Sweet Cola BBQ Chicken Wings with Smoked Paprika and Lemon

Sweet cola BBQ chicken wings with a sticky sauce of cola, ketchup, smoked paprika, chilli and lemon, roasted until glossy and finished with sesame seeds.

Sweet Cola BBQ Chicken Wings

These sweet cola BBQ chicken wings get their lacquered finish from a sauce of reduced cola, ketchup and malt vinegar. Smoked paprika, chilli flakes and lemon keep it from tasting only sweet.

What goes into sweet cola BBQ chicken wings?

The wings are roasted plain first, then tossed in the sauce and returned to the oven. This quantity makes far more sauce than one batch needs.

  • 800g (about 1¾lb) chicken wings
  • 600ml (2½ cups) cola
  • 340g tomato ketchup
  • 60ml malt vinegar
  • 2 tsp dark soy sauce (contains soy and usually wheat)
  • 2 tsp hot pepper sauce
  • 4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp dried chilli flakes
  • 1 tsp coarse salt
  • Juice and zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 tbsp sesame seeds

How do you make the sauce?

Put everything except the wings, lemon juice and sesame seeds into a large pot, adding the lemon zest. Bring to the boil, then keep it bubbling until it thickens to a syrupy consistency. That takes about 30 to 45 minutes. Stir now and then towards the end so it doesn’t catch.

How do you cook the wings?

  1. Trim off the wing tips if they are still attached. Put the wings in a lidded container with the lemon juice and a little seasoning. Chill for at least a couple of hours, or overnight if you can.
  2. Heat the oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / 350°F / gas 4. Spread the wings on a baking tray and roast for 30 minutes.
  3. Lift the wings into a large bowl. Add 5 tablespoons of the sauce and the sesame seeds, then toss until coated.
  4. Return them to the tray and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until sticky and deeply coloured.

The USDA gives 165°F (74°C) as the safe internal temperature for chicken. Check the thickest part with a thermometer. Without one, make sure the juices run clear and no pink remains. Take care with the hot tray and the bubbling sauce.

Can you make it ahead?

Yes. Pour the finished sauce into a sterilised jar. Stored in the fridge, it should keep for around two months. The wings can also sit in the lemon juice overnight.

What should you serve with them?

Fresh coleslaw and sweet potato chips suit the sticky sauce. Put out napkins and a bowl for the bones.