Name: Coca-Cola Chicken Wings (可乐鸡翅)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 4 slice ginger; 2 piece scallions; 2 tbsp light soy sauce; 1 tsp dark soy sauce; 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine; 0 salt; 1 piece star anise; 1 leaf bay leaf; 0 white sesame seeds; 900 g chicken wings; 1 tbsp neutral cooking oil; 1 can Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola Chicken Wings (可乐鸡翅)

Chicken wings braised in cola, soy sauce and ginger until they glisten under a sweet, savory mahogany glaze. A modern Chinese home-kitchen classic that comes together in one pan.

🇨🇳 China ·Asia · $

10 min Prep

30 min Cook

40 min Total

4 portions

Coca-Cola Chicken Wings is one of the most beloved home-style dishes to come out of modern Chinese kitchens, a clever stovetop braise that turns a humble can of cola into a glossy caramel sauce. The wings are pan-fried for color, then simmered with cola, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine and aromatics until the liquid reduces into a sticky mahogany glaze that clings to every piece. This is a braise, not a fry, so there is no batter and no breading involved, and the wings come out tender and lacquered rather than crispy. The flavor is sweet and savory with a gentle caramel warmth from the cola, and it is not spicy at all, which makes it a favorite with children and adults alike. Most Chinese households cook it on the stove rather than in an oven, using the same red-braising logic found in countless family dinners. Serve it hot over steamed rice, or let it cool and enjoy it at room temperature as finger food at a gathering.

Ingredients

900 g chicken wings cut into sections at the joints, patted dry

1 tbsp neutral cooking oil

1 can Coca-Cola regular full-sugar, about 330 ml

4 slice ginger

2 piece scallions cut into long pieces

2 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tsp dark soy sauce for color (optional)

1 tbsp Shaoxing wine

0 salt to taste

1 piece star anise (optional)

1 leaf bay leaf (optional)

0 white sesame seeds to garnish (optional)

Ingredients

4 portions

900 gchicken wings cut into sections at the joints, patted dry

1 tbspneutral cooking oil

1 canCoca-Cola regular full-sugar, about 330 ml

4 sliceginger

2 piecescallions cut into long pieces

2 tbsplight soy sauce

1 tspdark soy sauce for color (optional)

1 tbspShaoxing wine

salt to taste

1 piecestar anise (optional)

1 leafbay leaf (optional)

white sesame seeds to garnish (optional)

Instructions

Prepare and fry the wings

1

Cut each chicken wing into sections at the joints and pat the pieces thoroughly dry with paper towels so they brown rather than steam.
~5 min
2

Heat the oil in a wok or wide pan over medium-high heat. Lay the wings in a single layer and fry until golden, about 3 to 4 minutes per side, then nudge them around the pan.
~8 min

Braise in cola

1

Add the ginger and scallions and stir for a minute until fragrant. Pour in the Shaoxing wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
~2 min
2

Pour in the Coca-Cola, light soy sauce, optional dark soy sauce, and the optional star anise and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over medium heat, flipping the wings once halfway, for about 15 minutes. Skim off any foam in the first few minutes.
~15 min

Reduce the glaze and serve

1

Uncover the pan and fish out the ginger, scallions and spices. Raise the heat to high and let the sauce bubble vigorously, tossing the wings to coat, until it reduces to a thick glossy glaze that coats a spatula, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stop while a thin pool of sauce remains, as it thickens as it cools. Taste and adjust with a little salt.
~10 min
2

Transfer the glazed wings to a plate, scatter with sesame seeds if using, and serve hot with steamed rice or at room temperature as finger food.
~1 min

Credits & Inspiration

Red House Spice
Detailed authentic recipe with ratios, frying-then-braising method and tips on using full-sugar cola.
Omnivore's Cookbook
Braised stovetop version with sear, deglaze and reduce technique from a childhood family recipe.
China Sichuan Food
Home-style method covering blanching, pan-frying and reducing the cola sauce to a glaze.
The Woks of Life
Classic wok recipe using cola, light and dark soy sauce and optional orange peel and cinnamon.

Coca-Cola Chicken Wings (可乐鸡翅)

Ingredients

Ingredients

Instructions

Prepare and fry the wings

Braise in cola

Reduce the glaze and serve

Credits & Inspiration

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Red-Braised Chicken Wings (红烧鸡翅)