Teriyaki Chicken Wings
These crispy teriyaki chicken wings are baked to perfection and coated in a simple homemade teriyaki sauce. Perfect as a flavorful snack or tasty party food!
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Table of Contents
- About Teriyaki Chicken Wings
- What’s in teriyaki chicken wings?
- Can you use store-bought teriyaki sauce?
- How long to bake chicken wings
- Can you freeze chicken wings?
- How to reheat chicken wings
- How long can chicken wings be left out?
- Notes & tips for baked chicken wings
- More tasty chicken recipes
- Other simple dinners
- More easy appetizers
- How to make teriyaki chicken wings
- Recipe Details
About Teriyaki Chicken Wings
Chicken wings are one of those “fit any occasion” type of food, and these baked teriyaki chicken wings are no exception.
These wings pack a ton of flavor (thanks to a homemade teriyaki sauce), so they’re ideal for serving as finger food for parties or game day. They’re also a great source of protein (because, chicken) so no matter if you’re feeding a crowd or planning a simple dinner, this dish is bound to leave everyone feeling full.
What’s in teriyaki chicken wings?
- Chicken wings – The star of the show. Be sure to cut and trim the chicken wings before getting started.
- Baking powder – The key to making the outside of the wings crispy enough to withstand a coating of sauce.
- Salt and pepper – Classic, common spices.
- The ingredients for teriyaki sauce – For the namesake sauce of this recipe, you’ll need the following: water, soy sauce, light brown sugar, honey, ground ginger, garlic powder, and cornstarch.
Can you use store-bought teriyaki sauce?
This recipe includes steps for making homemade teriyaki sauce, and I prefer it this way because I can control how thick the sauce is right from the beginning. You’ll want the sauce to glaze the chicken wings, not drip off or absorb, so it’s crucial that the sauce is thick.
And if you’ve ever bought teriyaki sauce in a bottle, you might have noticed that it’s anything but thick. It’s almost like water.
So if you want to use store-bought teriyaki sauce, you’ll need to thicken it first.
To do this:
- Heat the sauce over medium heat. It’s ready just when it starts to boil.
- While sauce heats, mix up some slurry by combining 1/4 cup water and two tablespoons cornstarch in a small bowl.
- Pour the slurry into the boiling teriyaki sauce, then continue to whisk quickly.
- The sauce should immediately start to thicken. Once it reaches a consistency you like, take the sauce off the heat and allow it to cool.
How long to bake chicken wings
There are three “ideal” time & temperature combinations for baking chicken wings, and they should all result in wings baked to perfection. The only real differences may come down to the unique calibration of your oven or how much time you have available for baking.
The three options are:
- 400 degrees F for 40-45 minutes (my favorite).
- 375 degrees F for 50-55 minutes.
- 350 degrees F for 55-60 minutes.
However, no matter what cook time you prefer, always check your wings before taking them out of the oven. The juices should run clear, an instant-read thermometer should have an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, and the skin is browned and crispy to your liking.
Can you freeze chicken wings?
Yes, you can definitely freeze your teriyaki chicken wings!
Once prepared, allow the chicken wings to cool to room temperature before transferring them to a freezer bag, removing as much air as possible before sealing.
Once frozen, chicken wings can be stored up to four months.
How to Thaw Teriyaki Chicken Wings:
- Recommended: Remove from freezer and allow to thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
- In Cold Water: Place the wings in a sealed bag into a large bowl filled with cold water. Make sure that your wings are fully submerged; you can use a plate or other weighted item to hold them down. Flip the bag often and change the water out every 30 minutes or so to make the process faster.
- In Microwave: Use your microwave’s defrost setting to thaw your wings in the microwave. Take note to rotate your wings throughout the cooking process because the microwave can reheat them unevenly. Some microwaves will beep at the times it is necessary to rotate your wings.
- Never put wings out on the counter to thaw out. It can contaminate your chicken, allowing it to become unsafe to eat.
How to reheat chicken wings
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Grab a baking sheet and spray it with cooking spray. You can also line the sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- Arrange chilled/thawed chicken wings on the baking sheet, spaced about one inch apart.
- Reheat the wings for five to six minutes on one side.
- Quickly flip the wings, then bake for another five to six minutes.
- If you have a meat thermometer, test the internal temperature of the chicken wings. It should be at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Serve and enjoy!
How long can chicken wings be left out?
No matter the situation or circumstance, you never want to leave chicken sitting out for too long. This is especially important for chicken wings, as they are a popular party food and are easily forgotten on counters.
For most foods, the general rule of thumb is that a perishable item should not be in the “danger zone” for more than two hours. And by “danger zone”, this is usually at or just above room temperature. This time may vary depending on the temperature of the room.
Since these chicken wings will be served hot, you “should” have a solid one hour (and up to two hours) before you need to pack them up (depending on other factors, such as the temperature of the room, etc). However, be sure to still check on the chicken wings every now and then and use your best judgment. When it comes to chicken, most guests will appreciate the peace of mind it gives them if you either reheat or refrigerate the chicken wings after one hour.
For best results, I’d recommend using a warming tray so that these tasty wings stay warm and above the “danger zone” temperature for as long as possible.
Notes & tips for baked chicken wings
- This recipe gets right to cooking and skips the step of preparing the chicken wings. If you’re not sure how to do this, check out this article: How to cut chicken wings.
- Have some leftover teriyaki sauce and wondering what to do with it? Check out this page for tips: Homemade Teriyaki Sauce.
More tasty chicken recipes
Other simple dinners
More easy appetizers
How to make teriyaki chicken wings
This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. If you’re looking for the full recipe measurements and instructions, scroll down to Recipe Details.
Step 1 – In a large bowl, toss the chicken wings with baking powder, sea salt, and pepper.
Step 2 – Place the chicken wings on a baking sheet topped with an oven-safe baking rack.
Step 3 – Bake!
Step 4 – While the chicken bakes, make the teriyaki sauce. In a small saucepan, cook and whisk one cup of water with the soy sauce, brown sugar, ground ginger, and garlic powder.
Step 5 – While the sauce comes to a boil, whip up some slurry by whisking the water and cornstarch together.
Step 6 – Once the saucepan is boiling, pour in the slurry. Whisk and cook the sauce until it’s thick enough to your liking (it should easily coat the back of a spoon).
Step 7 – Remove teriyaki sauce from heat and let it cool down a little. You only need about 5-10 minutes.
Step 8 – In another large bowl, toss the baked chicken wings with the prepared teriyaki sauce until they’re nice and coated.
Step 9 – Garnish with green onion and sesame seed and enjoy!
Teriyaki Chicken Wings
Ingredients
Baked Chicken Wings
- 3 pounds chicken wings
- chopped green onion, for garnish (optional)
Teriyaki Sauce
- 1 1/4 cups water, divided
- sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
For the Chicken Wings
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place an oven-safe wire baking rack inside. Set pan aside.
- Pat chicken wings dry with paper towels, then transfer chicken wings to a large bowl.3 pounds chicken wings
- Add baking powder, sea salt, and black pepper to bowl, then toss chicken wings to coat.1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1 pinch black pepper
- Arrange chicken wings on rack in prepared baking sheet, spacing them so that the chicken wings do not touch.
- Bake chicken wings for 40-45 minutes or until wings are a light golden brown.
For the Teriyaki Sauce
- While chicken cooks, add 1 cup water, soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, ground ginger, and garlic powder in a saucepan over medium heat. Let mixture come to a boil, whisking frequently.1 1/4 cups water, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup light brown sugar, 2 tablespoons honey, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- While sauce comes to a boil, create a slurry by adding remaining 1/4 cup water and cornstarch to a small bowl, then whisking until cornstarch is dissolved.1 1/4 cups water, 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- Pour the slurry in the saucepan, then bring the sauce back to a boil, whisking frequently. Once boiling, cook for 1-2 minutes or until desired thickness is reached. For best results, sauce should easily coat the back of a spoon.
- Remove teriyaki sauce from heat and let cool slightly, about 5-10 minutes.
Putting it all Together
- Serve teriyaki chicken wings immediately with green onion and sesame seeds for garnish.chopped green onion, sesame seeds
Nutrition
I do my best to provide nutrition information, but please keep in mind that I’m not a certified nutritionist. Any nutritional information discussed or disclosed in this post should only be seen as my best amateur estimates of the correct values.
