Grilled Bourbon Chicken

Winner, winner, chicken dinner!  This grilled bourbon chicken recipe is by far my best one yet!  The sweet and savory glaze along with the tender chicken thighs make for one amazing treat.  This reminds me of a chicken dish I used to buy at the mall food court as a teen.  Best part of all it’s homemade and super easy to make.  It’s a dish that could be served as an appetizer on a stick, over white rice or stir fry.

Grilled Bourbon Chicken ingredients

Skewer the chicken thighs.

For this recipe, I went with chicken thighs because the meat is fattier and more flavorful.  If you are looking for a leaner cut, chicken breast will work just as well.

Cubed chicken thighs

Slice the chicken thighs into bit size pieces.  Make sure each piece is the same size which will help it cook evenly.  Throw the pieces into a mixing bowl and season with basic ingredients: olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic and onion powders.  You want to keep the seasoning simple as the real flavor will come from the bourbon glaze.

Next, skewer 10-12 chicken cubes onto a skewer and these are ready to hit the grill.

Skewered Chicken Thighs

Side note: if using  wooden skewers, soak them in water so they can absorb the moisture and not burn during the cooking process.  I recommend using metal skewers.  They are reusable and durable.

How to make a bourbon glaze.

Bourbon glaze ingredients

The star of this recipe, the one thing that makes this dish really stand out is the bourbon glaze.  It is hands down my new favorite sauce. In a sauce pan add ketchup, yellow mustard, Tabasco Sriracha, white wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, honey, dark brown sugar, BBQ seasoning and bourbon. The alcohol content will cook off making it safe for children to consume.  All that’s left are the sweet and smokey notes.

Simmer the condiments over low heat, whisking occasionally until the mixture thickens.

Time to grill the chicken thigh skewers.

Grilled chicken skewers

Heat up the grill to 450 degrees and set it up for direct heat.  Place the skewered chicken thighs onto the grates and grill for a total of 5 minutes per side or until the internal temperature of the meat is 175 degrees.

Bourbon glazed chicken skewers

This is not a grilled bourbon chicken recipe without the amazingly delicious bourbon glaze.  Just before you remove the skewers, brush the bourbon glaze all over the chicken and let it caramelize the outer crust. Enjoy!

Printer friendly recipe below:

 

Grilled Bourbon Chicken

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings 2 People

Ingredients
  

Chicken ingredients

  • 1 lb Chicken thighs
  • 1 tbsp Olive oil
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Pepper
  • 1 tsp Garlic powder
  • 1 tsp Onion powder

Bourbon sauce ingredients

  • 1 cup Ketchup
  • 1/2 cup Dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup Bourbon
  • 2 tbsp Yellow mustard
  • 2 tbsp Sriracha
  • 2 tbsp White wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp Honey
  • 1 tbsp BBQ seasoning

Instructions
 

  • Slice the chicken thighs into bit size pieces.  Make sure each piece is the same size which will help it cook evenly.
  • Throw the pieces into a mixing bowl and season with basic ingredients: olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic and onion powders. 
  • Skewer 10-12 chicken cubes onto a skewer.

Bourbon glaze instructions

  • In a saucepan add ketchup, yellow mustard, sriracha, white wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, honey, dark brown sugar, BBQ seasoning and bourbon.
  • Simmer the condiments over low heat, whisking occasionally until the mixture thickens.

Grilled Chicken Instructions

  • Heat up the grill to 450 degrees and set it up for direct heat. 
  • Place the skewered chicken thighs onto the grates and grill for a total of 5 minutes per side or until the internal temperature of the meat is 175 degrees.
  • Brush the bourbon glaze all over the chicken and let it caramelize the outer crust.
  • Remove from grill and enjoy!

 

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