Instant Pot Bourbon Chicken

The whole family will love this instant pot honey bourbon chicken! It's a delicious recipe with tender chicken and sticky sauce that's perfect any night of the week.

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

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Instant Pot Bourbon Chicken can now easily be made in your very own Instant Pot! This boozy chicken dish is bursting with rich Chinese-inspired ingredients, marinating the chicken to fork-tenderness in under 30 minutes.

Instant Pot Bourbon Chicken topped with green onions in a gray bowl, next to a black and white towel.

When it comes to making wholesome family meals without the stress of unending hours spent in the kitchen, nothing quite beats the convenience of an Instant Pot. While I love most Instant Pot recipes (whether sweet or savory), this honey and bourbon chicken is definitely one of our favorite Easy Instant Pot Meals!

So if you’ve found yourself in a dinner rut or just need a little inspiration, keep reading on for a winner-winner chicken dinner!

❤️ Why You’ll Love Our Recipe

Honey Bourbon Chicken is an amazing weeknight dinner that’s easy to whip up in under 30 minutes thanks to the Instant Pot!
It’s a restaurant-quality dish without the restaurant prices!
You can easily double the recipe if you anticipate feeding a crowd.
Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days – allowing you to enjoy a ready-made meal later in the week.
The alcohol content is minimal and mostly burnt off during cooking, making this dish appropriate for all ages.

Ingredients

This is meant to be a brief overview of the Instant Pot Bourbon Chicken recipe. For step-by-step instructions and a full printable recipe card with ingredients, please scroll down to the teal box below.

Chicken thighs
Oil
Bourbon
Soy sauce
Honey
Barbecue sauce
Minced garlic
Cornstarch
Water
Green onions

Top down views of an Instant Pot before and after making bourbon chicken.

Ang’s Recipe Tips

Cut the chicken into uniform sizes so that they cook evenly.

Be careful where you place your instant pot, keeping in mind where the steam will vent.

If the sauce is too thick for you, add in some broth or water at the end till you achieve the consistency you desire.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some questions (and answers!) readers often ask about making Instant Pot Bourbon Chicken.

How is an Instant Pot Different from a Crock-Pot?

An Instant Pot is an electric pressure cooker that cooks food quickly under controlled pressure settings in the pot while a Crock-Pot is a slow cooking food appliance, heating food over an extended time (for example, 8-10 hours), allowing you to set it in the morning and come home to a meal ready to be enjoyed!

What does honey bourbon chicken taste like?

Thanks to the honey and bourbon, this dish is sweet and slightly sticky with a rich smoky bourbon flavor while not being overpowering at all! Additional ingredients in the marinade such as the soy and barbecue sauce pair beautifully with the honey and bourbon with their sweet and salty contributions.

Why is it called bourbon chicken?

While most initially think that this dish is named after the whiskey added to the ingredients, this dish itself actually originates from local restaurants along Bourbon Street in New Orleans, Louisiana, which is why it’s referred to as “bourbon” chicken. Whether it’s a happy coincidence that this dish also includes bourbon whiskey or was intentional makes no difference to the fact that it’s extremely popular due to such great flavor!

Is Bourbon Chicken kid-safe?

Absolutely! As with most alcohol used in recipes, the bourbon’s alcohol content is burnt off during the cooking process while the rich bourbon flavor remains. It’s certainly not going to make anyone feel light-headed or dizzy and is child-appropriate.

What can I substitute for bourbon?

If you don’t enjoy bourbon or you’d prefer not to include any form of alcohol in your meals, simply remove the bourbon and replace it with apple juice or broth (vegetable or chicken). The substitution will alter the taste of this dish somewhat but it’ll certainly still be delicious.

What does quick-release pressure do?

Quick-release pressure allows you to release the steam in the pot quickly at the point that the cooking time is complete. You’ll notice pressured steam will be released through the pressure release value which is why it’s important to keep your face away and keep it out of reach of children. It should sit in an area of your kitchen that won’t be affected by the release of steam.

Variations

We recommend that you try our honey bourbon chicken recipe for the first time just as it is written for the best results because that is how the recipe has been tested.

However, the next time you make it, you might consider one of these different ways of making this great recipe.

For an alcohol-free recipe, use apple juice or broth (vegetable or chicken) instead of the bourbon.
If you don’t own an Instant Pot then use your slow cooker or crock pot. First, brown your chicken pieces in a pan, add all ingredients to the slow cooker, and set on LOW for 2-3 hours, adding your cornstarch in the last 20 minutes to thicken the sauce.
Add in some red chili flakes or cayenne pepper for a kick of heat to your dish.
For a little kick, add a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Substitute brown sugar for the honey.

Top down view of Instant Pot Bourbon Chicken in a bowl over rice. — *Easy Weeknight Meal: There’s nothing like tender bourbon chicken on a bed of rice!*

Serving Suggestions

Honey bourbon chicken is typically enjoyed with a serving of freshly steamed rice (either white or brown). It’s also delicious with jasmine rice. This easy dinner pairs well with the following side dishes:

Oven Roasted Broccoli
Cauliflower rice or Mashed Cauliflower (as a low-carb option)
Fried rice
Mashed potatoes
An assortment of Grilled Vegetables.
Citrus Rice