Instant Pot Bourbon Chicken: Perfect For A Lazy Weeknight

Instant Pot Bourbon Chicken is a flavorful chicken dish marinated in a bourbon soy sauce. Ready in 30 minutes, this dish is the perfect family dinner during those busy days!

The perfect meal for a lazy night

The chicken is quickly cooked under pressure and coated with a deliciously sweet and sticky sauce. This is a perfect rotational dish to add to your menu. as it’s full of flavors and a simple Instant Pot chicken recipe to make at home. Give it a try and it will quickly become one of your favorite chicken dishes. I’m sure!

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The dish originated in New Orleans and was named after the popular Bourbon Street. Although this recipe originated in New Orleans, it is very popular at Asian restaurants. I guess due to its distinctive sweet and sticky sauce, it was just natural to join the Asian menu. 

What is Bourbon Chicken?

The dish originated in New Orleans and was named after the popular Bourbon Street. Although this recipe came from the South, it is very popular at Asian restaurants and in malls across America. Due to its distinctive sweet and sticky sauce, it naturally joined the Asian takeout menu and became a popular chicken recipe that many love.

What is the difference between instant pot chicken and instant pot bourbon chicken?

The main difference between regular chicken and bourbon chicken is in the sauce. For the instant pot chicken version, I added some brown sugar to add sweetness and depth to the flavor of the sauce. On top of that, soy sauce and ketchup were added for even more flavor and color. A simple sweet and sticky bourbon chicken sauce is perfect for this reason.

Does Bourbon Chicken Contain Bourbon?

This recipe does call for bourbon, and it is one of the main ingredients that give this meal such a distinctive taste. If you are afraid of using alcohol or don’t want to use this you could substitute it with apple juice. However, please note that the alcohol evaporates as the sauce simmers under pressure. Therefore, the recipe is not alcoholic. If you prefer to substitute it, feel free. It tastes great either way!

Instant Pot Bourbon Chicken Ingredients

You will need the following ingredients to make bourbon chicken:

For the Bourbon Sauce

• 2 tablespoons of sesame oil. Sesame oil is available in most grocery stores and is very healthy for you. It adds a nice subtle flavor to the chicken which makes it even more delicious.
• 2 lbs of Chicken breast. I used chicken breast cut into about 1″ pieces. You can use bigger or smaller pieces if you prefer.
• 4 Cloves garlic minced. You can use more if you want and it still tastes great.
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger minced. Ginger is a root that adds great flavor to this recipe and you should not skip it.
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed pepper flakes. This is optional and you can add less if you don’t want the sauce to be as spicy.
• 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce. You can use regular soy sauce if needed but l prefer low sodium.
• 1/4 cup brown sugar  (packed). This is key to making this sauce taste delicious and the sweetness balances out the strong flavors of the soy and ginger.
• 1/4 cup bourbon. You can substitute this with apple juice if you get a chance to try it. Bourbon chicken tastes great either way!
• 1/2 cup apple juice. Apple juice add’s to the sweetness of the sauce.
• 3 tablespoons ketchup. These are nice to thicken up the sauce a little bit without it becoming too thick or overwhelming.
• 1 tablespoon ketchup. Ketchup is great for adding color, sweetness and flavor.

Cornstarch Slurry Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch. Cornstarch is a great thickener for this recipe. If you don’t have it, try adding some flour to thicken the sauce instead.
• 1/4 cup apple juice (or water). This is great for making the slurry mixture.

Garnish Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon minced green onion for garnish. Very optional but adds a nice flavor to the chicken and makes it look great too!
• Sesame seeds. These add a nice texture and flavor to the chicken.

How to make Instant Pot Bourbon Chicken?

1. Add all the ingredients up to the Cornstarch Slurry to the Instant Pot. Stir to combine.
2. Cook on High Pressure for 5 minutes followed by a 10 Minutes Natural Pressure Release. Release remaining pressure manually.
3. In a small bowl mix the Cornstarch Slurry ingredients until combined.
4. Click on Sauté and add the mixture to the Instant Pot, stir cook for 5-10 minutes, or until the sauce thickens.
5. Serve with rice or noodles and garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.

What to serve with Instant Pot Bourbon Chicken?

This dish is great to serve over white rice, pasta, or mashed potatoes. You can also serve it with steamed veggies, such as broccoli, or a nice cucumber salad on the side. 

We have a great guide for cooking rice in the Instant Pot and it usually only takes around five minutes! Instant pot rice is perfect every time, fluffy, white and delicious.

How to make Instant Pot Keto Bourbon Chicken

Bourbon chicken can make a great keto recipe if you’re on a low carb diet and looking for keto options. In fact you can skip the rice and potatoes and simply enjoy this Instant pot chicken dish with a selection of steamed veggies or as suggested above a delicious cucumber salad.

How to store leftovers?

If you end up with leftovers, you can easily refrigerate for days to come. First, let the dish completely cool down. Then, transfer the chicken to a container, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat prior to serving. 

Recipe Tips:

• I love using chicken breasts and cube them into smaller uniform pieces. Also, you could use boneless chicken thighs. Both work great. 
• As stated above, the alcohol content will evaporate as it cooked under pressure. But if you want to totally avoid it, substitute it with apple juice. 
• Use fresh ginger and garlic for the best flavor. To make it spicier, add some extra red pepper flakes. 

How to make a bourbon chicken breast in the instant pot

You don’t have to use cubed chicken for this recipe. In fact, if you want to cook bourbon chicken breast in the instant pot, you can do so easily. Simply place the chicken breasts at the bottom of your pressure cooker pot. The cooking time is roughly the same as cubed chicken breast.

Is bourbon chicken a healthy recipe?

This recipe makes a great healthy choice as it’s low in calories and fat. Chicken is an excellent meat that’s very lean, which makes it low in fat and calories. Overall this chicken recipe for the instant pot is a great choice! It’s delicious and healthy.

Can I freeze Bourbon Chicken?

Yes, you could make this dish ahead of time and freeze it for up to 3 months. Process the chicken in a zip-top freezer bag or tightly wrapped container, and store in the freezer until use. This is actually one of my favorite ways to meal prep! When I know I’m going to be busy or even unwell, I like to prepare freezer meals for such days.

Can you cook bourbon chicken on the stove top?

Absolutely. If you don’t have a pressure cooker, you can make Bourbon Chicken on the stovetop. To do so, simply follow all the instructions up to where you add the slurry.

Now, instead of pressure cooking on high pressure, use a large saucepan and cover it with a lid. Slowly cook over medium heat for around 12-15 minutes (or until chicken is cooked through). Finally thicken the sauce as directed in step 4.

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If you’re using slow cooker to cook bourbon chicken?

Cooking Bourbon Chicken in a crockpot is really easy. You can follow all the instructions as written, just simply add everything to a slow cooker and cook on low for roughly 4 hours or high for 2 hours. When you’re ready to serve, carefully remove your chicken from the crockpot and thicken the sauce using this cornstarch slurry method

What Other Dishes Can You Make With An Instant Pot?

Instant Pot Creamy Chicken Marsala  – another delicious family favorite recipe. This dish takes only 30 minutes to prepare, and it’s super easy to make.

Instant Pot Pressure General Tso Chicken  – this is a gluten free, low calorie dish that’s also easy to make.

Instant Pot Sweet And Sour Chicken  – a popular takeout dish that you can now easily make at home.

Pressure Cooker Cashew Chicken  – this super easy, yet lip smackingly tasty recipe is a complete winner.

Instant Pot Honey Chicken  – another simple weeknight friendly pressure cooker recipe that tastes just like what you would order at your

Pressure Cooker Pork Chops – one of the most flavorful Instant Pot pork chop recipes you will find

Pressure Cooker Beef and Broccoli  – this easy beef and broccoli stir fry can be ready in just 30 minutes, and it’s much healthier than takeout!

Instant Pot Low-Carb Loaded Cauliflower Soup – Instant Pot makes quick work of this healthy cauliflower soup.

About Angela Milnes

Angela Milnes is a Qualified Early Years Teacher who has specialised in teaching. She has a wealth of experience teaching young children and adults. Angela has also taught cooking classes and loves to share both family recipes and easy instant pot recipes here on The Instant Pot Table. Follow her on Pinterest!