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Chinese Spiced Cola Chicken Wings

Immerse chicken wings in a simmering blend of soda and soy sauce infused with aromatic spices, resulting in a sticky, savory-sweet glaze mirroring classic Chinese flavors. Simple to prepare yet rich in taste, this recipe is cherished in Chinese culinary circles.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: dinner
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs chicken wings, cut in half at the joint
  • ¼ cup Shaoxing rice wine, dry sherry, or sake
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp white pepper
  • 2 Tbsp vegetable oil or other neutral oil
  • ½ inch ginger root, sliced into 3 or 4 pieces
  • 1 Tbsp garlic, minced (2-3 cloves)
  • ¼ cup sliced green onions (2-3 green onions)
  • 1 star anise (optional) (I have also added 1 star and removed it after 2 minutes of braising. That way there is only a slight hint of anise which can be overwhelming for some people).
  • 1 cup cola, such as Coca-Cola or Pepsi (Do not use diet or sugar-free versions; if you prefer, you can use ¾ cup water and ¼ cup packed dark brown sugar instead)
  • ¼ cup soy sauce (Option to use light soy sauce which my husband and I prefer.)
  • cooked rice for serving

Equipment

  • wok If you don't have a wok, a 10–12-inch skillet will work as well, but you may get a bit less browning (especially if using a nonstick skillet) and you may want to turn the wings more frequently, to make sure all side are submerged in the sauce.

Method
 

  1. Make 2 or 3 small cuts on each of the chicken wings to help them absorb the sauce (or poke a few holes). Place the wings in a large bowl with the rice wine, salt, and white pepper and toss to evenly coat. Let marinate in the refrigerator for 15 to 30 minutes, then drain, reserving the marinade.
  2. Heat the oil in a large wok over high until shimmering. Add the chiken wings, ginger, garlic, scallions, and star anise (if using), and cook, stirring occasionally, until the wings get a bit of nice browning here and there, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the reserved marinade, cola, and soy sauce, and reduce the heat to medium. (The cola will foam up quite a bit, but will subside into a simmer.) Let simmer, turning the wings occasionally, until the sauce reduces and thickly coats the wings, about 15 minutes. Serve with rice and plenty of napkins.

Notes

Feel free to omit the anise altogether.  Some people don't like the taste of black licorice.