Sweet, savory, and irresistibly sticky—Coca-Cola chicken is made easily in one pan.
Crispy chicken thighs are slow-cooked in a sticky-sweet cola sauce made with pantry ingredients and served over veggies or rice.
Holly’s Recipe Highlights
- Flavor: Fried chicken in Coca-Cola creates a sweet, savory, and caramelized glaze that tenderizes and infuses the meat with flavor.
- Difficulty: Cook the chicken and the sauce in a single pot for easy cleanup.
- Prep Note: Serve Coca-Cola chicken from a crock pot with a side of rice so guests can help themselves.
What’s in Coca-Cola Chicken?
Chicken: This recipe uses chicken thighs because they make perfect single portions, but skin-on breasts, drumsticks, and chicken wings will all work perfectly.
Coca-Cola Sauce: Any cola product (diet, Dr. Pepper, or root beer) works in this recipe, no need to buy the name brand.
Variations
- Short on time? Use frozen chicken meatballs instead. Just toss them in at Step 2. Perfect as an appetizer.
- Make a traditional Chinese version of Coca-Cola chicken, replacing the Worcestershire sauce with soy sauce and the dry mustard with ground ginger.
- Ketchup can be swapped out for BBQ sauce or homemade chili sauce for a zesty kick.
How to Make Coca-Cola Chicken
- Brown seasoned chicken.
- Whisk remaining ingredients (full recipe below) and pour over the chicken.
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer.
- Serve with rice or veggies.
Storing Leftovers
Keep leftover Coca-Cola chicken in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat chicken with sauce on medium-low heat on the stovetop or in the microwave. Freeze portions in zippered bags for up to one month and thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
Chop up leftovers with extra rice or veggies and make a hearty wrap for school or work, or mix leftovers into an Asian slaw for a light and tangy salad.
Sticky Chicken Favorites
Did you enjoy this Coca-Cola Chicken Recipe? Leave a comment and rating below.
Coca Cola Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 pounds bone-in skin-on chicken thighs or drumsticks
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ small yellow onion diced
- 12 ounces cola regular or diet
- ½ cup ketchup
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard powder
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken skin side down and cook just until browned on each side (about 5 minutes). Drain any excess fat.
- Combine onions, cola, ketchup, garlic, worcesterchire sauce, brown sugar, oregano, dry mustard powder in a small bowl. Pour over the chicken and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and cover. Simmer 15 minutes.
- Remove lid, and simmer an additional 25 to 30 minutes turning chicken occasionally until chicken is cooked through and has reached 165°F.
- Serve with rice and steamed veggies.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Chicken, Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
is this nutrition with regular or diet cola? thank you
It’s with regular coca cola. :)
I made this just like you would make chicken and yellow rice in the oven. I Substituted yellow rice with white rice and instead of using chicken broth or water I used the coca cola and baked at 350 for a hour
Sounds delicious! I am glad you enjoyed it.
HUGE hit with the family!! Added some cornstarch to the liquid and made a gravy out of it and put over chicken. Recipe so fast and easy!! Also made your pan roasted potatoes which were a perfect side! This will definitely be on the menu again!
excellent. Chicken is my favorite and this now my favorite resape. Easy and fast. Does not get any better.
The only thing I did differently was poke a punch of holes in the chicken before putting in the coca cola for 2 hr.
thanks
This was a scrumptious way to prepare bone in chicken. What modifications would you suggest to use as a glaze on a pork loin?
I have not tried it over pork loin so I can’t say for sure, but it should work just fine! I would cook the pork loin to 145° F. If the pork is done and the sauce is not thickened enough, you can remove the pork and continue simmering and add the pork back in the last few minutes. If you try it I would love to hear how it turns out Dewey!
Can you really use diet? Most diet sodas include Nutrasweet that denatures in heat so cooking with a diet soda may result in a bitter product.
I have not had this issue Joy, but if you prefer you can use regular coke!
A regular staple in our house. Can’t give it enough stars!!!
This is a family favorite! My girls ask for it on a regular basis!
So happy you enjoy it, Karen!
It was so very hard to make this.
I’m sorry to hear that John, what part did you have trouble with?
You have to be kidding! You gave it a one star because you don’t know how to cook one of thee best recipes on the internet?
I made this tonight with turkey breast tenderloin (its what I had in the freezer). Tried the method someone mentioned, cut it up and put in the sauce (doubled sauce) and it came out very good! Eating it over jasmine rice.
Excellent recipe, yum! Coming from South Africa, cola chicken was one of my favourite meals – however this was usually made with Mrs Balls chutney (instead of mustard and brown sugar). With this one, I substituted the dry mustard with 2tsps (grainy) dijon, and it worked great.
Corn starch mix is a must.
Oops… missed seeing the stars… 5 for sure!
Sounds awesome!
The whole family loved it! At the end, I took out the chicken and added diced potatoes, carrots, onion wedges and some broccoli. When they were cooked, I returned the chicken and served with cauliflower rice and salad. Yummy!
Can I do the cola chicken in the slow cooker? Thanks
Hi Rosa, we haven’t tried this recipe in the slow cooker but it should be okay. I would still brown the chicken before adding to the slow cooker though! Let us know how it turns out :)
I actually used this in slow cooker. I browned on stove first but then put it in my slow cooker. I browned it and then through it in at 2 pm. It was perfect by 5.30 I don’t have time to cook in evening so I do it right before kids get out of school that way it’s ready at dinner time and I just have to make some sides.
I want to make this with whole chicken. Any suggestions?
It’s easy.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Make the sauce on the stove.
Line your baking pan or roasting pan with foil. Cut backbone out so it lays flat in the pan. You can cut the wings off, they burn easily. I place the wings under the chicken in the middle. Coat the chicken with a thin layer of butter on both sides.. Bake the chicken on each side for 15 minutes. Take out of oven and pour the sauce over the top. Bake for another 20 minutes. Could be longer or less depending on size of whole chicken. This is my favorite way to make it when I have time to cook.
Thank you for sharing your method Kelly!
Made this tonight but made adjustments because I had chicken breast already thawed. I made the sauce first, cut the chicken into bite size pieces, browned it in a seperate pan and then added the chicken to the sauce and then thickened it according to your notes. We had it over rice and it was DELICIOUS! We have a few picky eaters and EVERYONE was happy!!
I’m so glad everyone loved it Samantha! I love the adjustment you made by cutting the chicken before serving!
I’m trying tonight with both thighs & two large breasts that will be cut either into thigh size pieces or possibly into pieces as suggested above. I also like the sound of adding veggies at the end & then placing chicken back in the pan. Lots of good ideas all around. Thanks
Let us know how it goes!
If you are concerned about sugar content, the recipe can be made with diet soda, which has 0 tsp. of sugar in it : )
Just wondering if the recipe for cola chicken would work with bonless skinless chicken breasts. Thanks
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure. You would have to reduce the cooking time so the chicken wouldn’t come out dry … I might suggest starting the sauce first on it’s own before you add the chicken so it has a chance to boil down a bit.
What would the cook times be if using chicken breast? Thanks
I haven’t made this recipe with chicken breasts but they usually take around 15 minutes in a frying pan. The internal temperature should reach 165 degrees.
Depends if the breast is bone in or out and if it is seasoned frozen or fresh chilled. Cooking time would vary greatly.
Love easy recipes to try thanks for the post