Inspired by the flavors found in Korean BBQ, these Coca-Cola chicken wings are sweet and savory, deliciously sticky, and a mouthwatering appetizer to pass around. Chicken drumettes are marinated in a mixture of aromatic ingredients, then fried and tossed with a Korean-style BBQ sauce that makes this Coca-Cola chicken wings recipe extra finger licking good and flavorful!
Coca-Cola Chicken Wings, Korean-BBQ Style
My husband and I have both been known to go a little gaga over Korean food.
It has that perfectly tastebud mesmerizing combination of flavors that, once we start eating it, we can't seem to get enough of.
With that toasty and nutty warmth of sesame oil, the mild heat of freshly cracked black pepper, the slightly spicy kick from fresh ginger, the pungent garlic, and the savory dark soy sauce... it just makes each bite irresistible.
Then of course there's the hint of sweetness in Korean cuisine which often comes from brown sugar, or Coca-Cola, which is a surprising yet delicious alternative!
Seeing as we adore freshly prepared chicken wings as a fun snack, and love those flavors found in Korean BBQ, I thought that putting the two together to create this succulent, sweet, savory, and utterly mouthwatering Coca-Cola chicken wings recipe would be a mighty tasty way to go.
All of these bold and aromatic flavors work so deliciously well together when it comes to the marinade for chicken wings (or drumettes, the larger, more succulent part of the chicken wing) and the glossy, finishing sauce they'e tossed in.
Savory Korean flavors, Coca-cola, and chicken? Wings have never had it so sweet, my friends!
My Recipe for Coca-Cola Chicken Wings
To create as much flavor as possible in these delicious and unique chicken wings, I like to marinate the chicken in a combination of aromatic ingredients for an extended period of time, and then also toss the freshly fried drumettes in sweet, savory and glossy sauce that's inspired by Korean BBQ sauce.
This sauce makes these Coca-Cola chicken wings extra sticky and fun to eat, not to mention packs each bite with loads of zippy flavor.
When it comes to the marinade, this is where I use the cola. It not only acts as a sweetener, but also tenderizes the meat during the marination.
And the aromatics I use here are garlic, sesame, soy, ginger, and chili garlic sauce (for a bit of kick), and I allow the chicken drumettes to marinate for 12 to 24 hours (ideally), or at least 4 hours to allow the marinade to penetrate.
For the crispy chicken wing coating, I use a combo of rice flour with a touch of corn starch, and this creates a really light, crispy outer texture once the drumettes are fried. It also provides texture for the glossy, Korean BBQ-style finishing sauce to stick to.
And speaking of that sauce...
To give it some savoriness and sweetness, I use soy sauce, brown sugar and honey (not using cola here, because I don't want to thin out the sauce), a kiss of rice vinegar, garlic, sesame, chili garlic sauce, ginger and a touch of corn starch.
I use the corn starch because I heat/cook the sauce very briefly, to allow it to thicken and become nice and glossy, and able to stick perfectly to those Coca-Cola chicken wings.
Here's a glance at my Coca-Cola Chicken Wings recipe: (or just jump to the full recipe...)
- To get started, I marinate my chicken drumettes in my aromatic mixture plus my cola for about 12 to 24 hours (or at least 4 hours) for maximum flavor.
- Then, I prep my Korean BBQ-style sauce, and have that ready when my wings are fried and ready to get a toss in that sauce before serving.
- To fry the chicken wings, I coat them in rice flour and corn starch, then fry batches in hot oil for a few minutes until golden and crispy.
- To finish the Coca-Cola chicken wings, I add them to a bowl and toss with the Korean-style BBQ sauce until well coated.
- I serve the chicken wings hot, garnished with sesame seeds and green onion.
Recipe
Coca-Cola Chicken Wings
by Ingrid Beer
Print Recipe
These Korean BBQ-inspired Coca-Cola chicken wings are deliciously sweet and sticky, and packed with loads of sweet-savory flavor with a kick!
Category: Appetizer
Cuisine: Korean-American
Yield: Serves 6
Nutrition Info: 629 calories per serving
Prep Time: 30 minutes (does not include marination time)
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 50 minutes
Coca-Cola Chicken Wings Ingredients:
- 2 ½ pounds chicken drumettes
- 4 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- 1 to 2 teaspoons (or more if you like it really spicy) chili garlic sauce
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 cup Coca-Cola, or other cola (not diet)
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- 1 cup rice flour
- 2 tablespoons corn starch
- 1 tablespoon chopped green onion
- 1 to 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
Korean-Style BBQ Sauce Ingredients:
- 1 cup soy sauce
- ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 3 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
- 1 to 2 teaspoons (or more for extra heat) chili garlic sauce
- 1 ½ teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 ¼ teaspoons freshly grated ginger
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 tablespoons corn starch
- 2 tablespoons honey
Preparation:
- Begin by gathering and prepping all of your chicken wing ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
- Add your chicken wing drumettes to a large bowl, and add in the garlic plus the rest of the ingredients up to and including the Coca-Cola. Using your hands, mix/massage the marinade into the wings, and allow them to marinate anywhere from 12 to 24 hours ideally, or at least 4 hours.
- Next, gather and prep all of your Korean-style BBQ sauce ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
- Add all the ingredients up to and including the corn starch to a medium-size saucepan, and whisk to combine. Set over medium heat, and allow the mixture to come to a simmer, whisking frequently, until it becomes glossy and thickened. Remove from heat.
- Finish the sauce with the honey, and whisk to blend. Allow the sauce to cool to room temp, or to slightly warm. Set aside until ready to toss the wings (can be kept in the fridge if making ahead, or keep at room temp if making the same day).
- Once the chicken drumettes have marinated, remove them from the marinade and pat them dry with paper towels. Set aside for a moment.
- Add enough oil to a pot or heavy-bottom Dutch oven to come about 2 inches up the sides (I used about 1 ½ quarts), and bring the oil up to 375° (use a thermometer for accuracy).
- While the oil heats, add the rice flour, the corn starch, plus a couple of pinches of salt and black pepper to a large ziplock bag, and add in all of the wings. Close the bag and toss the wings very well in the flour/starch, then remove them and tap off any excess flour, and set them aside until your oil heats up.
- Fry the wing in batches, for about 5 to 7 minutes, or until a deep golden-brown. Allow them to drain on a wire rack, and repeat until all wings are fried.
- Add your fried wings to a large bowl, and drizzle in as much of the Korean-style BBQ sauce as you'd like (start with a few tablespoons worth and go from there), and toss to coat.
- Serve the wings while hot, garnished with the green onion and sesame seeds.
Tips & Tidbits for my Coca-Cola Chicken Wings recipe:
- Chicken drumettes for juicy meaty wings: My favorite part to use when making homemade chicken wings is the drumettes, because they are the more meaty part of the wing, and I opt for organic drumettes here. You can use those and the small wing pieces, or which ever part of the chicken wing you prefer.
- Coca-Cola, or your preferred brand of cola: For this recipe, I'm sticking to classic Coca-Cola for the marinade, but feel free to use organic cola, or any brand you like to drink. It should not be diet cola, however, as you do need the sugar in it for this recipe, because sugar provides the necessary caramelization.
- Rice flour for light, crispy chicken wings: Rice flour helps to create a slightly lighter coating for the wings, and makes the exterior nice and crispy. I also use a touch of corn starch to help with this. You can use regular all-purpose flour if you prefer, though it will not yield quite as light and crisp of an end result once the wings are fried.
Craving more deliciously unique and cozy appetizers? Check out my recipe for Crispy Baked Chicken Wings Tandoori Style, Spicy Orange Chicken Wings, Chili Crisp Cauliflower, Loaded Hummus, Potato Chip Chicken Strips, or my recipe for Shrimp Tostada Bites!
Cook's Note: This recipe was originally published in 2014, and has been updated with even more love!
