I love making cola wings for a game day snack. Cola wings are the perfect sweet and salty, sticky and satisfying snack. It is also easy and quick to pull together to feed hungry people. I’ve made cola wings for Kevin’s weekly lunch prep and friends’ holiday gatherings. For game day on Saturday, I made some cola wings for Kevin and I to enjoy while cheering on our college’s football team. This is also one of the first dishes Kevin made when he was a student in college. He recounted the story of how he braised chicken wings in only cola and something about the wings just did not taste right. The reason is probably because cola is too sweet on its own. The perfect cola wings should be balanced with something salty. I’ve made many versions of cola wings, but the easiest and tastiest version is made with cola, soy sauce, and Shaoxing cooking wine. I also season the chicken wings with some kosher salt and pepper before searing them in the pan, and then braising them in the cola-soy-wine mixture. The wings just do not taste the same without the addition of the soy sauce and Shaoxing wine.
Cola Wings:
· 6 chicken wings, separated at the joints, tips removed
· ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
· ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
· ¼ teaspoon white pepper
· 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
· 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
· 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
· ½ cup cola
Directions:
1) Heat a skillet on medium heat. While the skillet is heating, season the chicken wings with salt and pepper on both sides. Once the skillet is hot, add the chicken wings. Let the chicken wings sear for 2-3 minutes on each side.
2) Add the wine, soy sauces, and cola to the pan. Let the chicken wings cook for 15-20 minutes, flipping them occasionally to ensure even cooking. The sauce should also be reduced in half by this time.
Takeaways: You can marinade the wings ahead of time in half of the sauce before cooking. This way the flavors can seep into the wings before you start cooking them. When I’m making chicken wings as part of weekly meal prep, I always include a side of veggies and rice with the dish. I like to serve chicken wings with a side of baby bok choy cooked in garlic and jasmine rice.