Teriyaki Chicken Wings

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Teriyaki chicken wings are the perfect food for teriyaki sauce lovers! They combine crispy chicken wings with a sweet and sticky teriyaki marinade that is incredibly flavorful and delicious. Plus, they are super easy to make!

teriyaki chicken wings garnished with sesame seeds on a white plate

If there is one dish I always order whenever I am at a Japanese restaurant, it’s teriyaki chicken. There is just something magical about juicy chicken that is coated in a sweet and umami-rich teriyaki sauce.

The great thing is that you can actually prepare delicious teriyaki recipes at home and enjoy them whenever you like! Whether you want to make teriyaki chicken, teriyaki salmon, or a teriyaki tofu stir fry, they are all very simple to make and taste amazing!

And these teriyaki chicken wings are just as delicious and simple to make! They are baked until they are crispy, then tossed in a very flavorful and sticky teriyaki sauce. You can serve them with rice and steamed vegetables for dinner, enjoy them as a snack, or serve them as a fun party appetizer.

Ingredients

To prepare the crispy chicken wings for this recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients.

Chicken wings: Use regular chicken wings that are cut into wingettes and drumettes. If you can’t find pre-cut chicken wings, you can buy regular chicken wings and cut them into their three parts. Discard the wingtip and use the drumette and wingette for this recipe.
Baking powder: Aluminum-free baking powder is the secret ingredient that makes chicken wings crispy when they are baked. So always use it when you make baked chicken wings!
Salt and garlic powder: Salt and garlic powder give the chicken wings some flavor without being overpowering. This recipe definitely focuses on the taste of the teriyaki sauce.

To make a delicious teriyaki sauce for the chicken wings, you’ll need the following ingredients.

Low sodium soy sauce: I love to use low sodium soy sauce to make teriyaki sauce as it perfectly balances the saltiness, sweetness, and umami of the sauce. If you only have regular soy sauce on hand, you’ll have to dilute it with water so the teriyaki sauce doesn’t turn out too salty.
Sake: Sake gives the teriyaki sauce more depth. You can usually find it in big supermarkets or in Asian grocery stores. But if you can’t find sake, you can use white wine as a substitute.
Mirin: Mirin has a higher sugar content and lower alcohol content than sake and is a traditional ingredient in teriyaki sauce. If you can’t find it, you can use more sake and honey as a substitute.
Honey: Traditional teriyaki sauce is made with granulated sugar but I love to use sweet and sticky honey. It’s super delicious!
Cornstarch: A mix of cornstarch and water is used to thicken the teriyaki sauce for the chicken wings.

How to make crispy chicken wings

To make the best teriyaki chicken wings, you first have to prepare crispy chicken wings. You can choose one of the following two methods.

Air fryer: If you have an air fryer, you can use it to prepare the chicken wings for the recipe. Just add all of the chicken wing ingredients to a bowl, toss until they are evenly coated, and fry them in your air fryer. I find that 380 °F and 18 minutes make the best crispy and juicy chicken wings. Then follow the instructions as stated in the recipe card.
Oven: Baking the chicken wings works just as great as air frying them! Add all of the chicken wing ingredients to a bowl, toss until they are coated, and then bake the chicken wings at 450 °F for 25-30 minutes in a preheated oven. You can place the chicken wings on a wire rack or on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper to bake them. This is the method I used in the recipe card you’ll find at the end of this post.

How to make teriyaki chicken wings

If you have decided on one of the two methods above, you can follow these steps to make these sweet and sticky teriyaki chicken wings.

Prepare the chicken wings: Prepare the chicken wings as described above. Both methods work great for this recipe!
Make the teriyaki sauce: Add all of the teriyaki sauce ingredients to a large pan, stir until everything is combined, and bring the sauce to a very gentle simmer. Slowly add some cornstarch slurry and let the sauce thicken while constantly stirring.
Toss: Now transfer the baked chicken wings to the pan and toss until they are coated with the teriyaki glaze. Sprinkle with sesame seeds (optional) and enjoy!

Tips to make the best teriyaki chicken wings

The recipe is very simple but keep the following things in mind so everything turns out delicious.

Pat the wings dry: When you prepare chicken wings, always pat them dry with paper towels before you use them. This ensures that they become crispy.
Use baking powder: A common mistake is using baking soda as a substitute for baking powder. Please don’t do this! The chicken wings will probably be inedible, so stick with aluminum-free baking powder.
Low-medium heat: This tip is for all of my impatient cooks. Please don’t try to cook the sauce on high heat as it will most likely burn. Stick to low-medium heat and let the sauce simmer and thicken with the help of cornstarch. You’re going to love the result!
Adjust the consistency: If the sauce becomes too thick, you can always add some water to thin it. And if it doesn’t thicken enough, add more of the cornstarch slurry.

Variations

I absolutely love a classic teriyaki sauce but you can definitely give the sauce more flavor if you want to! These are two great ways to switch up the taste of these teriyaki chicken wings.

Add garlic: Garlic is often used in stir fry recipes as it adds a ton of flavor. It goes very well with the teriyaki sauce, so feel free to add one or two minced garlic cloves to the sauce!
Add ginger: Another favorite for boosting the flavor of these baked teriyaki chicken wings is adding grated ginger to the sauce. It tastes great and is perfect for switching things up!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use store-bought teriyaki sauce to make this recipe?

I love to use homemade teriyaki sauce, but you can definitely use store-bought teriyaki sauce if you want to save time or don't want to buy the ingredients to make the sauce. Just skip step 3 in the recipe card below and follow the other steps as described.

Can I make this recipe gluten-free or soy-free?

Yes. Making this recipe gluten-free or soy-free is actually super easy! To make it gluten-free, use low sodium tamari or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce. And to make it soy-free, use coconut aminos.

Do I need a dipping sauce for teriyaki chicken wings?

No, these chicken wings are already quite saucy and taste best when they are enjoyed as they are! There is no need to prepare an additional dipping sauce.

How do I store and reheat teriyaki chicken wings?

You can store the teriyaki chicken wings in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The best way to reheat chicken wings is by baking them in the oven at 350 °F for 10-20 minutes. They are done when their internal temperature reaches 165 °F.

More easy and delicious party appetizer recipes

If you are looking for more appetizer recipes that you can use for your next party or to prepare a snack, try the following recipes. They are absolutely amazing and I definitely love all of them!

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