.
2. Mix the Sauce
In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, bourbon (or apple juice), water, garlic, vinegar, ginger, pepper, and brown sugar. Set aside — this is the magic that gives the chicken its signature glossy, caramelized coating.
3. Brown the Chicken
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes until the juices evaporate and the chicken starts to brown.
4. Add the Sauce
Pour the bourbon mixture over the chicken and stir well. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes. Don’t rush this step — it cooks off the alcohol and concentrates the flavor.
5. Thicken the Sauce
Stir in a cornstarch slurry (cornstarch mixed with cold water). The sauce will thicken quickly. If it doesn’t, just mix up a little more slurry and add it in.
6. Serve
Spoon the saucy chicken over warm rice and enjoy that classic mall food court flavor right at home.
Food Court Bourbon Chicken (Copycat Recipe)
Serves: 8
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
This easy copycat recipe tastes just like the bourbon chicken served at mall food courts — sweet, savory, sticky, and incredibly tender. It may not be authentic Chinese food, but it is delicious.
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- ⅓ cup bourbon (or another brown whiskey; apple juice or cranberry juice also work)
- ½ cup water
- 1 Tbsp rice vinegar (or white wine vinegar, or regular white vinegar)
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 3 Tbsp cold water
Instructions
- Cut chicken thighs into 1-inch pieces and trim excess fat.
- In a small bowl, mix ginger, pepper, soy sauce, bourbon (or juice), water, garlic, vinegar, and brown sugar. Set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook 8–10 minutes, stirring every 1–2 minutes until browned.
- Pour in the sauce mixture and stir well. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
- Add the cornstarch mixture and stir briskly until the sauce thickens.
- Serve hot over rice.
Recipe Notes
- No whiskey? No problem. Apple juice creates a very similar flavor.
- If using juice instead of bourbon, reduce the brown sugar slightly.
- Chicken breasts may be substituted, but thighs give the most authentic texture.