Teriyaki Chicken Wings

Delicious homemade Teriyaki Chicken Wings are so tasty and addicting. They’re the perfect appetizer for any get-together!

If you love wings, you will love this Teriyaki version. Teriyaki Chicken Wings are great for parties, holidays, and big game days. Buffalo wings, Boneless Wings, and Lemon Pepper Wings are also fan favorites!

Our Favorite Teriyaki Wings

I LOVE anything Teriyaki! It has to be my all-time favorite flavor. One of our favorite places to get teriyaki dishes is a place called Aloha Kitchen in Mesa, AZ. It’s a little hole-in-the-wall place and the food is AMAZING!!

It was there many years ago that I first tried Teriyaki Chicken Wings.

We’ve always had traditional Chicken Wings, but Teriyaki Wings took my love for hot wings to a whole new level!

They are seriously phenomenal and so addicting!! Since then my family will buy the Teriyaki Sauce and make our own wings at home.

Fortunately, my mom discovered a recipe for homemade Teriyaki Wing Sauce so now we can make the sauce and wings at home.

How to make Teriyaki Chicken Wings

If you don’t want to make homemade sauce try our favorite Sweet Baby Ray’s – either sweet Teriyaki or Hawaiian sauce.

SAUCE. On medium-high heat, mix soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, and ground ginger in a saucepan. Stir well. Let it come to a simmer (about 5 minutes). Let cook for another 5 minutes. Stirring occasionally.

In a small bowl combine cornstarch and cold water, stirring well. Add to the sauce and stir.

Once the sauce comes to a boil, let it cook for another 7-10 minutes and stir occasionally. It will thicken as it boils. Remove from heat. This sauce is best to make in the morning. Then refrigerate until ready to use.

PREP. Put oil in a heavy pot and turn to medium-high heat. While the oil is heating up, prepare the chicken.

Coat (dredge) all of the wings in the flour, making sure to shake off any excess.

FRY. Add the chicken to the hot oil and cook for about 5-7 minutes until golden brown. Transfer the cooked wings to a paper towel to drain and dry.

COAT + ENJOY! Make sure the sauce is warmed up in a large frying pan and toss in wings to coat. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Keep a napkin nearby. These can get messy. But, trust me, it’s worth it!

Variations:

• Add honey for extra flavor and sweetness.
• Reduce the salt by using low-sodium soy sauce or reducing the amount of soy sauce to 1-1½ cups.
• Add a bit of garlic powder for extra flavor. Include chili powder for a bit of a kick.

Alternative cooking methods

Air fryer directions. Spray the basket with cooking spray. Coat the wings with olive oil and place them in a single layer, be sure they are not touching.

Fry at 360°F for 25 minutes. Increase to 400°F and cook for 5-8 more minutes depending on the size of the wings. 

Oven directions. Bake wings in the oven instead of the stovetop or air frying.

• Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a cooling rack on top.
• Pat the wings dry and then lightly coat them with olive oil. Arrange the wings on the baking rack in a single layer and not packed tightly.
• Bake for 35-45 minutes, flip the wings halfway through. The wings should be crispy and reach an internal temperature of 165°F. A meat thermometer may be used to take the temperature.

Recipe Tips

How much to make. If the wings are the main appetizer or main dish plan 8-12 wings per person. If serving additional appetizers, plan for 4-6 per person. There are about 5-6 wings per pound. 

Chicken wings are also referred to as wingettes, party wings, or buffalo wings. They consist of the flat portion and drumettes from a chicken wing.

They can be found in the freezer section or the meat and poultry section at the grocery store. Thaw frozen wings before making this recipe.

Thicken the teriyaki sauce. Allow time for the sauce to simmer as written in the recipe, this allows the extra moisture to evaporate. Cornstarch is also used to thicken the sauce. It takes a few minutes to activate.

Remember the sauce will continue to thicken as it cools, but if it’s not thick enough either simmer longer or add a cornstarch slurry. 

• Slurry: In a separate small bowl, combine 1-2 teaspoons of cold water with an equal amount of cornstarch. Stir then add it to the sauce. Simmer over low heat and stir until thickened. 

We love to have a variety of wings at our parties and like to make these along with: our classic Buffalo Wings, Boneless Buffalo Wings, and/or Lemon Pepper Wings.

Storing Info

Make ahead of time. Prepare Teriyaki Wings Recipe up to a day ahead of time. Follow the recipe except do not fry the wings. Instead, cover them and keep them in the fridge. Keep the sauce in a separate container in the fridge.

STORE leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.

FREEZE in a Ziploc freezer bag for 3-4 months.

Reheat in the oven or air fryer for best results, but the microwave will also work or even cold out of the fridge.

For more teriyaki recipes, check out:

• Teriyaki Pork Chops
• Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken
• Teriyaki Chicken Burgers
• Teriyaki Chicken
• Teriyaki Sauce