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Sliced brown sugar bourbon marinated chicken on a plate.
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Brown Sugar Bourbon Chicken Marinade Recipe

Brown sugar bourbon chicken marinade is a quick 7-ingredient chicken marinade that tenderizes the chicken and adds sweet, savory flavor with less than 5 minutes of prep.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 2 servings
Calories 754kcal
Author Kate @ I Heart Eating

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 cup fresh orange juice
  • ½ cup brown sugar packed
  • ¼ cup bourbon
  • ¼ cup lite soy sauce
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon minced onion
  • 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
  • 1-1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breast

Instructions

Marinade

  • Stir together the orange juice, brown sugar, bourbon, soy sauce, garlic, onion, and ginger in a medium bowl.
    1 cup fresh orange juice, ½ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup bourbon, ¼ cup lite soy sauce, 3 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon minced onion, 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
  • Add chicken and marinade to desired container.
    1-1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
  • Let chicken sit in marinade, covered in the fridge, for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 days.

Grill

  • Preheat grill to medium high heat and lightly grease the grates.
  • Remove the chicken from the marinade, and let the excess marinade drip off.
  • Discard remaining marinade.
  • Grill chicken until chicken reaches 165F. The grilling time will vary depending on thickness of the chicken.
  • Remove chicken from grill, and tent loosely with foil.
  • Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Oven

  • Preheat oven to 425 F.
  • Add the chicken and marinade to a baking dish. An 11×7-inch dish works well for 1-1.5 pounds of chicken.
  • Bake for 10 minutes.
  • Flip the chicken over, and continue to cook for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken registers 165F.
  • Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Slow Cooker

  • Add the chicken and marinade to the slow cooker insert.
  • Cover and cook on low for 3-5 hours, or until chicken registers 165 F.

Notes

  • Orange juice: Can use a good-quality premade OJ if can’t use fresh orange juice. 
  • Bourbon: Or an equal amount of apple juice.
  • Ginger: Or 1/4 teaspoon dried ginger.
  • Nutrition values are estimates and do not account for discarded marinade. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 754kcal | Carbohydrates: 74g | Protein: 77g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 218mg | Sodium: 2035mg | Potassium: 1709mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 68g | Vitamin A: 351IU | Vitamin C: 68mg | Calcium: 94mg | Iron: 3mg