How Coca-Cola Can Take Your Chicken Wings Up A Notch

There are many ways to enjoy chicken wings, but adding a sweet glaze is one of the best options. Honey garlic chicken wings are always a hit, as are ones that are coated in any sort of sweet and spicy sauce, or even a more traditional brown sugar barbecue. If you're the type of person that has a sweet tooth — even when it comes to chicken wings — you'll definitely want to try Coca-Cola too.

It might seem like one of those viral food trends that comes and goes, but according to Red House Spice, it's been around since the 1990s, and actually originated in China. The recipe for Coca-Cola chicken wings, also known as Kě Lè Jī Chì, involves mixing the soda with soy sauce and spices, and reducing it down to a syrupy glaze that's perfect for chicken wings. The Coca-Cola essentially replaces the sugar that would normally be included in any other sweet wing sauce, and the resulting wings have a uniquely delicious flavor.

Coca-Cola is an undeniably sweet ingredient, but you won't have to worry about it making your chicken wings taste like candy. As The Woks of Life explains, it all comes down to the right proportions of ingredients. For 2 pounds of chicken wings, you'll only need 1 can of Coca-Cola. Use only regular Coca-Cola, rather than diet, because the recipe relies on sugar, not aspartame. In addition to that, you'll also need soy sauce, wine, and ginger. You can also add dried orange peel and a cinnamon stick if you're aiming for a more aromatic flavor.

To make a Coca-Cola glaze, you'll add these ingredients into a wok along with chicken wings that have already been seared. Simply bring it to a boil, then let it simmer until the mixture has thickened. Per China Yummy Food's instructions, just make sure to take it off the heat when it reduces to about a fourth so it doesn't turn bitter, and you'll end up with perfectly sweet and savory chicken wings.