Recipe: How To Make Steven Raichlen’s Cola-can Chicken

If you can cook chicken with beer, why not with soda? Take Venezuela, where pot roast braised in Coke is a treasured dish, says grilling expert Steven Raichlen, author of the new “Beer-Can Chicken: Foolproof Recipes for the Crispiest, Crackliest, Smokiest, Most Succulent Birds You’ve Ever Tasted (Revised).” Even though it’s not seen in many restaurant kitchens, Coke, Pepsi and other colas have flavors that add “complex interplay of sweet, tart, spicy and aromatic flavors” that are a welcome addition to many marinades, bastes and barbecue sauces,” Raichlen says. He recommends serving this with buttery Texas toast and a favorite side of cooked greens. Cola-Can Chicken Serves 2 to 4 INGREDIENTS (Workman Publishing, $24.99) 1 tablespoon mild chili powder 2 teaspoons salt 2 teaspoons light brown sugar 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 can (12 ounces) cola 1 chicken (3½ to 4 pounds) 2 teaspoons vegetable oil Cola Barbecue Sauce (see recipe) 1½ cups wood chips or chunks (preferably hickory), soaked for 30 minutes in water to cover, then drained Vertical chicken roaster (optional) DIRECTIONS Make the rub: Put the chili powder, salt, brown sugar, black pepper, cumin, garlic powder and cayenne pepper in a small bowl and stir to mix. Pop the tab off the soda can.