Coca-Cola Chicken wings combine Chinese sauces and Coca-Cola to create savory and sweet glazed BBQ style wings on the stovetop. They are super easy to put together and fun to eat – perfect for a weekday dinner or meal prep for the week. {Gluten-Free Adaptable}
Coca-Cola chicken wings (可乐鸡翅, Ke Le Ji Chi) is one of my favorite childhood dishes that my mom would make occasionally as a treat. These wings are tender, juicy and coated with a sticky glossy sauce just like BBQ wings. But since most Chinese households do not have an oven, the wings are actually made on the stovetop using a braising technique.
Coca-Cola chicken wings ingredients
The ingredient list for Coca-Cola chicken wings is short.
The main ingredient is a can of Coke (regular, not diet or zero sugar). Along with soy sauce and Shaoxing wine, it creates a savory and sweet brown sauce that has a caramel aroma. It is further enhanced by fresh ginger, green onion and chili pepper.
Mise en place
When you’re ready to cook, your table should have:
- Soy sauce
- Salt
- Shaoxing wine
- Dried chili pepper
- Chicken wings, pat dried
- Green onion and ginger
- Coke
How to cook Coca-Cola chicken wings
- Sear the wings until golden
- Saute the aromatics to release the fragrance
- Add the braising liquid
- Braise the chicken while skimming the brown foam from the top
- Flip the wings occasionally until the liquid has reduced
- The wings are ready when the braising liquid has thickened enough to thinly coat the wings
NOTE: At first, it might seem like there is a lot of braising liquid and the liquid is really thin. But as you approach the end of cooking, the liquid will reduce very quickly and thicken up enough to coat the wings and form a glaze. You should always keep a close eye on the chicken during the last 10 minutes of cooking to prevent the sauce from burning.
Frequently asked questions
- Why does my braising liquid not thicken after 20 minutes?
Depending on the type of pot you use and your heat level, you might need a longer cooking time for the liquid to evaporate enough to thicken the sauce. I used a large flat skillet and relatively high heat for the braising. If you use a dutch oven, you might need to cook for a longer time.
- Can I freeze Coca-Cola chicken wings?
Yes! This dish freezes well and it is suitable for meal prep.
- Is it possible to cook it with Diet Coke instead of regular Coca-Cola?
The dish uses the sugar in the Coca-Cola to thicken the sauce and create a caramelized result. The sauce won’t react the same way if using Diet Coke (or Coca-Cola Light or Coke Zero), since it only contains artificial sweetener.
How to serve Coca-Cola chicken wings
You can serve the Coca-Cola chicken wings by themselves as a main dish or appetizer, however I prefer to serve them with steamed rice for a main course. I also recommend serving a few lighter dishes such as simple veggie stir fries or salad with it, to balance out the flavor. For example:
- Chinese 4-Ingredient Fried Cabbage
- 4-Ingredient Baby Bok Choy Stir Fry
- Easy Chinese Cucumber Salad (拍黄瓜)
- Chinese Pickled Peppers (Quick Pickled Pao Jiao)
More easy chicken dinner recipes
- Chicken and Broccoli (Chinese Takeout Style)
- Chinese Curry Chicken
- Air Fryer Salt and Pepper Chicken
- Chinese Corn Soup with Chicken (鸡蛋玉米羹)
- Chicken Chow Mein (鸡肉炒面)
Coca-Cola Chicken Wings (可乐鸡翅)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
- 1.5 to 2 lbs (700 to 900 g) chicken wings , patted dry with a paper towel
- 2 dried chili peppers
- 3 green onions , cut into 4” (10cm) pieces (and extra for garnish, if needed)
- 3 slices ginger
- 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
- 1 can (12 oz / 350 ml) Coca-Cola
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce (*Footnote 1)
- 1 teaspoon salt (use 1/2 teaspoon salt if you do not plan to serve the dish with rice)
Instructions
- Heat 1/2 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the chicken wings, skin side down without overlapping. Let cook without moving until the bottom side turns golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the wings and cook the other side until golden, another 3 to 4 minutes. Turn to medium-low heat and transfer the wings to a big plate.
- Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil and turn to medium-high heat again. Add the chili pepper, green onion and ginger. Stir for 1 minute to release the fragrance.
- Pour in the Shaoxing wine and use a spatula to scrape off any brown bits from the pan. Add the Coca-Cola, soy sauce, and salt. Add the chicken wings. Stir a few times to coat with sauce.
- When the sauce starts to boil, turn to medium heat or the heat level needed to maintain a vibrant boil for a total of 20 minutes. During the first 5 minutes, use a fine mesh strainer to skim off and discard any brown foam from the top of the broth. Check on the sauce every 5 minutes and flip the wings occasionally. During the last 5 minutes, the sauce will reduce to a lower level and you should check on the sauce often, because the sauce will start to thicken very quickly. When the sauce thickens, stir and flip the wings to coat them well with the sauce. Turn off the heat and transfer the wings to a serving platter to prevent the sauce from reducing too much.
- Garnish with green onion if using. Serve hot as a main dish.
Notes
- Regular soy sauce gives the dish a nice color. You can also use 2 tablespoons of light soy sauce plus 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce to give the dish an appealing dark brown color.
Greeting to you! I love your blog , just found it by chance , so glad I did. Your cola wings look super yummy! I can’t wait to try them out . I would like to know can I leave out the Chinese wine? Or what non alcholoic ingredient can I substitute it for? Thanks .
Hi Maya, thank you for stopping by and I’m glad you like my recipe. 🙂
Yes, you can leave out the Chinese wine. Just make sure you don’t skip the scallion (or replace with green onion) and ginger, then it will be ok.
Feel free to drop a message if you have further questions and happy cooking! 🙂
I usually eat out but I recently moved to a new city and couldn’t find a restaurant that serves Coca Cola chicken wings. I found your recipe and decided to give it a try and I love it! Thank you for such an easy and delicious recipe 🙂
After reading many authentic recipes I have found yours the most flavorful and appealing
I am elated that you have shared your recipe with us
Thankyou
I cooked this with boneless chicken breast last night and it turned out very delicious! I used a bunch of garlic and no ginger and I completely forgot to add cilantro even though I had some. Next time I’ll buy some ginger and I won’t forget the cilantro. I hope to cook this dish for my girlfriend’s family for Spring Festival.
Thank you for such an amazing website! I live in China (in Xiamen) and my cooking skills are horrible, so it’s very nice to learn Chinese cooking from such a wonderul chef/website.
Hi Luke, thanks so much for the kind words and I’m so glad you like the recipe! 🙂
I used the cilantro for garnish and to add some green, but I’m pretty sure you can do without them. I always use chicken wings to cook this, but it’s great to hear the chicken breast worked out as well!
Have a great time in China and hope your Spring Festival plan goes well! Happy cooking 🙂
It’s funny that coca-cola chicken wings are one of the most popular dishes in China! Though I can see why – they look amazing!!
When I first heard about this from my partner I really had to chuckle. It just sounds so ridiculous when you hear about it for the first time. Nowadays my partner keeps asking me to make it and at the same time I have this itch to just try it. After seeing your recipe I think I just might do so. Though I might alter the ingredients slightly to suit our tastes.
It’s funny that I felt the same way when I first heard about this dish. Many years ago, a friend told me, I learnt to make coca-cola chicken today and it turned out great! I was thinking, whaaaa? But once I tried it, I found it tastes really similar to traditional Chinese braised chicken, with a better texture that is caused by the caramelization. Basically you use the drink as what it is – caramelized sugar after dehydration. I believe it will work out great with different ingredients too.
Happy cooking and do tell me how your dish turns out 🙂
Today was the day I tried making the Coca-cola Chicken. I followed your recipe, though I changed the recipe. Instead 2 dried chili’s with 2 tbsp crushed Cayenne pepper and 1/2 Korean red chili peppers hoping to get a little extra hotness to the chicken. Also I used sesame oil instead of peanut oil merely because that was the oil that was nearest to my hand. I think it worked out great in the end.
The end result was better than expected. I have to admit I was a bit apprehensive even while making it. Meat and cola together? Sounded to weird, but the cola does give it that lovely caramel flavor that is ever so enjoyable.
I want to thank you for this wonderful recipe its clear wording made it easy to understand.
Thanks for reporting back and I’m glad to hear you enjoyed the dish! It makes perfect sense to use sesame oil and spicier chili. I believe it will give the chicken a nice flavor. I haven’t tried this recipe with other cuts of meat yet, but I believe it should go well with pork and beef too. Yep, sounds weird, but yields nice result!
Happy Friday, and hope you have a great weekend 🙂
My father used to make this a lot when I was a child, but after moving overseas I’ve not had the chance to eat it. The recipe looks easy to follow (I can cook to feed myself, that’s all) and I’m definitely trying it out tomorrow! A quick question though I don’t have any ginger, scallion, or wok – would it affect too much?
Hi Charlotte, I’m glad to hear you’re interested in trying out this recipe!
You can definitely cook this one with any skillet and you don’t need a wok. By any chance, you have garlic or even garlic powder? Just a little aromatic will make the sauce more fragrant. But it will be alright if you don’t have any.
Happy cooking and hope your dish turns out great!
Hi. Can we use Coke Zero or does it have to original coke with sugar?
I have not tried Coke Zero but I think original coke with sugar works better. The broth will reduce a lot at the end, and the sugar in the coke helps thicken up the sauce.
If you use Coke Zero, the sauce will probably stay thin at the end. That being said, it’s also possible to use a cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce (1 tablespoon cornstarch plus 1/4 cup water, mix very well. Pour into the broth a little at a time and mix, until the sauce is thickened).
Just curious, is it okay if I use other carbonated drinks like Pepsi, Sarsaparilla or A&W Rootbeer besides Coca Cola? Do you think it will change the flavors?
I’m thinking of trying this recipe with any carbonated drinks that I have in my kitchen ^^
Hi Maggie
I tried coca cola chicken wings but even after 17-20 mins, the coke was still watery and it didn’t thicken into a sauce. In the end, the wings were simmering in the coke and it didn’t have much taste. Do you know why? Thanks.
Jaclyn
Hi Jacklyn, I’m sorry to hear the recipe didn’t turn out well for you.
I think the problem is probably the heat and the cooking utensil. I made this dish long time ago when I was still living in China. We use cast iron wok on very powerful gas stove, which reduce the liquid very fast. I’ve changed my cooking a lot after moving to the US, due to the change of kitchen setup.
I will be updating this post soon to reflect a more accurate liquid ratio + cooking time.
Hi, is it possible to cook it with Coke Light instead of Coca cola? Hope to hear from you. Carla
Hi Carla, I’ve never tried making the dish with Coke Light. The dish uses the sugar in the Coca cola to thicken the sauce and create a caramelized result. I’m not sure if the sauce will react the same way if using Coke light, since it only contains artificial sweetener.
I tried the recipe today but my wings didn’t seems browned and caramelized nicely and as dark as yours. I was tempted to add in dark sauce towards the end but worried it might change its taste. It turned out really light brown. Where would i have had gone wrong?
You’re so great! I haven’t cooked yet .I hope I can as well as you.
If the cola is cold what’s the different?
I think cold cola won’t make a big difference.
Greatest recipe
This is a terrific version of a terrific dish. I lived in China for awhile, and this was a favorite of my Chinese and International friends alike. Thanks for sharing your adaptation.
Fantastic recipe, we just love this chicken wings, it just came out the way we want it! Thank you.
really love it! my cooking partner is dying but i think that she will love the wings! redbull verleiht flügel
This was absolutely delicious, such an easy recipe to follow. I added approx a heaped teaspoon of chilly flakes just to give it that extra kick. Thank you, it was wonderful and I can see it becoming a regular favourite in our household
Exactly how my family makes it, and super super simple :)) delicious!!
This recipe was so good and easy to do but keep an eye on it towards end of cooking as it goes from runny to gooey in the blink of an eye. Keep up the great foodie work; love your blog!
Didn’t even make the recipe but I read the title as “Blessed Coca cola chicken wings” and that caught my attention immediately
Is it possible to brown the wings in an airfryer instead?
I think you can, by setting the air fryer at the highest temperature and do not brown them too much (so it doesn’t overcook the inside).
Really great wings! I made a generous batch (just over 1kg wings) thinking we’d have plenty of leftovers between 2 adults and a toddler. But they were so good we polished most of them off that night, and the kid had the rest for his dinner the following day! The sauce is delicious over white rice too. I skipped the chilies but look forward to trying the spicier version next time I make it just for adults. Thanks for the tasty and easy recipe!