Jack Daniel's Chicken (Copycat TGI Fridays Recipe)
Description
Easy Jack Daniel's chicken — the TGI Fridays copycat made at home with a sticky, sweet-smoky whiskey glaze. Grill, skillet, oven, or air fryer; juicy every time.
Ingredients
For the Jack Daniel's Glaze
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- ⅓ cup Jack Daniel's, or any Tennessee whiskey / bourbon
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ½ cup packed dark brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
- Pinch of salt
For the Chicken
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, (or 6 thighs)
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil, canola, avocado, or vegetable
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Build the glaze. In a small saucepan, whisk together the pineapple juice, whiskey, soy sauce, brown sugar, water, honey, Worcestershire, garlic, onion powder, cayenne, and salt. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat.
- Reduce it. Lower the heat and simmer 18 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the glaze coats the back of a spoon and has reduced by about half. Set aside about a third in a separate bowl for serving — never reuse glaze that touched raw chicken.
- Prep the chicken. Pat the chicken dry. Pound breasts to an even ½-inch thickness. Rub all over with oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Cook the chicken using any of these four methods:
- Grill: Heat to medium-high. Sear 2 minutes per side, then move to medium heat and cook 4 to 6 minutes per side.
- Skillet: Heat a tablespoon of oil over medium-high. Cook breasts 5 to 6 minutes per side (thighs 6 to 7).
- Oven: Roast at 425°F on a lined sheet pan for 18 to 22 minutes. For more color, finish under the broiler 1 to 2 minutes.
- Air fryer: Cook at 380°F for 10 to 14 minutes, flipping halfway.
- Glaze and finish. In the last 3 to 4 minutes of cooking (for the air fryer, add 2 to 3 minutes after flipping), brush the chicken generously with glaze, turning once or twice to caramelize, until it reaches 165°F internally.
- Rest and serve. Let rest 5 minutes, then drizzle with the reserved glaze and serve.
Equipment
- Baking Pan
- Skillet
Notes
- Most of the alcohol cooks off during reduction. For an alcohol-free version, swap the whiskey for an extra ⅓ cup pineapple juice plus ½ teaspoon vanilla.
- Glaze can be made up to 1 week ahead and refrigerated; loosen with a splash of water when reheating.
- Use a thermometer and pull the chicken at 165°F to keep it juicy.
Nutrition
Serving: 1ServingCalories: 395kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 26gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 72mgSodium: 1007mgPotassium: 623mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 42gVitamin A: 92IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 51mgIron: 2mg