A foolproof recipe for Coca-Cola chicken wings

May 12, 2020

This sweet and salty concoction is a popular dish in Chinese households.

Coca-Cola is everywhere nowadays, but there was a time in China when it was considered a luxury—and when people got hold of it, they used it to cook, rather than drink.

When the beverage first entered Hong Kong in the 1960s—and then the mainland Chinese market in the late ’70s—people saw it as a foreign novelty and modified the drink to their tastes.

A man holds up a Coca-Cola bottle in the Forbidden City in Beijing in 1981.
A man holds up a Coca-Cola bottle in the Forbidden City in Beijing in 1981. / Photo: Courtesy of Liu Heung-shing

In Hong Kong, it’s still common to find diners serving boiled cola with ginger, a bittersweet drink similar in taste to traditional Chinese tea. Some even consider it a home remedy for upset stomachs.

(Read more: Boiled cola, beef juice, and other eccentric Hong Kong drinks)

But the creme de la creme is Coca-Cola chicken wings. The soft drink is thrown into a frying pan full of oil, ginger, and wings before the whole thing is sautéed in soy sauce.

Chicken wings made with cola and soy sauce.
Chicken wings made with cola and soy sauce. / Photo: Shutterstock

While it might sound gimmicky, the cola is really just a source of sugar that reduces to a sticky coating. It’s an easy dinnertime fix and a popular recipe in Cantonese households.

We taught this recipe to our video producer Hanley Chu, who is quite new to the art of cooking. You can watch the full video here.

He thought it was too salty, though, so we adjusted the recipe accordingly.

Recipe

Image

 

  • 10 chicken wings, pat dry
  • 3 tablespoons of oil
  • 3 thin slices of ginger
  • 1 cup of cola
  • 2 tablespoons of soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon of Shaoxing wine

 

  1. Add oil to a frying pan set to medium heat.
  2. Throw in ginger and gently sauté for one minute.
  3. Add the chicken wings. Sauté until the sides are golden brown.
  4. Add in the cola. Let simmer for a bit. Then add in soy sauce and Shaoxing wine.
  5. Cook until the sauce is reduced to a sticky consistency.
RecipesHong Kong

Credit

Producer: Clarissa Wei

Videographer: Mario Chui

Editor: Nicholas Ko

Mastering: Victor Peña