Diet Coke Chicken

This Diet Coke chicken features tender, moist chicken simmered in a sweet and sticky sauce for a dish that you’ll enjoy making over and over again.

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Our Diet Coke Chicken bursts with a perfect balance of savory and sweet, creating a uniquely memorable meal that shines. The tender chicken thighs are bathed in a sweet and tangy sauce — enhanced by the smoky depth of paprika and the subtle heat of cayenne. This version, perfect for a weeknight meal, keeps it simple yet satisfying, letting the caramelized Diet Coke work its magic.

Let’s Dish: About This Chicken

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Main Ingredients: Chicken broth, tomato paste, smoked paprika, chicken thighs, and Diet Coke.
Quick Steps: Whisk together ingredients, add Diet Coke. Pour over chicken thighs, cook.
Total Time & Yield: 35 minutes; serves 4.

Why This Recipe

• This Diet Coke Chicken recipe delivers a deliciously tangy and slightly sweet sauce without the need for extra ingredients like ketchup or soy sauce, which many other recipes rely on.

• Instead, the smoky paprika and a touch of cayenne create a balanced, subtle heat, making the dish feel more homemade.

• With its straightforward approach, this recipe allows the flavor of the chicken and the caramelized Diet Coke sauce to shine, making it both comforting and easy to whip up on a weeknight.

Diet Coke Chicken Ingredients

Substitutions And Additions

KETCHUP: You can substitute 1 cup ketchup for the chicken broth and tomato paste in this easy recipe.

SPICES: You can increase the cayenne pepper to ¼-½ teaspoon for a spicier version. You could also substitute ground chipotle chili peppers for the cayenne pepper.

CHICKEN: Boneless skinless chicken breasts could also be used in this recipe, although you would need to adjust the cooking time to ensure they were cooked through.

How To Make This Diet Coke Chicken Recipe

This delicious chicken recipe comes together in no time. The chicken thighs are marinated in a flavorful sauce, including tomato paste, chicken broth, Diet Coke, and seasonings.

To save time, you could even add the marinade and chicken to a bowl ahead of time and put it in the fridge until you are ready to cook.

The chicken simmers away in a pan on the stove until cooked through and ready to serve.

Follow our step-by-step instructions below to make this tasty dish.

STEP ONE: Add the chicken broth, tomato paste, smoked paprika, kosher salt, cracked pepper, and cayenne to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.

STEP TWO: Whisk in the Diet Coke. 

STEP THREE: Add the chicken thighs to a 10 to 12-inch deep, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. 

When cooking the chicken, ensure that the chicken’s internal temperature reaches 165°F on a meat thermometer.

STEP FOUR: Pour the Diet Coke mixture over the chicken. Cover with a lid, and cook for 20 minutes, turning the chicken every 7 to 8 minutes.

After 20 minutes, cook uncovered for another 8 to 10 minutes until the sauce thickens. Remove from the heat, garnish with parsley, and serve while hot.

How To Serve

You can serve the dish over cooked rice, cauliflower rice, or sauteed mixed vegetables. This chicken recipe would make a delicious meal and comes together quickly on a busy weeknight when time is short.

To add some comfort food on the side, how about our creamy mashed potatoes or cheesy potato casserole?

MORE CHICKEN RECIPES

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Chicken Pot Pie

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Homemade Chicken Parmesan

Our slow cooker Coca-Cola chicken is a tasty variation on this recipe, while our Dr. Pepper pulled pork uses another favorite soda flavor in an unusual way.

Storage

IN THE FRIDGE: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. 

IN THE FREEZER: You can freeze the Diet Coke chicken for up to 1 month. Allow the chicken to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating and serving.

Using simple ingredients, this Diet Coke chicken recipe is a great way to get dinner on the table fast, and the whole family will be raving about how moist and flavorful it is. Make sure you add this easy dish to your meal plan soon!

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Diet Coke Chicken

5 from 1 vote

This Diet Coke chicken features tender, moist chicken simmered in a sweet and sticky sauce for a dish that you’ll enjoy making over and over again.

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 4

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Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ¾ cup chicken broth
• 6 ounces tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
• 12 ounces Diet Coke
• 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, optional garnish

Instructions

 

• Add the chicken broth, tomato paste, smoked paprika, kosher salt, cracked pepper, and cayenne to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
• Whisk in the Diet Coke.
• Add the chicken thighs to a 10 to 12-inch deep, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
• Pour the Diet Coke mixture over the chicken. Cover with a lid, and cook for 20 minutes, turning the chicken every 7 to 8 minutes. After 20 minutes, cook uncovered for another 8 to 10 minutes until the sauce thickens. Remove from the heat, garnish with parsley, and serve while hot.

Notes

• You can also cook the dish in the slow cooker on high for 4 hours or 6 hours on low.
• When cooking the chicken, ensure that the chicken’s internal temperature reaches 165°F on a meat thermometer.
• If you want your sauce to be thicker, you can stir a cornstarch slurry into the sauce before serving.

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