Pollo a la coca cola or coca cola chicken is one of the most delicious chicken recipes you’ll ever try! It’s super easy and it’s something the entire family will love. Next, you’ll have to try pollo encacahuatado (chicken in peanut sauce).
My husband had been asking me for the longest time to make pollo a la coca cola.
I never had it before so I wasn’t even sure how to make it.
His mother used to make it for him and she was kind enough to give me her recipe.
Let me tell you, it’s absolutely amazing!
I love the flavors of this dish. It’s sweet, salty and a little spicy.
It’s so yummy and all it needs is a super simple side of white rice to be complete.
What are the ingredients for coca cola chicken?
The ingredients for coca cola chicken are quite simple and the majority of them are probably already in your kitchen. What you’ll need are:
- canned tomato sauce
- chipotle peppers in adobo plus some of the sauce
- soy sauce
- water
- chicken drumsticks
- salt and pepper
- olive oil
- butter
- white onion
- garlic cloves
- Coca Cola
Can I use chicken thighs instead?
Yes, if you have chicken thighs those will work just fine.
How to make pollo a la Coca Cola
First we’re going to make the sauce.
Put the tomato sauce, chipotle peppers plus some of it’s sauce, water and soy sauce in a blender. Blend until smooth and set aside.
Next put the chicken in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper.
Heat up the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once hot add the chicken and cook for about 5 minutes.
Then flip the chicken and cook for another 5 minutes or until it’s nice and browned as shown below.
Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside. Reduce the heat to medium low and add the butter to the skillet.
Once the butter is melted add the onion and stir. Cook for a couple of minutes until translucent.
Then add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Add the sauce to the skillet. Then add the chicken.
Pour the Coca Cola into the skillet. Bring it to a boil over medium high heat. Then reduce heat to medium low and cover. Cook for 30 minutes. Then uncover and flip the chicken over and cover again. Continue to cook for another 30 minutes.
By now the chicken has simmered in the sauce for an hour total. The chicken will be cooked through and tender. Your kitchen should also smell amazing!
What do I serve with Coca Cola chicken?
All this tasty dish needs is a side of white rice. The rice does a great job at soaking up the delicious sauce.
Tips and tricks
- Remove the skin from the drumsticks before cooking for a less greasy dish.
- Use room temperature Coca-Cola
- Reduce the amount of chipotle peppers in the recipe if you’re sensitive to spice.
More chicken recipes
Pollo a la Coca Cola recipe
This is an easy and delicious dinner the whole family will enjoy.
I hope you and your family enjoy this recipe as much as we do.
Let me know what you think of it in the comments below.
Thanks for visiting, see you soon!
Pollo a la Coca-Cola
Pollo a la Coca-Cola or "Coca-Cola chicken" is a delicious recipe that the whole family will enjoy. Serve it with white rice.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup canned tomato sauce
- 3 chipotle peppers plus 1 tbs of the sauce
- 3 tbs soy sauce
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 lbs chicken drumsticks
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 tbs butter
- 1/2 white onion sliced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 12 oz Coca Cola
Instructions
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Put the tomato sauce, chipotle peppers and 1 tbs of the sauce, water and soy sauce in a blender. Blend until smooth and set aside.
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Put the drumsticks in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper.
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Heat up the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once hot add the chicken and cook for about 5 minutes. Then flip the chicken and cook for another 5 minutes or until it's nice and browned.
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Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside. Reduce the heat to medium low and add the butter to the skillet. Once the butter is melted add the sliced onion and stir. Cook for a couple of minutes then add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
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Add the blended sauce to the skillet. Then return the chicken to the skillet as well.
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Pour the Coca-Cola into the skillet. Bring it to a boil over medium high heat. Then reduce the heat to medium low and cover. Cook for 30 minutes. Then uncover and flip the chicken over and cover again. Continue to cook for another 30 minutes. Remove the skillet from heat.
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Serve with white rice and enjoy.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- Removing the skin from the chicken before cooking will result in a less greasy dish.
- Use room temperature Coca-Cola.
- Reduce the amount of chipotle peppers in this recipe if you’re sensitive to spice.
Tracy
Monday 26th of September 2022
Oops, that should have said sugar consumption!
Tracy
Monday 26th of September 2022
I'm trying to keep my shower consumption to a minimum. Do you think this would work with diet coke?
Carissa
Monday 26th of September 2022
I've never done it with Diet Coke but I know that it can be done. If you try it let me know how it turns out!