This Soda Gives Baked Chicken A Sticky-Sweet Upgrade

Thanks to its natural savoriness, chicken doesn't need much to taste incredible. Still, its flavor is agreeable enough to pair well with a range of ingredients, especially sweet ones. To amp up chicken with a sweet touch, season it with Dr Pepper.

If you can glaze chicken with a brown sugar-heavy barbecue sauce, why not flavor it with Dr Pepper? Recipe developer Jennine Rye combines the two in her Dr Pepper BBQ chicken dish for a sweet and savory love affair. "The perfect blend of sweet, fruity flavors and notes of subtle warm spices from the Dr Pepper makes for a really special barbecue sauce," she writes. No one is sure what the actual flavor of Dr Pepper is, but the perceptible hints of anise, cherry, ginger, and cardamom complement the chicken well.

Rye also loves how the soda's rich flavor elevates the tangy barbecue sauce, saying, "The bubbly brown beverage introduces a wonderfully deep caramelized flavor to the barbecue sauce." To give the soda a syrupy texture that can easily be brushed onto the chicken, add it to a saucepan and reduce over medium heat. Rye chooses to make the barbecue component from scratch by combining the soda with ketchup, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, and apple cider vinegar, but you can opt for the store-bought condiment. As the mixture reduces, bake the chicken. As it cooks, remove the chicken twice and brush the sauce on each time, ensuring it forms a caramelized, sticky-sweet coating.

The spiced, fruit-forward taste of Dr Pepper meshes well with barbecue sauce's apple cider vinegar and ketchup, but the soda complements a range of flavors and meats. Ree Drummond uses Dr Pepper as a ham glaze, combining the classic drink with cloves and spicy brown mustard to make the drink even headier.

Whether you're pouring the drink over chicken or preparing a marinade for pork chops, the soda easily fits into various recipes. To highlight the zestier parts of Dr Pepper, trade the heavy spices for lime juice and fresh herbs. The citrus cuts through the soda's sweetness, while ingredients like basil and thyme balance out the cola with some earthiness. The sweet, sour glaze works well with chicken, but it can also make a delicious steak sauce.

To give Dr Pepper BBQ chicken a unique spin, toss the classic Dr Pepper aside and spring for one of its special flavors instead. For a tropical-infused sauce, Dr Pepper Creamy Coconut gives the drink a smooth, sweet boost. Lean into the summery theme with freshly-squeezed lemon or lime, soy sauce, and a dash of scotch bonnet peppers.