Coca Cola Chicken Wings Recipe (2024)

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Coca Cola Chicken Wings Recipe (1)

by: Judy

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You don’t hear many murmurs about Coca Cola Chicken Wings in the States these days, but it was all the rage among Asians in the early 1990s. These days, when I sit down to watch my trashy Chinese soap operas, they still write in scenarios of kids requesting Coca Cola Chicken Wings from their parents in intense anticipation of a yummy meal–it’s definitely a reward and incentive!

I tried to find some fun facts about this dish, like who invented it, but I think the jury is still out. Some of the (obvious and not that helpful) contenders cited are the Chinese, the Taiwanese, and the Americans. Provenance aside, one thing that I’m sure of is that these wings are finger-lickin’ good, and I do not use that term lightly.

But you’ve seen the photos, so you knew that.

Coca Cola Chicken Wings Recipe (3)

Perhaps more important is the elephant in the room–we all know that soda is not good for your health. Under normal circ*mstances, soda is not found in my household at any time. Think of these Coca Cola Chicken Wings as a once-in-a-while treat–kind of like fried chicken or hotdogs. Moreover, this is not an endorsem*nt for Coca-Cola! Any cola will do in this recipe.

So if you were born after the 90’s (or don’t remember much from the 90’s), think of this recipe as a piece of history. Invite a bunch of friends and give this recipe a try so you can see what all the hoopla is about AND save yourself from taking down a batch of Coca-Cola Chicken Wings all by yourself.

Coca Cola Chicken Wings Recipe (4)

Coca Cola Chicken Wings: Recipe Instructions

Wash and clean the chicken wings. Cut the wings at the joint, and pat the chickendry with a paper towel.

Pre-heat the wok until it starts to smoke. Add the oil, and spread it around to coat the bottom of the wok. Now add the ginger and the chicken wings. Spread out the wing pieces in a single layer, and lightly brown them for a few minutes on each side. The wok should be over high heat.

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Now add the cola…

Coca Cola Chicken Wings Recipe (6)

And the Shaoxing wine, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, and (if using), the dried orange peel and cinnamon stick.

Bring it to a boil, cover the lid, and turn down the heat to medium.

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Let simmer for 12-15 minutes–until the sauce is almost dry (though there shouldstill bea small pool of sauce at the bottom of the wok). Stir the wings, and add salt to taste.

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Now turn up the heat, and quickly stir the wings until the sauce coats each piece. Serve!

Coca Cola Chicken Wings Recipe (10)
Coca Cola Chicken Wings Recipe (11)
Coca Cola Chicken Wings Recipe (12)
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4.36 from 17 votes

Coca Cola Chicken Wings

You don’t hear many murmurs about Coca Cola Chicken Wings in the States these days, but it was all the rage among Asians in the early 1990s! They're a once-in-a-while delicious treat.

by: Judy

Course:Chicken

Cuisine:Chinese

Coca Cola Chicken Wings Recipe (14)

serves: 8

Prep: 15 minutes minutes

Cook: 25 minutes minutes

Total: 40 minutes minutes

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Ingredients

  • 2 pounds chicken wings (900g)
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 3 slices ginger
  • 1 can cola (regular, not diet)
  • 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
  • 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
  • 1 piece of dried orange peel (optional)
  • 1 small cinnamon stick (optional)
  • Salt (to taste)

Instructions

  • Wash and clean the chicken wings. Cut the wings at the joint, and pat the chicken dry with a paper towel.

  • Pre-heat the wok until it starts to smoke. Add the oil, and spread it around to coat the bottom of the wok. Now add the ginger and the chicken wings. Spread out the wing pieces in a single layer, and lightly brown them for a few minutes on each side. The wok should be over high heat.

  • Now add the cola, Shaoxing wine, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, and (if using), the orange peel and cinnamon stick. Bring it to a boil, cover the lid, and turn down the heat to medium. Let simmer for 12-15 minutes–until the sauce is almost dry (though there should still be a small pool of sauce at the bottom of the wok). Stir the wings, and add salt to taste.

  • Now turn up the heat, and quickly stir the wings until the sauce coats each piece. Serve!

nutrition facts

Calories: 190kcal (10%) Carbohydrates: 5g (2%) Protein: 12g (24%) Fat: 13g (20%) Saturated Fat: 3g (15%) Cholesterol: 47mg (16%) Sodium: 569mg (24%) Potassium: 110mg (3%) Fiber: 1g (4%) Sugar: 4g (4%) Vitamin A: 90IU (2%) Vitamin C: 0.4mg Calcium: 7mg (1%) Iron: 0.8mg (4%)

nutritional info disclaimer

TheWoksofLife.com is written and produced for informational purposes only. While we do our best to provide nutritional information as a general guideline to our readers, we are not certified nutritionists, and the values provided should be considered estimates. Factors such as brands purchased, natural variations in fresh ingredients, etc. will change the nutritional information in any recipe. Various online calculators also provide different results, depending on their sources. To obtain accurate nutritional information for a recipe, use your preferred nutrition calculator to determine nutritional information with the actual ingredients and quantities used.

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Coca Cola Chicken Wings Recipe (19)

About Judy

Judy is the mom of The Woks of Life family. Born in Shanghai, she arrived in the U.S. at age 16. Fluent in both English and three separate Chinese dialects, she's our professional menu translator when we're eating our way through China. Dedicated to preserving disappearing recipes and traditions, her specialty is all things traditional, from mooncakes to home-style stir-fries.

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Coca Cola Chicken Wings Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why add co*ke to wings? ›

Put co*ke on chicken wings. A tip I Learned from a Chinese. To start this recipe, we will add Coca Cola on 700 grams of chicken wings. Doing this way, in addition to the taste, will also make the chicken wings softer.

Why soak chicken wings in water and baking soda? ›

Here's why it works. Baking soda is alkaline, so it raises the pH level of chicken skin, breaking down the peptide bonds and jumpstarting the browning process, meaning the wings got browner and crispier faster than they would on their own.

What is the baking soda trick for chicken? ›

You can velvet meat and make it melt-in-your-mouth tender by quickly tossing chunks of beef or chicken in about ¾ tsp of baking soda for about 15 minutes before your next stir fry, then rinse and pat the meat dry before putting in the pan.

What does Coca-Cola chicken taste like? ›

Cola chicken has been described as a dish that has flavor elements of sweet and sour, and the cola has been described as imparting a rich flavor to the chicken meat.

Why do people soak chicken in co*ke? ›

Baking the chicken in the cola marinade makes it ultra-tender and moist, and it's especially good for chicken thighs, drumsticks and chicken wings. The thick co*ke sauce tenderizes the meat, which makes it mouthwateringly succulent and juicy.

Does Coca-Cola make meat tender? ›

If you're not from the south, it may not have occurred to you that you can cook with Coca-Cola. But the king of sodas has been used in southern cooking for years — particularly in marinades and sauces for beef and pork. Its sweet acidity can help to tenderize meat, making it an ideal addition for a long slow brine.

Do I have to rinse baking soda off chicken? ›

Allow the meat to soak in the baking soda solution for 15 minutes. Remove the meat from the liquid and briefly rinse the meat in plain water to strip off the baking soda solution (or as much of it as possible). Cook as desired.

Can you put too much baking soda on chicken wings? ›

All you actually need is a dash of baking soda to make the crispiest wings possible. While that special ingredient will help create the best texture possible, it does come with a slight flavor drawback — too much of it will cause your wings to taste metallic and bitter.

What makes wings crispy cornstarch or baking soda? ›

Kosher Salt: To season the chicken, use kosher salt. If you're using regular table salt, reduce the amount by a bit. Cornstarch: Coating the chicken wings with cornstarch gives them a very light breading and makes them extra crispy! Baking Powder: Be sure to use baking powder, and NOT baking soda.

How do Chinese get chicken so tender? ›

Ever notice how the chicken in stir fries at your favourite Chinese restaurant is incredibly tender? It's because they tenderise chicken using a simple method called Velveting Chicken using baking soda. It's a quick and easy method that any home cook can do, and can also be used for beef.

What happens if you put too much baking soda on chicken? ›

To achieve the best results when marinating chicken with baking soda, consider the following tips: Use in Moderation: Baking soda is potent, so it's important to use it in moderation. Too much baking soda can give the chicken an unpleasant aftertaste.

What do Chinese soak their chicken in? ›

To marinate chicken for stir fries, we use a simple mixture of water, oil, cornstarch, and a flavor agent like soy sauce or oyster sauce. Other ingredients, like Shaoxing wine or sesame oil, may also be layered in.

Why do people cook chicken in co*ke? ›

The soda in the cola acts as a meat tenderizer, so the coca cola chicken thighs turn out moist, tender, and juicy every time. Pepsi chicken is just the same. Use whichever soda you prefer. You can even use diet Pepsi or co*ke with this chicken.

Does KFC use Coca-Cola? ›

Soft Drinks:

KFC serves a selection of soft drinks, including popular carbonated options like Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Sprite, Dr. Pepper, and more. You can often choose from various sizes, such as small, medium, and large.

Why does Coca-Cola taste so good at McDonald's? ›

What sets McDonald's apart is not just the adherence to guidelines but also the delivery of the syrup in stainless steel tanks, in contrast to the plastic bags used by other fast-food chains. This distinction in storage might contribute to the unique taste experienced at McDonald's.

Why do people use co*ke in cooking? ›

Cola's high acidity and caramel flavor makes a surprisingly good meat tenderizer. Cola typically has a pH of about 2.7—for comparison, lemon juice has a pH of 2—making it acidic enough to break down some proteins without dissolving your meat.

Why does co*ke help with spicy food? ›

For instance, carbonated drinks like soda or beer will only intensify the heat in your mouth. Some will argue that those can help, but there isn't any science behind it. In addition to that, as we mentioned, water won't do much in helping either as capsaicin is an oil-based molecule.

What does co*ke do in meat? ›

This fizzy drink's acidity level is high, so it also acts as a fantastic meat tenderiser. Most effective meat marinades include some type of citrus or vinegar acid, to break down some of the proteins in the meat. So, co*ke does the same.

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