One of our favorite family meals is these Coca-Cola smoked chicken leg quarters. They’re perfect for gatherings — everyone loves chicken — and leg quarters are budget-friendly and satisfy a crowd.
I love to smoke food and do it whenever I can. On a recent perfect-weather day I fired up the smoker and used my Coca-Cola brine on a batch of leg quarters. The result was fantastic: juicy, flavorful chicken with a subtle sweet-savory finish. If you’re feeding a group, leg quarters are a great option — they’re economical and yield plenty of meat.
Coca-Cola Smoked Chicken Leg Quarters Ingredients:
- Whole leg quarters – You can use any chicken cut for this brine, bone-in or boneless.
- Coca-Cola – Use 2 liters. Other dark sodas like Diet Coke, Dr Pepper, or root beer will work but change the flavor slightly.
- Worcestershire sauce
- Brown sugar
- Minced garlic
- Salt
- Honey BBQ sauce
- Ice
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How To Make Smoked Coca-Cola Chicken Leg Quarters:
1. Prepare a container. Use a large plastic container or bucket with a lid so the chicken can be fully submerged.
2. Add the chicken and soda. Place the leg quarters in the container and pour 2 liters of Coca-Cola over them. A 2.5 gallon container is great for this.
3. Add remaining ingredients. Pour in Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, minced garlic, salt, and the honey BBQ sauce on top of the chicken.
4. Mix the brine. Whisk the mixture or close the container and shake to combine.
5. Add ice and fully submerge. Add ice to keep the chicken cold and make sure everything is submerged. Add more Coca-Cola if needed to cover the meat.
6. Brine in the fridge or cooler. Refrigerate or keep in a cooler and brine the chicken for at least 24 hours before smoking. Check periodically and add ice as necessary — keeping the brine cold helps it penetrate the meat.
7. Preheat your smoker. Get your smoker running with water and wood chips so you have steady smoke before you put the chicken in.
8. Prepare the racks. Spray smoker racks with non-stick spray or rub with olive oil to prevent sticking.
9. Smoke the chicken. Place the leg quarters on the racks. Maintain a smoker temperature around 225°F and smoke for roughly 3 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches at least 165°F.
*Use a food thermometer to confirm the chicken reaches 165°F or higher before serving.*
Remove the chicken from the smoker and serve hot. Enjoy!
What’s your favorite way to cook leg quarters?
What To Serve With Smoked Coca-Cola Chicken Leg Quarters:
Smoked appetizers: smoked cream cheese, smoked queso dip, or smoked refried bean dip.
Smoked sides: smoked baked potatoes, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, loaded cheesy potatoes, smoked deviled eggs, smoked baked beans, or creamy smoked macaroni and cheese.
Grilled sides: cheesy grilled asparagus, cheese-stuffed mushrooms, grilled loaded twice-baked potatoes, grilled corn on the cob, grilled zucchini, or bacon-wrapped asparagus.
How to Store Smoked Coca-Cola Leg Quarters
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. You can debone and keep only the meat or store the whole pieces.
Recipes Using a Coca-Cola Brine
This brine works with many proteins. Here are some favorites you can try with the same Coca-Cola base:
- Boneless BBQ ribs
- Cornish game hens
- Chicken legs
- Chicken thighs
- Coca-Cola smoked turkey
- Pork shoulder roast
- Chicken leg quarters
- Chicken wings
Smoked Coca-Cola Chicken Leg Quarters
Equipment
- Vertical smoker
- Wood or smoker pucks/chips
- Large plastic container (2.5 gallon) with lid
Ingredients
- 5 whole leg quarters
- 2 liters Coca-Cola
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup honey BBQ sauce
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons salt
- Ice as needed
Instructions
- Use a large plastic container or bucket with a lid.
- Place the chicken in the container and pour 2 liters of Coca-Cola over the quarters.
- Add Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, minced garlic, salt, and honey BBQ sauce.
- Whisk or shake the container to combine the brine.
- Add ice and ensure the chicken is fully submerged. Add more Coca-Cola if necessary.
- Refrigerate or keep in a cooler and brine for at least 24 hours, topping with ice as needed.
- Preheat your smoker with water and wood chips to establish good smoke before adding the chicken.
- Spray or oil the smoker racks to prevent sticking.
- Smoke at about 225°F for roughly 3 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches at least 165°F.
Nutrition (approx.)
Calories: 2759 kcal; Carbohydrates: 300 g; Protein: 122 g; Fat: 121 g. These values are estimates for the entire recipe and will vary by portions and ingredient brands.
Tried this recipe? Let us know how it turned out in the comments.