Baked chicken thighs in a sticky, sweet, and tangy BBQ sauce flavored with peach preserves and a splash of Bourbon. This simple seasonal recipe will be a hit at your next summer gathering.
This recipe for Peach and Bourbon BBQ Chicken has been on repeat here in my house. Everyone loves it, and it’s crazy simple to make (which is what I love!)
Some recipes for BBQ chicken have you creating a homemade BBQ sauce, which can be a little tedious and certainly will require a long(er) list of ingredients. If you have the time and the desire, go for it. But if you are looking for a shortcut-this one is for you.
All we need to do to make this BBQ chicken “next level” is your favorite store-bought BBQ sauce and elevate it with the addition of some aromatics (onion and garlic), a splash of your favorite Bourbon, and peach preserves.
Ingredients for Peach and Bourbon BBQ Chicken
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs: You could also use bone-in and skin-on. The cooking time in the oven would change to about 50–60 minutes, though.
- Butter: to sauté the onions
- Onion: I chopped up half of a sweet white onion
- Garlic: about 3 cloves, you could use more or less depending on preference
- Peach preserves: any jar of store-bought or homemade will work.
- Bourbon: use one you would also like to drink!
- BBQ sauce: I have used a traditional sweet-flavored BBQ sauce in this recipe, I know some can be a bit more Vinegar based like a Carolina BBQ sauce. It’s just personal preference.
- Worcestershire sauce: To balance the additional sweetness from the peach preserves.
- Water : just a touch to let the ingredients mix together, as well as used to combine with cornstarch to thicken
- Cornstarch: To thicken the BBQ sauce after the chicken is baked.
- Salt and pepper: to season the raw chicken
How to Make Peach and Bourbon BBQ Chicken
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
Heat 1 tbsp butter in a heavy ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Place half the chicken thighs top side down into the pan. Brown on one side, then remove to a plate and repeat until all chicken is browned.
Melt the remaining tbsp of butter in skillet. Add onions to pan. Cook until translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Deglaze with Bourbon, scraping the bottom of the pan, and allowing Bourbon to reduce for a minute or two. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Pour in barbecue sauce, peach preserves, water, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir until combined, then return chicken to the skillet top side up and place in oven.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until an internal temperature of 165 degrees is reached.
Remove skillet from oven and return to stove top. Remove chicken from BBQ sauce, set aside on the place. Turn heat on low to bring BBQ sauce to simmer. In small mixing bowl combine 1 tbsp of cornstarch and 1 tbsp of water. Add to BBQ sauce and whisk to incorporate. This will thicken the sauce.
Remove from heat and return chicken to thickened BBQ sauce. Serve warm.
Peach and Bourbon BBQ Chicken
Ingredients
- 6 Boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tbsp butter
- ½ sweet white onion chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic
- ½ cup peach preserves
- ⅓ cup bourbon
- ¾ cup BBQ sauce
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ cup water plus 1 tbsp
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
- Heat 1 tbsp butter in a heavy ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Place half the chicken thighs top side down into the pan. Brown on one side, then remove to a plate and repeat until all chicken is browned.
- Melt the remaining tbsp of butter in skillet. Add onions to pan. Cook until translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Deglaze with Bourbon, scraping the bottom of the pan, and allowing Bourbon to reduce for a minute or two. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Pour in barbecue sauce, peach preserves, water, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir until combined, then return chicken to the skillet top side up and place in oven.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until an internal temperature of 165 degrees is reached.
- Remove skillet from oven and return to stove top. Remove chicken from BBQ sauce, set aside on the place. Turn heat on low to bring BBQ sauce to simmer. In small mixing bowl combine 1 tbsp of cornstarch and 1 tbsp of water. Add to BBQ sauce and whisk to incorporate. This will thicken the sauce.
- Remove from heat and return chicken to thickened BBQ sauce. Serve warm.
