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Pineapple Bourbon Chicken

Pineapple bourbon chicken is a skillet chicken dinner with glossy, sticky thigh pieces coated in a deep amber bourbon-pineapple glaze. The sauce simmers, thickens with cornstarch, then clings to chicken with caramelized edges and pineapple chunks throughout.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 680
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 1.5 lb boneless chicken thighs Cut into bite-size pieces.
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • salt and black pepper Season the chicken generously.
Bourbon Pineapple Sauce
  • 1 cup pineapple juice
  • 0.25 cup bourbon
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp ketchup
  • 2 garlic cloves Minced.
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger Grated.
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch Mixed with water to make a slurry.
  • 2 tbsp water For the cornstarch slurry.
To serve
  • pineapple chunks For serving in the sauce.
  • green onions Chopped, for garnish.
  • sesame seeds For garnish.
  • rice Serve over rice (use as needed).

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook and caramelize the chicken
  1. Season the chicken thighs with salt and black pepper, then heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook the chicken for 5–6 minutes, turning occasionally, until cooked through and golden, then remove and set aside.
Simmer the bourbon pineapple sauce
  1. In the same pan, combine pineapple juice, bourbon, soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, garlic, and fresh ginger. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat.
  2. Simmer the sauce for 5 minutes, keeping it at a steady simmer so the flavors meld. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and continue cooking until the sauce thickens and turns sticky, 1–2 minutes.
Glaze, finish, and serve
  1. Return the cooked chicken to the thickened sauce and toss to coat thoroughly. Add pineapple chunks and cook for 2 more minutes so the glaze clings and becomes glossy.
  2. Serve the sticky bourbon chicken over rice and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.

Notes

Pro tip: use bite-size chicken pieces so they brown quickly and stay juicy while the glaze reduces. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat in a skillet with a splash of water to loosen the glaze. Freezing is not recommended because the pineapple and sauce texture can soften after thawing. For a low-sugar swap, replace the brown sugar with a 1:1 brown sugar substitute suitable for sauces and keep simmer time the same.