Cola Chicken Wings from ‘Chinatown Kitchen’

Every week, Yahoo Food spotlights a cookbook that stands out from all the rest. This week’s cookbook is Chinatown Kitchen by Lizzie Mabbott. Read more about Yahoo Food’s Cookbook of the Week here.

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Photograph by David Munns

Cola Chicken Wings

This is a minimal-effort dish, but one that brings a high reward. Especially popular with children, the cola reduces down to a sticky and addictive  glaze. If you use other chicken portions, it will be inferior; you really need the finger-licking quality that wings bring to it. I’m not saying it’s good for you, but once in a while… 

1¾ lb chicken wings 
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce 
3 garlic cloves 
2 scallions 
2 tablespoons vegetable oil 
3 slices of fresh ginger root, peeled 
1 star anise 
2 tablespoons light soy sauce 
1 can of cola (not diet or flavored)   
Drizzle of sesame oil

Split the wings at the joint (one wing makes 2 pieces, the “flat” and the “drum”). Place in a bowl and rub with the dark soy sauce. Let marinate for a few minutes and, while doing so, crush the garlic and separate the white and green parts of the scallions, chopping the whites coarsely and slicing the greens diagonally.

Heat the vegetable oil in the wok over medium heat and brown the chicken pieces well. Remove and set aside. Stir-fry the garlic, ginger, and whites of the scallions with the star anise. Return the chicken wing pieces to the wok, stir to coat, and add the light soy sauce. Open the can of cola and pour into the wok. Bring to a boil, then let it simmer for 20 minutes. The liquid may not quite cover the chicken pieces, in which case turn the pieces over and simmer for another 20 minutes. By this point the sauce should have reduced to become thick and glossy. If not, simmer it for a little longer.

To serve, arrange on a platter and garnish with the scallion greens. Drizzle with the sesame oil and serve with steamed white rice and a vegetable side dish or two.

Reprinted with permission from Chinatown Kitchen by Lizzie Mabbott (Mitchell Beazley).

More Asian chicken wings to love:

Korean Fried Chicken from ‘Maangchi’s Real Korean Cooking’

Spicy Kung Pao Chicken Wings Recipe From 'Woks of Life’

Mom’s Tori No Karaage Japanese Fried Chicken from ‘Clean Green Eats’