Coca Cola Chicken

Name: Coca Cola Chicken
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 2 pounds chicken drumsticks (8 to 9 pieces); 24 ounces Coca-Cola; 1 cup sweet yellow onion (finely diced ); 4 tablespoons vegetable oil (divided); ¼ cup soy sauce; 2 tablespoons light brown sugar (packed); 1 tablespoon fresh garlic (minced ); 2 teaspoons fresh ginger (grated); ½ teaspoon black pepper; ½ teaspoon kosher salt

Our Coca Cola Chicken features drumsticks simmered in a tangy sauce, giving it a great flavor that the whole family will love.

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Deliciously sticky and sweet, these Coca Cola Chicken drumsticks are a great way to make chicken. Tender chicken is simmered in a tasty mix of soda and other flavorful and simple ingredients for this amazingly easy dish.

For a similar slow cooker chicken recipe that uses chicken breasts with Coca Cola, check out our Slow Cooker Coca Cola Chicken. For more easy recipes featuring chicken, try our Kung Pao Chicken and Crispy Honey Chicken.

MORE CHICKEN RECIPES:
Sesame Chicken | Chicken Cacciatore

COCA COLA CHICKEN INGREDIENTS

You will need:

2 pounds chicken drumsticks (8 to 9)
2 12-ounce cans of Coca Cola
1 cup finely diced sweet yellow onion
4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon kosher salt

SUBSTITUTIONS AND ADDITIONS

Hot Sauce: Add a dash of hot sauce to the ingredients for an extra kick.

Coca Cola: If you prefer to use Diet Coke in this popular dish, you are more than welcome to substitute it for regular Coke.

Chicken: You could also turn this recipe into Coca Cola chicken wings or Coca Cola chicken thighs. The cooking times may be slightly different than recommended in this recipe, so it is best to check that the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

HOW TO MAKE THIS COCA COLA CHICKEN RECIPE

STEP ONE: Using a 4 to 5-quart Dutch oven, on medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons of oil.

STEP TWO: Add the chicken drumsticks, and saute for 3 minutes on each side. Remove the drumsticks and set them aside.

STEP THREE: Add the remaining oil to the dutch oven. Add the onion, and saute uncovered for 2 minutes, stirring often. Keep the heat on medium-high.

STEP FOUR: Add the garlic and ginger. Continue cooking and stirring often, for 1 to 1 ½ minutes. Keep the heat on medium-high.

STEP FIVE: Add the 2 cans of Coca Cola, soy sauce, brown sugar, black pepper, and salt. Continue stirring often, and cook uncovered for to 5 minutes.

PRO TIP: Depending on the type of soy sauce you are using, you may need to adjust the quantity of salt you are adding. If you have a light soy sauce, you may want extra salt whereas a regular soy sauce which will be saltier may require less than the called for ½ teaspoon salt.

STEP SIX: Reduce the temperature to medium heat, and return chicken drumsticks to the pot. Cook for 20 minutes uncovered, turning the chicken once.

STEP SEVEN: After cooking the chicken for 20 minutes, remove the chicken from the pot and set it aside. Increase the heat to medium-high. Allow the sauce to reduce for 5 to 8 additional minutes. Once the sauce reduces, remove the pot from the heat. Ladle the sauce over the chicken, and serve while hot.

PRO TIP: If you want your sauce to be thicker, you can stir in a cornstarch slurry before pouring the sauce over the chicken.

HOW TO SERVE

Serve this delicious recipe at dinner time with cornbread, cheese biscuits or potato salad on the side along with a green salad. These are a great entree choice any time of year. Add iced tea, raspberry iced tea, sweet peach iced tea, or our southern strawberry sweet tea for a refreshing cold drink on the side.

STORAGE

IN THE FRIDGE: Any leftovers of this chicken dish should be stored in the refrigerator, in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

This is a fun twist on sweet and sour chicken with a secret ingredient added. Whip up a batch the next time you are searching for a delicious dinner idea. The Coca Cola not only flavors the chicken perfectly but also tenderizes the meat.

FAQ

Can I use Diet Coke?

If you prefer to use Diet Coke in this recipe, you are more than welcome to substitute it for regular Coke.

Can I use different types of chicken such as wings or thighs?

You can use chicken wings or chicken thighs in this recipe. We would recommend sticking to chicken with bone-in as boneless chicken requires a much longer cooking time than the smaller bone-in chicken pieces.

Do I have to marinate the chicken in the sauce before cooking?

This recipe doesn’t require any marinating ahead of time. You will cook the chicken right in the sauce and it will flavor it while it simmers.

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Coca Cola Chicken

5 from 3 votes

Our Coca Cola Chicken features drumsticks simmered in a tangy sauce, giving it a great flavor that the whole family will love.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Servings

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Ingredients

2 pounds chicken drumsticks 8 to 9 pieces
24 ounces Coca-Cola
1 cup sweet yellow onion finely diced
4 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons light brown sugar packed
1 tablespoon fresh garlic minced
2 teaspoons fresh ginger grated
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

Using a 4 to 5 quart dutch oven, on medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons oil.
Add the chicken drumsticks, and saute 3 minutes on each side. Remove the drumsticks and set aside.
Add the remaining oil to the dutch oven. Add the onion, and saute uncovered for 2 minutes, stirring often. Keep the heat on medium high.
Add the garlic and ginger. Continue cooking and stirring often, for 1 to 1 ½ minutes. Keep the heat on medium-high.
Next add the 2 cans of Coca-Cola, soy sauce, brown sugar, black pepper, and salt. Continue stirring often, and cook uncovered for 4 to 5 minutes.
Reduce the heat to medium, and add back in the chicken drumsticks. Cook for 20 minutes uncovered, turning the chicken once.
After cooking the chicken for 20 minutes, remove the chicken from the pot and set aside. Increase the heat to medium-high. Allow the sauce to reduce for 5 to 8 additional minutes. Once the sauce reduces, remove the pot from the heat. Ladle the sauce over the chicken, and serve while hot.