Cooking With Cola | Cola Chicken Dinner With A Side Of Rice And Cola Cake

There are few things more refreshing than a tall, icy glass filled to the brim with cola. Cola can also really hit the spot on a hot day or when you just need a little boost. But have you ever thought about what else cola can be used for? As it turns out, it isn't just for drinking. That's right, you can cook delicious meals with it, too! And with this recipe, cola is what's on the menu tonight. Start the meal off with cola-marinated chicken with a side of cola rice, then finish off with a delicious cola cake for dessert. This cola chicken dinner is the real thing! 

1. Tangy Cola Chicken

Yield: 2 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Inactive Time: 24 hours
Difficulty Level: Easy

You'll Need:

• 2 chicken breasts
• 3 sprigs of thyme
• 1 chili pepper
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 cups cola
• ⅓ cup flour
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tsp salt

Here's How:

1.1 For the cola chicken, combine the chicken breasts, cola, salt, garlic cloves, chili pepper, and thyme in a resealable plastic bag. Seal the plastic bag, transfer it to the refrigerator, and let the chicken marinate for at least 24 hours.

1.2 Once the chicken breasts are done marinating, remove them from the resealable plastic bag and lightly dab them dry with a clean kitchen towel. Heat some vegetable oil up in a frying pan, coat the marinated chicken breasts in flour, and cook the chicken breasts on medium heat for 15 minutes, until golden brown and cooked all the way through. 

2. Super Side Of Cola Rice

Yield: 2 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Difficulty Level: Easy

You'll Need:

• ⅔ cup rice
• 2 tbsp diced red onion
• 1 tbsp salt
• ¼ stick butter
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• ⅓ cup water
• 1 cup cola
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley

Here's How:

2.1 For the cola rice, melt the butter in a large saucepan and sweat the red onions in it until they become translucent. Add in the minced garlic, water, and cola and bring the mixture to a boil. Add in the rice and salt, let everything cook for 1 minute, and put the lid on the saucepan. Reduce the heat and let the cola rice simmer on low heat for 10 minutes.

2.2 Once it's done cooking, remove the saucepan from the heat and let everything cool for 10 minutes. Stir the chopped parsley into the cola rice and serve it alongside the cola chicken.

3. Chocolate Cola Cake

Yield: 1
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 50 minutes
Difficulty Level: Easy

You'll Need:

For the chocolate cola cake:

• ⅔ cup cola
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• ½ stick butter
• ⅓ cup cocoa powder
• 1 cup cane sugar
• 1⅔ cups flour
• 2 eggs
• ⅔ cup plain yogurt
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract

For the cola cake glaze (optional):

• 2 tbsp cola
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• ¼ cup cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• ½ stick butter, melted

Here's How:

3.1 Preheat the oven to 350°F. For the chocolate cola cake, heat the cola, vegetable oil, and butter in a saucepan. Stir together the cocoa powder, sugar, and flour in a large mixing bowl, then slowly stir in the cola mixture. Add in the plain yogurt, eggs, vanilla extract, and baking powder and mix everything together with a hand mixer until a smooth batter forms.

3.2 Grease an 8 x 8-inch cake pan, line the bottom of it with parchment paper, and pour the cake batter into the pan. Transfer the cake pan to the oven and bake the chocolate cola cake at 350°F for 45 minutes. For the cola cake glaze, combine the cola, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and butter in a saucepan and heat the mixture on low heat. Once everything is combined, remove the mixture from the heat and mix in the powdered sugar using a hand mixer. Transfer the cola cake glaze to the refrigerator and let it chill for 15 minutes, then top the chocolate cola cake with it.

These cola recipes come together in perfect harmony. The preparation for this cola chicken dinner is super easy, so it's perfect for new cooks or for anyone who doesn't have of time on their hands. Cooking with cola is something that everyone should do at least once!