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Mall-Style Bourbon Chicken with Egg Fried Rice

By Matt Price

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Oct 04, 2026

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This mall-style bourbon chicken brings back the food-court flavor: juicy chicken thighs with deeply browned edges and a sweet, savory, glossy sauce. You can make it at home for less, and the quick egg fried rice is the perfect side.

Why this bourbon chicken works

Boneless chicken thighs stay juicy while a quick sear builds the caramelized edges I remember from the mall. Brown sugar, soy sauce, apple juice and a little vinegar balance the sauce. A touch of browning deepens the color; bourbon is optional.

Ingredients

Chicken and marinade

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
• 1½ teaspoons each grated garlic and grated ginger
• ¼ cup chopped scallion
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon browning sauce
• ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
• ½ cup apple juice
• All-purpose seasoning and chicken bouillon powder, to taste
• Olive or avocado oil, for searing

Bourbon chicken sauce

• 1½ teaspoons each grated garlic and grated ginger
• ¼ cup ketchup
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• ¼ cup apple juice
• ¼ cup chicken broth
• ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
• ½ cup brown sugar
• A little browning sauce, for color
• All-purpose seasoning and chicken bouillon powder, to taste
• 1 shot bourbon, optional
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water

How to make bourbon chicken

1. Combine the marinade ingredients. Toss with the chicken and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
2. Whisk together the sauce ingredients except the bourbon and cornstarch slurry.
3. Heat a little oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Lift chicken from the marinade and sear in batches, leaving space between pieces, until well browned. Transfer to a plate.
4. Pour a small amount of the used marinade into the pan to loosen the browned bits; add the bourbon if using. Bring to a full boil, then add the sauce and simmer for several minutes. Never serve marinade that touched raw chicken without boiling it thoroughly.
5. Whisk the cornstarch with cold water, then stir the slurry into the simmering sauce. Return the chicken to the pan and cook until the sauce is glossy and the chicken reaches 165°F in the center.

Optional egg fried rice

This is a separate side dish. Day-old, chilled rice gives the best texture.

• 2 cups cooked, chilled white rice
• 2 eggs
• Onion, garlic and green onion, chopped
• Peas and carrots, as desired
• 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter (butter optional)
• ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1–2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• A few dashes sesame oil
• All-purpose seasoning and chicken bouillon or MSG, to taste

Mix the soy sauces, hoisin, sesame oil and seasonings. Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet or wok. Cook the onion, garlic, green onion, peas and carrots; scramble the eggs in the pan. Add the chilled rice, break up clumps and toss with the sauce until hot throughout. Serve beside the bourbon chicken.

Tips for the best results

• Use chicken thighs for a juicier result. Chicken breast works too, but watch it closely so it does not dry out.
• Do not crowd the skillet. Browning is the key to that food-court-style flavor.
• The bourbon is optional. Leave it out if you prefer; the sauce still has plenty of flavor.
• If the sauce gets too thick, loosen it with a splash of chicken broth or apple juice.

Mall-Style Bourbon Chicken

Matt Price

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Servings 6

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Chicken and marinade:

• ▢ 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-size pieces
• ▢ 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon browning sauce
• ▢ ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
• ▢ ½ cup apple juice
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoon garlic grated
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoon ginger grated
• ▢ ¼ cup scallion chopped
• ▢ All-purpose seasoning to taste
• ▢ Chicken bouillon powder to taste
• ▢ Olive or avocado oil for searing

Sauce:

• ▢ ¼ cup ketchup
• ▢ ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• ▢ ¼ cup apple juice
• ▢ ¼ cup chicken broth
• ▢ ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
• ▢ ½ cup brown sugar
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoon garlic and ginger each, grated
• ▢ Browning sauce to taste
• ▢ All-purpose seasoning to taste
• ▢ Chicken bouillon powder to taste
• ▢ 1 shot bourbon optional
• ▢ 2 tablespoon cornstarch
• ▢ 2 tablespoon cold water

Instructions

 

• Combine marinade ingredients and toss with the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
• Whisk together the sauce ingredients except the bourbon, cornstarch and cold water.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Lift chicken from marinade and sear in batches until deeply browned; transfer to a plate.
• Add a small amount of the used marinade to the skillet to deglaze, then add bourbon if using. Bring to a full boil; add the sauce and simmer several minutes. Because the marinade touched raw chicken, it must boil thoroughly before serving.
• Stir the cornstarch and cold water together. Pour into the simmering sauce, then return chicken to the pan. Cook until sauce is glossy and chicken reaches 165°F in the center.

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