Start by preheating your oven to 200°C (400°F). This ensures the wings will cook evenly and become crispy. As the oven heats, take your chicken wings and use a sharp knife to prick the back of each wing. This allows the flavors to penetrate better while cooking.
Next, pat the wings dry with paper towels. This is an important step that helps achieve crispy skin by removing excess moisture. Once dry, arrange them on a baking pan lined with parchment paper and sprinkle them evenly with salt.
Now, it’s time to bake! Place the wings in the preheated oven and bake for about 25 minutes. Keep an eye on them; you want them to be lightly browned and cooked through. The aroma will start to fill your kitchen, hinting at the deliciousness to come.
While the wings are baking, let’s prepare the sauce. Use a vegetable peeler to remove four strips of zest from the lime and then cut the lime in half. Squeeze two tablespoons of fresh lime juice into a saucepan.
Chop the scallions in half and add the white bottom part to the saucepan, reserving the green part for garnish later. Finely chop the green part and set it aside; we’ll need it shortly.
To the saucepan, add the lime zest, Coca-Cola, soy sauce, smashed garlic, and sliced ginger. This mixture is what makes your wings so flavorful!
Bring the cola mixture to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat and let it simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes. You want the sauce to thicken and reduce by about half. The sweet smell of the sauce will have everyone eagerly waiting.
Once it’s reduced, drain out the solids. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch with one tablespoon of water to create a slurry. This will help thicken the sauce even more.
Stir this cornstarch mixture into the cola sauce and cook for an additional three minutes. You’ll notice it starting to get even thicker. When it’s done, turn off the heat.
Now for the exciting part! Pour half of the sauce into a large bowl and mix well with butter. The butter adds a rich finish to the sauce. Reserve the remaining sauce for serving later.
After 25 minutes, your wings should be ready. Remove them from the oven, and in a large bowl, toss the wings in the cola mixture until they are well coated. Return the wings to the baking pan and bake for an additional five minutes. This final bake allows the sauce to caramelize, giving the wings a beautiful, glossy finish.
Finally, serve your Coca-Cola Chicken Wings immediately, drizzled with the reserved sauce. Garnish with the chopped scallions and a sprinkle of white sesame seeds on top for an extra pop of flavor. Enjoy!
