Easy Soy Sauce Braised Chicken with Cola Recipe
Enjoy a Delicious Home-Style Meal: How to Make Cola Soy Sauce Braised Chicken
Hello everyone! Today, I’m sharing a super easy soy sauce braised chicken recipe made with cola that even beginners can nail. Using either Coca-Cola or Pepsi adds a wonderful sweet and savory depth without complex seasoning. For the chicken, you can use a whole chicken, cut into pieces, or opt for pre-cut chicken for stir-fries for convenience. If you’re not comfortable with chicken preparation, the pre-cut option is highly recommended; just give it a quick rinse before use. This delicious braised chicken is perfect for the whole family to enjoy. Let’s get cooking!
Braised Chicken Ingredients- 1 whole chicken (approx. 1kg)
- 1 onion
- 1 potato
- 1 green onion (scallion)
- 1/3 carrot
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 chili pepper (e.g., Serrano or Jalapeño)
- 4 dried red chilies (optional, for extra spice)
- 100ml soy sauce
- 250ml cola (Coca-Cola or Pepsi)
- 240ml water
- 1 Tbsp mirin (cooking wine)
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp corn syrup (or oligosaccharide)
- 2-3 Tbsp sugar or honey (adjust to taste)
- A pinch of sesame seeds
- A pinch of black pepper
- 3-4 bay leaves
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Start by thoroughly washing the whole chicken. Trim any excess fat from the tail end with scissors for a cleaner flavor. You can also remove the chicken skin if you prefer; I removed most of it, except from the wings and legs, and then cut the chicken into manageable pieces. If you’re new to preparing chicken, I highly recommend using pre-cut chicken for braising (often sold as ‘dakbokkeumtang용’ in Korean markets). Even with pre-cut chicken, give it a good rinse under running water before proceeding.
Step 2
Place the cleaned chicken pieces into a pot. Add enough water to cover the chicken completely. Toss in the bay leaves, which help to remove any gamey odor from the chicken.
Step 3
Bring the water to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat to medium and let it simmer for 3-5 minutes. This parboiling step helps to remove impurities and any lingering odors, ensuring a cleaner taste for your braised chicken.
Step 4
While the chicken is parboiling, prepare your vegetables and aromatics. Dice the onion, carrot, and potato into bite-sized cubes, similar in size to the chicken pieces. Finely chop the chili pepper. Mince the garlic cloves. Cut the green onion into large, diagonal pieces.
Step 5
Carefully remove the parboiled chicken from the pot and discard the water. Rinse the chicken under cold running water one more time to remove any remaining scum, then return the chicken to the clean pot.
Step 6
Now, let’s add the braising liquid. To the pot with the chicken, add a pinch of black pepper, 1 tablespoon of mirin, and 1 tablespoon of sesame oil. Next, pour in 100ml of soy sauce, 250ml of cola, 240ml of water, the minced garlic, 1 tablespoon of corn syrup, and 2-3 tablespoons of sugar or honey (adjusting the sweetness to your preference). The cola is a secret ingredient that tenderizes the chicken and adds a subtle sweetness and depth of flavor.
Step 7
Once the liquid comes to a boil, add the diced carrots and potatoes. Let them simmer in the braising liquid. The vegetables will absorb the flavors, making the sauce even richer as they cook. Try to keep the potatoes from becoming too mushy.
Step 8
When the carrots and potatoes are tender (you can easily pierce them with a fork), add the prepared onion, green onion, and chopped chili pepper. Continue to simmer for another 5 minutes, allowing all the flavors to meld together beautifully.
Step 9
Finally, turn off the heat and sprinkle a generous amount of sesame seeds over the top for a beautiful finish and a nutty aroma. Your delicious Cola Soy Sauce Braised Chicken is now ready to be served! Enjoy it with a side of warm rice.
