Bourbon is great in a cocktail but the flavor is perfect in savory dishes as well. Bonus points for easy access to a little shot of Bourbon while I am cooking, cause why not add a little joy to dinner time. I have been inspired by my meal delivery kits to be more adventurous in my eating and cooking and this dish is inspired by some ginger left over from last weeks meals. Further, I have learned that delicious meals don't need to take a lot of time. This meal is a perfect example of a 30 minute wonder that looks oh so impressive.
My little man will tolerate his activity center for about 15 minutes before he wants to be held or entertained. His nap usually ends right around dinner prep time so that doesn't allow a lot of time for dinner prep. So, whenever possible I like to look for pieces of the dish that I can make ahead so the final meal prep is fast and easy. If you are in the same boat, check out my "Make Ahead Tips" section at the end of the recipe.
Chicken Ingredients:
1 lb of chicken breasts cubed
2 tbsp. Extra Light Olive Oil
1/2 shallot diced
1 tsp ginger minced
5 cloves garlic minced
Pinch red pepper flakes
Bourbon Sauce Ingredients:
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp. bourbon
1 tbsp ketchup
1 tsp white wine vinegar
2 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp corn starch
1/2 tsp white pepper
Rice Ingredients:
1 cup instant white rice
1 cup water
1 tsp ginger minced
Garnish:
Cilantro leaves
Matchstick carrots
Matchstick green peppers
Siracha (optional)
Instructions:
Prepare Bourbon Sauce - Whisk together chicken stock, soy sauce, bourbon, ketchup, white wine vinegar, sugar, corn starch and white pepper. Set aside.
Saute Chicken - Heat oil in skillet over medium high heat. Cook for 4 minutes. Add shallots, ginger, red pepper flakes and garlic and continue cooking for 1 minute stirring. Add Bourbon Sauce and cook until chicken is done and sauce has thickened; approximately 5 minutes.
Prepare Rice - Add water and ginger to sauce pan. Bring water to boil. Add rice, stir and cover. Remove from heat an allow to sit for 5 minutes.
Make Ahead Tips - Items that I prep ahead of time include cubing the chicken and prepping the veggies (garlic, shallots, ginger, peppers, carrots, cilantro leaves). I also like to prep the sauce. Store all of the prepped ingredients in the fridge until time to cook. Even easier, store all in individual small bowls inside a baking dish so you can just pull the dish out when it is time to prep dinner.
Plating - Serve Bourbon Chicken over bowl of rice. Garnish with Cilantro, Carrots and Peppers. Enjoy!