Air Fryer Teriyaki Wings: Quick, Crispy, And Delicious

Making teriyaki wings in an air fryer is a quick and easy way to enjoy crispy, juicy wings with a delicious homemade teriyaki sauce. This method is healthier and less messy than deep frying, and the air fryer ensures your wings come out perfectly crispy without the grease. You can also make your own teriyaki sauce, which is incredibly simple and more delicious than store-bought alternatives.

Marinating the wings

Firstly, prepare the marinade by combining mirin, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, sugar, and garlic in a medium-sized bowl. Mirin is a sweet rice wine commonly used in Japanese cuisine, adding a rich umami flavour to the dish. If you don't have mirin, you can substitute it with dry sherry or sweet marsala wine. It is recommended to use low-sodium soy sauce to control the salt intake. Light brown sugar is preferred over white or dark brown sugar for a richer flavour. Freshly minced ginger and garlic will give your wings an earthy and fresh pop of flavour.

Next, place the chicken wings in a large bowl. Add half of the marinade mixture to the bowl and toss the wings to coat them evenly. Make sure each wing is thoroughly coated in the marinade. Cover the bowl and let the wings marinate in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes. You can marinate them for up to 8 hours, but avoid exceeding this time as it may toughen the meat.

While the wings are marinating, you can prepare the teriyaki glaze by boiling the remaining soy mixture and adding a cornstarch slurry to thicken it.

Once the wings have finished marinating, they are ready to be cooked in the air fryer. Follow the subsequent steps for air frying, and then toss the cooked wings in the teriyaki glaze.

Making the sauce

To make the sauce, you'll need to combine a number of ingredients in a small saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil. The ingredients include:

• Soy sauce
• Brown sugar
• Honey
• Rice wine vinegar
• Water
• Cornstarch or arrowroot starch
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Lemon juice
• Sesame oil
• Mirin (or dry sherry/sweet marsala wine)

You can adjust the amounts of soy sauce, brown sugar, and rice wine vinegar to your taste and even add other ingredients like maple syrup, sweet marsala wine, or coconut aminos to create different flavor profiles.

First, add the soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, rice wine vinegar, garlic, and ginger to the saucepan and stir gently over medium heat. Cook this mixture for about 3-5 minutes, just until the sauce has reduced slightly.

Next, dissolve the cornstarch or arrowroot starch in cold water to create a slurry. This will help to thicken the sauce. Add this slurry to the sauce in the saucepan and stir until it thickens, which should take about 1 to 3 minutes.

Finally, remove the saucepan from the heat and set the sauce aside until your chicken wings are ready to be coated.

If you prefer, you can also use a store-bought teriyaki sauce or make your own ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.

Air-frying the wings

Now that you've prepared your wings and sauce, it's time to cook!

First, lightly oil the bottom of your air fryer insert or racks, depending on the style of your air fryer. Then, place your chicken wings in a single layer. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook the wings in batches.

Air fry your wings at 380°F for 12 minutes. Flip the wings over and increase the temperature to 400°F. Air fry for another 10 to 12 minutes. The wings should now be lightly golden brown and crispy.

While the wings are cooking, make your teriyaki sauce. When the wings are done, remove them from the air fryer and toss them in the sauce.

If you want to add a nice char to your wings, put them back in the air fryer and broil at 400°F for an additional 5 minutes.

Finally, remove the wings from the air fryer and brush on any remaining sauce. Your teriyaki wings are now ready to serve!

Brining the wings

Brining the chicken wings is an important step in achieving juicy and moist meat. The difference between marinating and brining is that brining is meant to provide you with meat that is super moist, whereas marinating is more for permeating flavour into the meat. This particular brine does both!

Chicken wings are small, so they don't need a lot of time in a brine—just 30 minutes will do. To really accentuate the Asian flavour, use soy sauce, and some freshly grated garlic and ginger in the brine.

Here's a step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Prepare the Brine

In a bowl, combine soy sauce, water, grated or zested garlic, and grated or zested ginger. You can adjust the amounts of each ingredient to your taste preferences.

Step 2: Brine the Wings

Fully submerge the chicken wings in the brine and let them sit for about 30 minutes. This will ensure that the chicken meat absorbs the flavours and stays moist during cooking.

Step 3: Rinse and Dry the Wings

Once the wings have finished brining, remove them from the brine and give them a thorough rinse under cold water. Then, use paper towels to pat the wings dry. This step is important to remove any excess moisture before air frying.

Step 4: Prepare the Air Fryer

Spray the inside of the air fryer and any shelves or racks you'll be using with cooking spray. This will help prevent the wings from sticking during cooking.

Step 5: Arrange the Wings in the Air Fryer

Place the wings into the air fryer, leaving a little room between them to ensure even cooking. If you have a shelf or rack, you can use that to cook more wings at once. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook the wings in batches.

Now that your wings are brined and ready to go, you can proceed to cook them according to your preferred air fryer teriyaki chicken wings recipe!

Reheating the wings

The air fryer is the best way to reheat your teriyaki chicken wings without drying them out. Place your wings in a single layer in the air fryer basket, making sure they are not overcrowded. Reheat at 350°F (180°C) for 5-7 minutes, turning once halfway through.

You can also brush a little extra teriyaki sauce on them before reheating for that extra sticky goodness.

Always use a meat thermometer to check that the meat has reached 165°F before serving.

If you don't want to use the air fryer again, you can reheat your wings in the oven. Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the wings in a single layer on the baking sheet, and if you want, brush on a little extra teriyaki sauce for added flavour. Bake for 10-15 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the wings are heated through and crispy.

Do not reheat in the microwave, as this can result in soggy wings.

Frequently asked questions