Is Bourbon Chicken Keto Friendly? What You Need to Know

December 6, 2025 •

4 min read

Over 5% of American adults have tried the keto diet, seeking low-carb, high-fat meal options. A classic bourbon chicken, typically sweet and sticky, is generally not a keto friendly dish due to its high sugar content.

Quick Summary

Traditional bourbon chicken recipes are too high in sugar and carbs to be considered keto. However, with simple modifications like using keto-friendly sweeteners and thickening agents, a delicious version can be made that fits perfectly into a ketogenic diet.

Key Points

Traditional is not keto: The classic bourbon chicken recipe relies on high-sugar ingredients like brown sugar, honey, and cornstarch, making it unsuitable for a ketogenic diet.
Substitutions are key: You can make bourbon chicken keto friendly by replacing the sugar with alternatives like erythritol or allulose, and using xanthan gum as a thickener.
Bourbon is low-carb: The bourbon itself contains no carbs, as the alcohol is distilled and any alcohol content cooks off during the cooking process.
Control your sauce: The high carb count comes almost entirely from the sweet and sticky sauce. Making a homemade keto sauce is the most effective way to manage carbs.
Serve with low-carb sides: Enjoy your keto bourbon chicken over cauliflower rice, zoodles, or other low-carb vegetables instead of traditional white rice.

Traditional Bourbon Chicken: The Carb Problem

Traditional bourbon chicken, a popular dish with Cajun and Asian influences, derives its signature sweet and sticky flavor from ingredients that are decidedly not keto-friendly. The key culprits in a typical recipe are brown sugar, honey, and high-carb sauces like ketchup or teriyaki. These ingredients load the dish with a significant amount of carbohydrates and sugar, which would quickly kick a person out of ketosis.

For example, a standard recipe might call for a quarter-cup of brown sugar and several tablespoons of apple juice, adding a substantial amount of glucose to the final product. While the bourbon itself is low-carb, as the alcohol cooks off, it's the sugary additions that make the dish problematic for those on a ketogenic diet. Even a seemingly small amount of sugar can push a dieter over their daily carb limit, which is often around 20-50 grams per day for maintaining ketosis.

The Anatomy of a High-Carb Bourbon Chicken Sauce

Brown Sugar and Honey: These are the primary sources of sweetness, and both are pure sugar, contributing significantly to the carb count.
Apple Juice: Often used to add a fruity note, apple juice is loaded with natural sugars.
Ketchup: Many recipes use ketchup as a base, which, unless specifically labeled 'sugar-free', contains high-fructose corn syrup.
Teriyaki Sauce: Similar to ketchup, this sauce is often packed with sugar and modified starches.
Cornstarch: Used as a thickening agent, cornstarch is a pure carbohydrate that can add an extra dose of carbs to the sauce.

Making Bourbon Chicken Keto Friendly: The Right Way

Creating a keto-compliant bourbon chicken is completely achievable by substituting the high-carb ingredients with low-carb alternatives. The core of the dish—the chicken and bourbon—is already a great foundation. The secret lies in reimagining the sweet and sticky sauce using a clever combination of ingredients that mimic the original flavor and texture without the carb load.

Key Keto-Friendly Substitutions

Sweetener: Swap out brown sugar and honey for keto-friendly sweeteners like erythritol, allulose, or monk fruit sweetener. A keto brown sugar alternative can replicate the molasses-like flavor perfectly.
Soy Sauce: Traditional soy sauce can be replaced with coconut aminos or a gluten-free tamari sauce, both of which have lower sugar content.
Thickening Agent: Instead of cornstarch, use xanthan gum or glucomannan. These powders have zero net carbs and are highly effective at thickening sauces with just a small amount.
Flavor Base: Utilize sugar-free ketchup or tomato paste to get the rich base flavor. Apple cider vinegar and bourbon provide the necessary tang and depth.

For example, a keto-friendly bourbon chicken recipe from a site like Hip2Keto demonstrates how easy it is to make these swaps, creating a delicious and compliant meal that even non-keto eaters will enjoy.

A Comparison of Traditional vs. Keto Bourbon Chicken


Feature	Traditional Bourbon Chicken	Keto Bourbon Chicken
Sweetener	Brown sugar, honey, apple juice	Erythritol, monk fruit, allulose
Thickener	Cornstarch	Xanthan gum, glucomannan
Carb Count	High (20+ grams per serving)	Very Low (<5 grams per serving)
Key Flavor	Predominantly sweet	Savory with balanced sweetness
Suitable For	Standard diets, not keto	Ketogenic diet, low-carb lifestyle
Recommended Serving	Often served over white rice	Served over cauliflower rice or low-carb vegetables

Cooking Your Keto-Friendly Bourbon Chicken

Prepare the Chicken: Cut boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts into bite-sized pieces. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
Sear the Chicken: Brown the chicken in a large skillet with a little olive oil or coconut oil until cooked through. Remove and set aside.
Make the Sauce: In the same skillet, whisk together the low-carb substitutes: coconut aminos, sugar-free sweetener, apple cider vinegar, bourbon, ginger, and garlic.
Thicken the Sauce: Bring the mixture to a simmer. In a separate small bowl, create a slurry with xanthan gum and water, then whisk it into the sauce until it thickens to your desired consistency.
Combine and Serve: Return the cooked chicken to the skillet, stirring to coat evenly in the sauce. Simmer for another few minutes to ensure the chicken is coated and heated through. Serve over cauliflower rice, zoodles, or roasted vegetables.

Conclusion

In its traditional form, bourbon chicken is not keto friendly due to the high sugar content in its sauce. However, by making strategic substitutions with low-carb alternatives, a delicious and satisfying keto version can be created that mirrors the classic flavor profile. Swapping high-carb ingredients like brown sugar and cornstarch for keto sweeteners and thickeners is the key to enjoying this meal while staying in ketosis. This allows individuals to enjoy a restaurant-style comfort food without compromising their low-carb goals.

Visit the Hip2Keto website for a recipe example that fits a ketogenic lifestyle.

Frequently Asked Questions

Classic bourbon chicken is not keto friendly because its sauce is made with high-sugar ingredients such as brown sugar, honey, and apple juice, which are too high in carbohydrates to be consumed on a ketogenic diet.

Yes, you can use real bourbon. Distilled spirits like bourbon have zero carbs. The alcohol evaporates during the cooking process, leaving behind its distinct flavor without affecting your carb count.

For a keto-friendly sauce, you can use erythritol, monk fruit sweetener, or allulose in place of brown sugar. Some brands also offer specific 'keto brown sugar' alternatives.

For a low-carb alternative to serve with bourbon chicken, cauliflower rice is a perfect choice. You can also use other low-carb options like zoodles (zucchini noodles) or steamed broccoli.

Yes, making a keto version at home is quite simple. It primarily involves swapping out the high-sugar ingredients for low-carb sweeteners and thickening agents, which can be found in many keto-focused recipes.

To thicken your keto bourbon chicken sauce without cornstarch, use a small amount of xanthan gum or glucomannan. These zero-carb thickeners are very potent and require only a small amount to achieve the desired consistency.

It is highly unlikely that a restaurant's bourbon chicken is keto friendly, as it will almost certainly contain high amounts of sugar and starches. It's best to prepare a keto-specific recipe at home to ensure it is low-carb.