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Diet Coke Chicken

This diet coke chicken dish is a tasty recipe for anyone on a low carb diet – and alternative sugar free cola products can also be used!
Diet Coke Chicken - a low carb recipe that can be made with any sugar free cola.

 

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I don't drink coffee. I don't drink tea. Yes, a Brit that doesn't drink tea. But I *do* drink diet coke. Not by the gallon, just one of those little mini cans a day. So when I read about a dish that involved cooking with it – I just had to try it out, with a few personalizations, of course!

However I do understand that diet coke isn't suitable for everyone, so here are some alternatives:

How to Make Diet Coke Chicken

Prepare the chicken thighs by trimming any excess fat and seasoning the skin with salt and pepper. I prefer to use skin-on, bone-in thighs. Place them in a hot skillet, skin-side-down, for five minutes or until starting to crisp up. You can skip this step if using skinless thighs.

Diet Coke Chicken - a low carb recipe that can be made with any sugar free cola.

Transfer the chicken to a small baking dish and roast in a preheated oven for 15 minutes.

Diet Coke Chicken - a low carb recipe that can be made with any sugar free cola.

As soon as you've got them in the oven, start the sauce. Wipe any excess grease from the skillet, then add the diet coke or cola, together with some tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and some liquid smoke. Cook over a medium-high heat and let it bubble.

Diet Coke Chicken - a low carb recipe that can be made with any sugar free cola.

This sauce ends up quite like a BBQ sauce, so I think the liquid smoke really adds something. Let the sauce reduce down until your 15 minutes is up with the chicken.

Remove the chicken from the oven and carefully drain any excess fat. Pour the sauce over the chicken and return it to the oven. Cook until an internal temperature of 165F is reached. Timings depend on your oven temp and size of chicken pieces, but it will probably be about 10-15 minutes – a probe thermometer is very useful.

Transfer the cooked chicken to the serving plates and pour some of the sauce over the top. Garnish with parsley.

Diet Coke Chicken - a low carb recipe that can be made with any sugar free cola.

Serve with salad or side dish of your choice – cauliflower rice would be great! Challenge anyone who didn't see you cook it to guess the secret ingredient!

Diet Coke Chicken - a low carb recipe that can be made with any sugar free cola.

Check out all my low carb chicken recipes!

Diet Coke Chicken

Diet Coke Chicken

Yield: 2 Servings
Prep Time: 3 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 38 minutes

This diet coke chicken dish is a tasty recipe for anyone on a low carb diet - and alternative sugar free cola products can also be used!

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375F.
  2. Prepare the chicken thighs by seasoning the skin with salt and pepper. Place them in a hot skillet, skin-side-down, for five minutes or until starting to crisp up. You can skip this step if using skinless thighs.
  3. Transfer the chicken to a small baking dish and roast for 15 minutes.
  4. As soon as you've got them in the oven, start the sauce. Wipe any excess grease from the skillet, then add the diet coke or cola, together with the tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and liquid smoke. Cook over a medium-high heat and let it bubble. The sauce will reduce by about half.
  5. Remove the chicken from the oven and carefully drain any excess fat. Pour the sauce over the chicken and return it to the oven. Roast until an internal temperature of 165F is reached - about 10-15 minutes depending on the size of the chicken pieces.
  6. Transfer the cooked chicken to the serving plates and pour some of the sauce over the top. Garnish with parsley.

Notes

3g net carbs per serving (two thighs with sauce)

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Nutrition Information
Yield 2 Serving Size Half the recipe
Amount Per Serving Calories 573Total Fat 36gSaturated Fat 11gCholesterol 333mgSodium 976mgCarbohydrates 4gNet Carbohydrates 3gFiber 1gSugar 2gProtein 62g
Inspired by Rose, Lily and Me.

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Jacob

Saturday 20th of April 2019

What side dish would go best with this? Pasta? Rice? Something along those lines? Thanks!

Georgina

Sunday 21st of April 2019

Well you've found yourself on a low carb blog so I wouldn't recommend pasta or rice! :-) A side salad would be great or some yummy veggies!

Beth Hughes

Sunday 14th of January 2018

Hi, when you say tomato sauce, are you talking tomato purée in a tube (uk) or passatta, Thank you. Your recipes look amazing.

Georgina

Sunday 14th of January 2018

Definitely not the thick paste in a tube! Nearer to passata - smooth, pourable sauce that is 100% tomatoes. I hope that helps!

maria

Thursday 6th of July 2017

can i use something else i place o liquid smoke

Georgina

Thursday 6th of July 2017

I'm not sure that there is a good alternative to liquid smoke - but I'm sure the recipe will still taste great without it!

joan

Thursday 4th of August 2016

where do i buy liquid smoke from .

Georgina

Friday 5th of August 2016

You can buy it from Amazon - here's a link: http://amzn.to/2aA5f91

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