Description
A sticky, savory, and incredibly forgiving bourbon chicken recipe cooked on a Blackstone griddle. This dish features tender chicken thighs with a rich, amber-colored glaze that balances sweet, salty, and smoky flavors for a restaurant-quality weeknight meal.
Ingredients
- Boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- Neutral oil (avocado or canola)
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Bourbon (mid-range like Maker’s Mark or Buffalo Trace)
- Low-sodium soy sauce
- Apple cider vinegar
- Dark brown sugar
- Fresh minced garlic
- Fresh grated ginger
- Cold butter
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine chicken thighs with a tablespoon of oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Toss to coat and marinate for 15-30 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together half a cup of bourbon, a quarter cup of soy sauce, two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, three tablespoons of brown sugar, one teaspoon of minced garlic, and one teaspoon of grated ginger until sugar is dissolved.
- Preheat the Blackstone griddle on high heat for 10-15 minutes until smoking hot.
- Oil the griddle surface with a thin layer of neutral oil using a paper towel held with tongs.
- Place chicken thighs on the hot griddle. Do not move for 3-4 minutes to develop a golden-brown crust. Flip and cook for another 3-4 minutes until internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Remove to a plate and tent with foil.
- Lower heat to medium. Pour the whisked glaze onto the clean side of the griddle. Bubble and reduce for 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
- Once the sauce thickens to a syrupy consistency, remove the griddle from heat. Whisk in a tablespoon of cold butter until melted and glossy.
- Return the chicken to the griddle and spoon the thickened bourbon sauce generously over each piece. Let sit for a minute to coat thoroughly before serving.
Notes
Sugar burns quickly, so keep the sauce reduction on medium or medium-low heat. If the sauce looks too dark, remove from heat immediately. For a gluten-free version, use tamari instead of soy sauce. For a dairy-free version, omit the butter or use olive/coconut oil. Chicken thighs are recommended over breasts to prevent drying out. Let the chicken rest after cooking to redistribute juices.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken thigh with
- Calories: 450500
- Sugar: 18
- Sodium: 800
- Fat: 25
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 20
- Protein: 35
Keywords: bourbon chicken, blackstone griddle recipe, grilled chicken, bourbon glaze, easy weeknight dinner, chicken thighs, blackstone cooking, savory chicken recipe