The origins of cola-flavoured chicken are unclear, but the combo is surprisingly popular as a local home-cooked meal (seriously, Google it). The dish is so popular in China that McDonald’s has decided to add Coke-fried chicken wings to its menu.
On Weibo, the dish has been hash-tagged as the ‘authentic’ Coke-fried wing (
#正宗可乐鸡翅#). Created by two of the world's largest corporations, this is the first cola-flavoured chicken dish that the Coca-Cola Company has officially recognised. A couple weeks ago upon the dish's launch, the hashtag became one of the top trending topics on Weibo, currently with some 70 million views.
Photograph: Janelle Chew
But how do they taste? The McDonald’s rendition is slightly different from most home-style wings. Instead of braising them and serving them smooth and saucy, McDonald's uses a method much like the one it uses for its standard Spicy McWings – deep-fried and crispy. They're slightly fizzy on first bite and have a citrusy lemon Coke flavour, followed by a kick from the soy seasoning.
If you want to try them for yourself, they sell for 11.5RMB a pair and will be available at select McDonald’s stores until Wednesday 7 August. If your nearest Macca's doesn’t have them, Meituan is also delivering them at 12.5RMB for two.
