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Cola chicken wings are the first thing a lot of Chinese children learn to cook, and the reason is that it's almost impossible to fail. Chicken wings, a can of cola, soy sauce, ginger. Twenty minutes. It's sweet, savory, sticky, and it works every time.
It's also genuinely good rather than just easy, which is why it survived past childhood. The cola contributes sugar, acid, and caramel color, and the phosphoric acid in it tenderizes the meat slightly. Don't substitute diet cola — you need the sugar.
Why the Cola Matters
It isn't a novelty ingredient standing in for sugar water. Cola brings corn syrup or cane sugar for the glaze, phosphoric acid for a little tenderizing, and caramel color that gives the finished wings their sheen without any separate coloring step.
Full-sugar cola only. Diet versions have no sugar to reduce into a glaze, and the artificial sweeteners turn unpleasant when cooked down.
To Blanch or Not
Many recipes skip straight to searing. Blanching the wings in cold water with ginger for two minutes first removes the surface scum and some of the rendered fat, and gives you cleaner-tasting wings and less grease in the pan.
Cut two slashes in the thick side of each wing so the marinade gets in. If you skip this, the glaze only coats the outside.
Dry them well after blanching. Wet wings won't brown; they'll steam in the pan and the skin will be flabby.
Reducing Without Burning
Simmer covered for most of the time, then uncover and reduce. The reduction is where it goes wrong: the sauce is mostly sugar and it will scorch if you stop stirring.
Take it further than feels right but stop while it's still a sauce. Wings finished with a little liquid in the pan stay glossy; wings cooked until the pan is dry turn sticky and slightly bitter as the sugar caramelizes past the point of no return.
A nonstick pan makes this much easier than carbon steel, given the sugar load.
Cola Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 12 chicken wings (about 800 g)
- 1 can (330 ml) full-sugar cola
- 3 slices ginger, plus 1 tsp julienned
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp beer, or 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- 1/4 tsp salt
- Neutral oil, for searing
- Toasted white sesame seeds and sliced spring onion, to finish
Directions
- Put the wings in a pot with cold water to cover and 2 slices of ginger. Bring to a boil and blanch for 2 minutes. Drain, rinse off any scum, and pat very dry.
- Cut two shallow slashes into the thick side of each wing so the sauce can penetrate.
- Heat a thin film of oil in a wide nonstick or heavy pan. Sear the wings over medium-high heat until golden on both sides, about 6 minutes total.
- Add the julienned ginger and the beer. Let it bubble for 30 seconds and scrape up any browning from the pan bottom.
- Add the light and dark soy sauces and toss until the wings are evenly colored.
- Pour in the cola — it should come about three-quarters of the way up the wings. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 12 minutes.
- Uncover, add the salt, and raise the heat. Reduce, stirring constantly, until the sauce is thick and glossy and coats the wings. Don't take it fully dry.
- Plate, spoon any remaining sauce over, and finish with sesame seeds and spring onion.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Notes
Full-sugar cola is essential. Diet cola won't reduce to a glaze and tastes wrong after cooking.
The beer is optional but adds a savory note that balances the sweetness. Shaoxing wine or dry sherry both work.
Use a nonstick pan if you have one. The sugar content makes cleanup in carbon steel tedious.
Wings are best hot, but they're decent at room temperature, which makes them a good make-ahead party dish.
Adapted from a popular home recipe on xiachufang.com.
