Suzie Lee’s Coca-Cola chicken wings with spicy cucumber salad – recipe

Coca-Cola was introduced to Hong Kong in the 1960s, and has since made its way into a couple of recipes, including the popular Chinese cold remedy, boiled cola with ginger, as well as various iterations of Coca-Cola chicken. I remember my mum making these wings when I was a child, and I always wondered how they were allowed She wouldn’t let us drink coke, but somehow, with chicken, it passed! I started making Coca-Cola wings for my own kids only recently, and they’re always gobbled up before they touch their rice; they’re also delicious with this spicy cucumber salad.

Coca-Cola chicken wings with spicy cucumber salad

If you prefer, leave out the chilli oil from the salad, but I love the kick it brings. I also like to add this salad to rice and noodle bowls, or just to snack on.

Prep 15 min
Cook 25 min
Serves 4

For the wings
1kg chicken wings, separated into wingettes and drumettes
Vegetable oil, for frying
Salt
White pepper

For the sauce
30g fresh ginger, peeled and finely sliced
3 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp light soy sauce
330ml can full-sugar cola

For the salad
1 large cucumber, topped, tailed and sliced into fine rounds
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
4 tsp rice-wine vinegar
1 tsp light soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp chilli oil, such as Lee Kum Kee

Put the chicken in a saucepan, cover it with cold water and bring to a boil. Cook for five minutes, skimming off any impurities that float to the surface, then lift out the wings with a slotted spoon and save the chicken broth for another use.

To make the sauce, heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a wok or large frying pan, add the ginger and garlic, and stir-fry for about 30 seconds, until they start to release their aromas. Throw in the boiled chicken wings and brown for three to five minutes. Add all the remaining sauce ingredients, bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and cover the pan. Leave to bubble away for about 15 minutes, until the liquid has reduced to a sticky sauce.

Meanwhile, make the salad. Arrange a layer of sliced cucumber on a plate and sprinkle over half a teaspoon of salt. Repeat with another layer of each, then mix with your hands and leave for 15 minutes. Strain off the liquid from the cucumber, then pat dry with kitchen towel to remove the excess salt.

Mix the sugar, vinegar, soy sauce and sesame oil in a bowl. Toss the cucumber in the dressing, then taste and adjust the seasoning – if you want it sharper, say, add more vinegar. Finally, add a couple of tablespoons of spicy chilli oil for extra flavour.

Season the wings and sauce in the pan with salt and white pepper to taste. Bring the heat up to high again, so the sauce caramelises and coats the wings, then serve with plain rice and the spicy cucumber salad on the side.

• Suzie Lee is a cook, TV presenter and author of two cookbooks

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