Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. I may earn a small commission for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial, and/or link to any products or services from this website.
Tender, juicy, savory, and sweet — this Coca Cola chicken is an easy lunch or dinner option for the slow cooker. Serve it on sandwich buns with a side of coleslaw, stuff it in baked potatoes, pile it on rice or mashed potatoes, or pair it alongside biscuits and cornbread!
Table of Contents
Crock Pot Coca Cola chicken is an easy and affordable dinner, so it’s ideal for busy days when you don’t have the time or attention to tend to a more high-maintenance smoker or grill. With just a few minutes of prep, you can have a big batch of tender, juicy meat to use in tacos, sandwiches, wraps, or salads all week long.
What does Coca Cola chicken taste like?
Coca cola chicken tastes like succulent and juicy pulled bbq chicken — with a flavorful punch! You’ll love the taste of the sweet and zesty bbq rub, the tender meat, and the richly flavored Coca Cola bbq sauce! It’s sweet, tangy, savory, and a little bit spicy.
Why do people put Coke on chicken?
Especially in the South, folks love to add Coca Cola to just about anything — from savory pot roasts to chocolate cakes! Here, the Coke serves two primary purposes: it tenderizes the meat, and it adds flavor to the dish. Other carbonated sodas will also do the trick, so pick your favorite. Diet Coke, Pepsi, root beer, and Dr. Pepper all work fine!
Ingredients
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for Coca Cola chicken in the slow cooker. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Chicken: I prefer boneless skinless chicken thighs for the Crock Pot, since they tend to stay juicer and more tender than white meat. That said, you can use an equal amount of boneless, skinless chicken breasts if you prefer.
- BBQ rub: we use this simple homemade dry rub, which is a combination of onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, brown sugar, chili powder, and kosher salt. It’s slightly sweet and zesty, but not too spicy. You can substitute with your favorite store-bought rub.
- Onions and garlic: for savory flavor.
- Coca-Cola: tenderizes and flavors the meat. Use another soda like Diet Coke, Pepsi, Dr. Pepper, or root beer if you prefer.
- Barbecue sauce: pick your favorite thick, rich sauce. I use Sweet Baby Ray’s brand for this dish.
How to Cook Chicken with Coca Cola
It doesn’t get much easier than a Crock Pot chicken recipe with just 10 minutes of prep! Everyone will wonder about the secret ingredient, as the aroma wafts through the house all afternoon. I’ve included the full directions in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post, but here’s your quick version:
- Arrange the onion and garlic in the bowl of a slow cooker.
- Season the chicken with plenty of bbq rub, and then place it on top of the onions.
- Pour in the Coke, bbq sauce, and salt.
- Cover and cook until the chicken is fall-apart tender and shreds easily with two forks.
Can you overcook chicken in a slow cooker?
Yes, chicken that’s cooked for too long in the Crock Pot will become dry and tough. Since every slow cooker runs at a slightly different temperature, it’s important to keep an eye on your meat the first time you prepare this recipe. The chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. This typically requires 2-3 hours on HIGH, or about 4-6 hours on LOW.
Serving Suggestions
Pile the shredded chicken on sandwich buns, use it on pizza, nachos, tacos, salad, or offer the tender, flavorful meat on its own with your favorite side dishes. Here are some easy options that go well with bbq coca cola chicken:
- Hush Puppies
- Coleslaw or Vinegar Coleslaw
- Hoe Cakes
- Baked Potato Wedges, Twice Baked Potatoes, 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes, Mashed Potatoes with Sour Cream and Chives, Skin On Mashed Red Potatoes, Baked Potatoes, or Easy Potato Salad
- Sweet Cornbread, Southern Cornbread, Cornbread with Cake Mix, Pumpkin Cornbread, Jiffy Cornbread with Creamed Corn, Jalapeno Cheddar Mexican Cornbread, Skillet Cornbread, Old-Fashioned Corn Sticks, or Honey Cornbread
- Corn Muffins or 3-Ingredient Sour Cream Muffins
- Pumpkin Muffins, Two-Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins, or Pumpkin Bread
- 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits, Butter Swim Biscuits, Flaky Biscuits, Sweet Potato Biscuits, Drop Biscuits, or Cheese Biscuits
- Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese, Crock Pot Mac and Cheese, Stovetop Shells and Cheese, No-Boil Easy Mac and Cheese, or Duke’s Homemade Mac and Cheese
- Corn Salad, Jiffy Corn Casserole, or Fried Corn
- 3-Ingredient Sour Cream Muffins
- Wedge Salad, Classic Caesar Salad, House Salad with Candied Pecans, or a Green Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette
- Refrigerator Dill Pickles, Cucumber Salad with Vinegar, Tomato Cucumber Onion Salad, or Cucumber Dill Salad
- Arkansas Green Beans with Bacon or Southern-Style Green Beans
- Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
- Fried Apples or Baked Apple Slices
- Southern Succotash
- Southern Collard Greens
- Fried Okra
- Broccoli and Cheese
- Easy Pasta Salad
- Homemade Baked Beans with Bacon
- Charleston Red Rice
- Okra and Tomatoes
- Southern Squash Casserole
- Cheese Grits
- Fried Cabbage with Apples and Onion, Braised Red Cabbage, or Roasted Cabbage
Storage
Leftover Coca-Cola chicken will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
How to Freeze
To extend the life of your pulled chicken, store the leftovers in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
You can also freeze the raw ingredients together in a large Ziploc freezer bag if you’re prepping a batch of freezer meals. Thaw the bag in the refrigerator overnight, and then dump everything from the bag into a slow cooker when you’re ready to cook the meat.
How to Reheat
Place the cooked chicken and sauce in a saucepan on the stovetop. Cover with a lid and warm over low heat, just until the meat reaches the desired temperature (stirring regularly).
Recipe Variations
- Use your favorite homemade bbq sauce in this recipe rather than the store-bought version.
- Serving a larger group? Double all of the ingredients.
- Make it spicy by adding some cayenne to the bbq rub. You can also feel free to add other spices to your seasoning blend, including a touch of ginger or even some star anise.
- Swap out the Coca-Cola and use Diet Coke, Dr. Pepper, root beer, or Pepsi instead.
- For a touch of salty umami flavor, add some Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce.
Tips for the Best Coca Cola Chicken Recipe
- Adjust the amount of bbq dry rub to suit your taste. I know that ¼ cup sounds like a lot (and it is), but remember that you have a lot of meat to season. The flavor will also be diluted by the condensation in the slow cooker, as well as the Coca Cola and other cooking liquid. Crock Pot meals require a lot of seasoning so that they don’t taste watered-down.
- Use either boneless, skinless chicken breasts or boneless, skinless chicken thighs. We find that the dark meat thighs stay juicier during the slow cooking process, but either works.
- Pick a thick store-bought barbecue sauce, which won’t get too watered down and thin in the Crock Pot. We like Sweet Baby Ray’s brand for this dish.
- Be careful not to overcook your chicken. I find that the chicken breast or thighs have the best texture when cooked in my slow cooker on HIGH for about 2-3 hours (at the most — sometimes they’re done in just 90 minutes). That keeps them moist and juicy, and prevents them from drying out. The meat is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Also remember — every slow cooker runs at a slightly different temperature (which is why the recipe gives you general time ranges, rather than exact times). Since my slow cooker tends to cook at a relatively high temperature, I find that the meal is best when cooked on HIGH for about 2 hours or on LOW for about 4 hours. Just get familiar with your pot and adjust accordingly.
More Crock Pot Chicken Recipes
Crockpot Chicken and Stuffing
2 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
Crock Pot Mississippi Chicken
4 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
Crock Pot Chicken Stew
8 hours hrs 15 minutes mins
Crock Pot Coca Cola Chicken
Ingredients
- 3 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs (or sub with boneless skinless chicken breast)
- ¼ cup homemade barbecue rub (or store-bought brand of choice)
- 2 large onions, thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
- 1 (12 ounce) can Coca-Cola
- 1 cup barbecue sauce, plus extra for serving
- Optional, for serving: chopped fresh parsley; sandwich rolls; coleslaw; cooked rice; noodles; mashed potatoes; baked potatoes; biscuits or cornbread
Instructions
- Place the onion and garlic in the bottom of a slow cooker.
- Pat chicken dry with paper towels; season liberally with barbecue rub on all sides. Nestle the chicken in the slow cooker on top of the onions.
- Add 1 ½ teaspoons salt, Coca-Cola, and barbecue sauce. Cover and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Shred the chicken with two forks. Stir the meat back into the sauce. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley or chopped scallions, drizzle with additional barbecue sauce, and serve on sandwich rolls with coleslaw; over rice, noodles, or mashed potatoes; tucked inside baked potatoes; or with biscuits or cornbread.
Notes
- Adjust the amount of bbq dry rub to suit your taste. I know that ¼ cup sounds like a lot (and it is), but remember that you have a lot of meat to season. The flavor will also be diluted by the condensation in the slow cooker, as well as the Coca Cola and other cooking liquid. Crock Pot meals require a lot of seasoning so that they don’t taste watered-down.
- Use either boneless, skinless chicken breasts or boneless, skinless chicken thighs. We find that the dark meat thighs stay juicier during the slow cooking process, but either works.
- Pick a thick store-bought barbecue sauce, which won’t get too watered down and thin in the Crock Pot. We like Sweet Baby Ray’s brand for this dish.
- Be careful not to overcook your chicken. I find that the chicken breast or thighs have the best texture when cooked in my slow cooker on HIGH for about 2-3 hours (at the most — sometimes they’re done in just 90 minutes). That keeps them moist and juicy, and prevents them from drying out. The meat is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Also remember — every slow cooker runs at a slightly different temperature (which is why the recipe gives you general time ranges, rather than exact times). Since my slow cooker tends to cook at a relatively high temperature, I find that the meal is best when cooked on HIGH for about 2 hours or on LOW for about 4 hours. Just get familiar with your pot and adjust accordingly.
Hi. I was wondering what was put over your crock pot coca cola chicken? In the picture the closest thing I could find you had was the fennel salad with apples and creamy apple cider dressing. If its not what is served over it would you mind giving me the description of what it is. Id appreciate it. Thanks.
Hi, Crystal! That’s just a traditional coleslaw like this: https://www.theseasonedmom.com/margeauxs-coleslaw/
Hope you enjoy!
Thank you so much!!! That’s very helpful. I’m making the chicken tonight so far it’s coming out great!
We’re so happy to hear this, Crystal! We hope you enjoy it!