Bourbon chicken is a popular Chinese-American dish that consists of chicken pieces that are coated in a sweet and savory sauce flavored with bourbon whiskey. Despite its name and whiskey-inspired flavor profile, there is often confusion around whether bourbon chicken contains any actual alcohol.
In this article, we’ll take an in-depth look at how bourbon chicken is made, the cooking process, and whether any alcohol remains in the finished dish. We’ll examine the ingredients and methods used in different bourbon chicken recipes to get to the bottom of this question. Read on to learn more about the origins, preparation, and alcohol content of this beloved Chinese takeout staple.
What is bourbon chicken?
Bourbon chicken is a fusion dish that combines American bourbon whiskey with Chinese cooking techniques and seasonings. It likely originated from Chinese restaurants in the United States adapting Southern-style cooking methods that use whiskey or bourbon to flavor meat.
The dish consists of battered and fried chicken pieces that are then coated in a sweet sauce infused with the vanilla, oak, and caramel notes of bourbon. Common seasonings include soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, scallions, and sesame oil. The end result is a dish with a complex, slightly boozy flavor profile that is both savory and sweet.
While it shares a name with the famous American whiskey, bourbon chicken can actually be made with any type of whiskey, rum, brandy or even with non-alcoholic vanilla extracts. Bourbon lends the iconic rich, oaky taste, but vodka, rum or brandy are common subs.
How is bourbon chicken cooked?
There are a few key steps that go into making bourbon chicken:
Marinating the chicken
Most recipes call for boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breast meat to be soaked in a marinade for 30 minutes up to overnight. The marinade often contains seasoning like soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger to impart flavor. Bourbon or whiskey is also commonly added at this stage.
Battering and frying the chicken
After marinating, the chicken pieces are tossed in a batter of flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and pepper. They are then deep fried in oil at 350°F until golden brown and cooked through, about 5-8 minutes depending on the size of the pieces.
Making the bourbon sauce
While the chicken fries, the bourbon sauce can be prepared. The sauce contains broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, spices, and bourbon or whiskey, which gets simmered to allow the flavors to meld. Cornstarch is used to thicken the sauce to a glaze-like consistency.
Tossing the fried chicken in the sauce
Once fried, the chicken pieces are tossed in the bourbon sauce, thoroughly coating each piece. The chicken soaks up the sweet and savory sauce as it’s tossed. Many recipes call for green onions or sesame seeds to garnish the finished dish.
Does the alcohol cook off?
The main question around bourbon chicken is whether the dish contains any residual alcohol, considering it contains bourbon or other spirits both in the marinade and the finishing sauce.
The answer lies in how alcohol reacts when heated.
Alcohol evaporation during cooking
When alcoholic beverages are heated, the alcohol begins to evaporate. The boiling point of ethanol (pure alcohol) is 172°F, which is much lower than water’s 212°F boiling point. This means that alcohol evaporates more quickly than water when heated.
Various cooking methods result in different amounts of alcohol evaporation:
Simmering
Simmering liquids for 15 minutes evaporates about 40% of the alcohol. Bourbon chicken sauces are generally simmered for at least 15 minutes as the sauce ingredients are combined, reducing some of the alcohol.
Baking
Alcohol baked with food evaporates very quickly, especially at temperatures above 300°F. About 85% of alcohol is evaporated after baking or roasting for 45 minutes. Since bourbon chicken is deep fried at 350°F for 5-8 minutes, most surface alcohol gets cooked off.
Flambeing
When spirits are ignited like a flambé, the alcohol burns off almost completely. However, this method isn’t used in bourbon chicken recipes.
Marinating
Marinating involves no heat, so no alcohol evaporates. Bourbon chicken marinades retain the full alcohol content of the spirits added. However, some alcohol does end up getting cooked off later if the marinade is also used as a sauce base.
How much alcohol remains in bourbon chicken?
Given the high heat methods used, a significant percentage of the alcohol in bourbon chicken dissipates as it cooks. However, it is difficult to provide an exact amount.
Studies show some variation in how much alcohol remains in a dish depending on factors like:
– The alcohol proof or ABV of the spirits used. Higher proof equals more alcohol to start with.
– Cooking time. The longer the cook time, the more evaporation.
– Cooking method. Simmering vs. baking vs. flambéing each result in different levels of evaporation.
– How much liquid is in the dish. More liquid means it takes longer to evaporate the alcohol.
– Whether the alcohol is cooked into a sauce or marinade. Alcohol in marinades retains more alcohol as it has not been cooked.
General alcohol retention
Based on various studies of alcohol retention in food, these general guidelines apply to bourbon chicken:
– The marinade likely retains over 90% of the alcohol added, since marinating does not involve heat.
– The cooked sauce retains around 35-45% of the original alcohol added after simmering and tossing the chicken.
– Overall, bourbon chicken likely retains about 25-35% of the total alcohol added in the full recipe after deep frying and sautéing in the cooked sauce.
So while a good amount of alcohol does cook off, there is likely still a measurable amount of alcohol remaining in a finished bourbon chicken dish.
Alcohol content in different bourbon chicken recipes
To provide some examples, here are estimates of the alcohol content in different bourbon chicken recipes:
Bourbon chicken with 2 oz bourbon whiskey in marinade and sauce
– 2 oz bourbon in marinade = 2 oz alcohol retained
– 2 oz bourbon in sauce = 0.7-0.9 oz alcohol retained after cooking
– Total alcohol = 2.7-2.9 oz in finished dish
– 35-40% alcohol retention overall
Bourbon chicken with 1/4 cup vodka in marinade and sauce
– 1/4 cup (2 oz) vodka in marinade = 2 oz alcohol retained
– 1/4 cup (2 oz) vodka in sauce = 0.7-0.9 oz alcohol retained
– Total alcohol = 2.7-2.9 oz in finished dish
– 35-40% alcohol retention overall
Bourbon chicken with 3 Tbsp rum in marinade only
– 3 Tbsp (1.5 oz) rum in marinade = 1.5 oz alcohol retained
– No alcohol added to sauce
– Total alcohol = 1.5 oz in finished dish
– 100% alcohol retention from marinade only
These estimates demonstrate how the specific amounts of alcohol added and how it’s incorporated (marinade vs. sauce) impact the total alcohol level in the final bourbon chicken dish. More alcohol added equals more alcohol retained.
Should you cook with alcohol you wouldn’t drink?
When cooking with spirits, it’s best to use alcohols you enjoy drinking. Avoid cooking with the lowest quality liquors like whiskey or brandy that are too harsh to drink straight.
Since some alcohol does remain even after cooking, the flavor will come through in the dish. Spend a few extra dollars for mid-tier bourbon or rum to bring the best flavor to your food. You’ll taste the difference in the finished bourbon chicken.
Is the alcohol cooked out of bourbon chicken?
In summary, while a significant portion of the alcohol does evaporate when cooking bourbon chicken, there is still measurable alcohol remaining in the dish.
The alcohol is not fully “cooked out” of bourbon chicken. About 25-40% of the alcohol from the marinade and sauce is retained through frying and simmering.
Factors like cooking time, heat level, and alcohol proof impact the exact amounts. But in general, you can expect a moderate amount of alcohol to remain in properly cooked bourbon chicken, giving it its signature flavor.
Should you avoid bourbon chicken if avoiding alcohol?
For those avoiding alcohol for religious, health, or addiction reasons, bourbon chicken may be best avoided.
There are some alternatives:
Use non-alcoholic bourbon flavoring
Some specialty stores sell non-alcoholic bourbon flavoring concentrates that mimic the oaky, vanilla bourbon taste without the alcohol. Substitute this for real bourbon in bourbon chicken.
Skip the marinade
Since marinade retains the highest alcohol content after cooking, you can create an alcohol-free version by skipping an alcoholic marinade. Instead, season your chicken and then toss it directly into the cooked bourbon sauce.
Use other seasonings
Replace the bourbon with broth, apple juice, or vinegar and enhance other seasonings like smoked paprika, onion, maple syrup, molasses, or liquid smoke to mimic bourbon’s rich flavor.
While these adjustments won’t be exactly the same, you can still approximate the complex sweet and savory taste of bourbon chicken without the alcohol.
Conclusion
Bourbon chicken is cooked with alcohol from the bourbon or other spirits added to its marinade and sauce. However, a significant portion (around 60-75%) of the alcohol does evaporate during the cooking process.
The final dish retains an estimated 25-40% of the alcohol originally added. So while not completely alcohol-free, proper cooking does remove most of the alcohol initially included. Those avoiding alcohol can use non-alcoholic substitutes and adjustments to mimic bourbon chicken’s signature flavor profile.
Overall, even cooked bourbon chicken contains moderate amounts of alcohol. But the complex sweet, savory, oaky flavors make it a beloved staple that has stood the test of time, despite its potentially uneasy relationship with alcohol.