You might not believe it… but yep, I cooked chicken with a can of Diet Coke! And guess what? It turned out amazing! The sauce becomes sticky, sweet, and packed with flavor all without using any sugary sauces or complicated stuff. I first found this idea from @pinchofnom and made a few changes of my own to fit what I had in the kitchen.
If you’re looking for something fun, high-protein, and totally satisfying, Coca-Cola Chicken is a great choice. It’s simple to make, super filling, and gives serious takeaway vibes perfect for a cozy Friday night dinner!
Method
Prepping the Chicken
Start by dicing the chicken breasts into small, bite-sized pieces. This helps them cook faster and soak up all the delicious flavor from the sauce later. Once they’re all cut, season them lightly with a pinch of salt.
Cooking the Chicken
Spray a large frying pan or wok with a bit of low-cal cooking spray and place it over low heat. Add the diced chicken and cook it gently, stirring often. After a minute or two, sprinkle in the Chinese 5 spice and stir it through. This spice gives the chicken its signature warm and slightly sweet flavor. Let it cook for a few more minutes, just until the outside turns white and is lightly golden. Then, remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside on a plate it’s going back in later!
Sautéing the Aromatics
In the same pan (don’t rinse it those leftover bits are flavor gold!), spray a little more cooking spray. Add the chopped red onion, crushed garlic, and finely chopped ginger. Sauté everything over medium-low heat for about 3–4 minutes until soft and fragrant. Stir often so nothing burns garlic and ginger can turn bitter if they get too dark.
Building the Sauce Base
Next, toss in the sliced red pepper, yellow pepper, and sweetcorn (or baby corn if you’re using it). Give it a stir to combine everything. Now it’s time for the saucy stuff! Add the tomato purée, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, rice vinegar, and the entire can of Diet Coke. Yep straight from the can, bubbles and all! Stir well to mix the flavors.
Adding the Stock and Simmering
Turn the heat up and bring the pan to a gentle boil. Once bubbling, stir in the crumbled half chicken stock cube and the chicken stock pot. These deepen the flavor and make the sauce richer. Keep stirring to help everything dissolve smoothly into the sauce.
First Simmer to Thicken
Let the sauce simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes. This helps it reduce and thicken into that glossy, sticky texture we’re aiming for. Keep the heat at a gentle bubble, not a hard boil, and stir every few minutes so the sauce doesn’t stick or burn.
Returning the Chicken and Final Simmer
Once the sauce starts to thicken, return the cooked chicken pieces to the pan. Add the chopped spring onions and stir everything together so the chicken is well coated. Simmer it all for another 10–15 minutes. This second simmer makes sure the chicken cooks through and absorbs all the sweet and savory goodness of the sauce.
Final Check
Before serving, check the consistency of the sauce. It should be sticky and slightly glossy. If it’s too thin, let it simmer a bit longer. If it’s too thick, you can splash in a tablespoon of water or a little extra Diet Coke to loosen it up. Taste and adjust the salt if needed.
Necessary Tools
- Chopping board & knife
- Large frying pan or wok
- Measuring spoons
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Mixing bowl (optional)
- Can opener (if needed for the Coke)
Coca-Cola Chicken Sweet, Sticky, and So Good!
Cuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy3
servings10
minutes30
minutes1
hour10
minutesIngredients
3 chicken breasts
1 red onion, chopped
1 red pepper, sliced
½ yellow pepper, sliced
50g sweetcorn (or baby corn if you’ve got it)
5 spring onions, chopped
330ml can of Diet Coke
2 tbsp tomato purée
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
½ chicken stock cube (crumbled)
1 chicken stock pot
½ tsp Chinese 5 spice seasoning
1cm piece of root ginger, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
Low-cal cooking spray
Salt to taste
Directions
- Dice the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces.
- Spray your pan with a little low-cal cooking spray. Cook the chicken over low heat.
- Add the Chinese 5-spice and some salt. Stir for a few minutes, then remove the chicken and set it aside.
- In the same pan, add a bit more cooking spray and fry the onion, garlic, and ginger until they’re soft.
- Toss in the red and yellow peppers, corn, tomato purée, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, and the full can of Diet Coke.
- Bring it all to a boil, then stir in the crumbled stock cube and the stock pot.
- Let it simmer for about 10 minutes until the sauce thickens up nicely.
- Add the chicken back into the pan along with the spring onions. Simmer for another 10-15 minutes until the chicken is cooked all the way through.
Notes
- Make sure the sauce boils before adding the stock cube and stock pot it helps everything dissolve evenly.
- Don’t skip the simmer time after adding the chicken again this thickens the sauce more and makes sure the chicken soaks up the flavor.
- Keep the heat low during the first steps so nothing burns, especially the garlic and ginger.
Serving Suggestions
- Steamed jasmine rice or egg-fried rice
- A side of stir-fried veggies
- Noodles tossed with sesame oil
- Lettuce cups for a low-carb option
Fun Fact
Diet Coke has caramel coloring and natural acidity that help create a glossy, sticky sauce. Plus, no added sugar in this version just fizzy magic doing the work!
Conclusion
Coca-Cola Chicken is one of those recipes that sounds odd but totally works. It’s sweet, savory, and super satisfying, and you don’t need any fancy sauces to pull it off. It’s fun to cook, even better to eat, and perfect for nights when you want something that feels like takeout but is way healthier. Give it a go, and I promise you’ll be saying, “Wait, I made this with Diet Coke?!”
