Coca Cola Chicken Wings (Printer-friendly)

Sticky, savory-sweet wings glazed in Coca-Cola, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger. A guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2.5 lbs chicken wings, split at joints, tips discarded

→ Marinade & Sauce

02 - 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
03 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
05 - 1/2 cup soy sauce
06 - 1 can (12 oz) Coca-Cola
07 - 2 tablespoons brown sugar
08 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
09 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
10 - 1 teaspoon sesame oil
11 - 2 scallions, sliced
12 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

# Directions:

01 - Pat chicken wings dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
02 - Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic and ginger, sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add chicken wings to the skillet and cook, turning occasionally, until lightly browned on all sides, approximately 6-8 minutes.
04 - In a bowl, whisk together soy sauce, Coca-Cola, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and black pepper. Pour the mixture over the browned wings.
05 - Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 20-25 minutes until the sauce thickens into a sticky glaze and wings are fully cooked through.
06 - Stir in sesame oil to enhance depth of flavor.
07 - Transfer wings to a serving platter. Spoon remaining glaze over the top and garnish with sliced scallions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce caramelizes beautifully without fussy reduction techniques or constant stirring.
  • You probably have half these ingredients already, and the rest are pantry staples that last forever.
  • It's one of those dishes that looks like you spent hours in the kitchen but actually takes less time than ordering takeout.
02 -
  • Don't skip patting the wings dry; I learned this the hard way when a batch turned out steamed instead of glossy, and it taught me that small details matter as much in cooking as they do anywhere else.
  • The sauce must be uncovered while it simmers so it can actually reduce and thicken; I once covered mine and ended up with wings swimming in thin sauce instead of coated in glaze.
03 -
  • Invest in a meat thermometer if you don't have one; wings are done when they hit 165°F internally, and it removes all the guessing about whether they're actually cooked through.
  • If your sauce isn't thickening after 25 minutes, crank the heat up slightly for the last few minutes; every stove is different and some run cooler than others.
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