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For tender wings full of flavor, these Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken Wings do the job. Salty soy is balanced by sweet brown sugar and sour rice vinegar, and then garlic and ginger’s bright and spicy flavors make for a delectable sauce. Finish them in the oven with a last glaze of the sauce for a perfectly lacquered wing.
These slow cooker teriyaki wings are a must-try for tender, flavorful wings. A savory blend of low sodium soy sauce, sweet brown sugar, and tangy rice vinegar creates a rich sauce enhanced by garlic, ginger, and a hint of heat from red pepper flakes. The final broil gives them a beautifully lacquered finish, making them irresistible.
Try this next: If you love these wings, you might also enjoy my Hot Honey Chicken Wings, Fried Chicken Wings, or our Garlic Parmesan Wings.
Why We Love This Recipe
- Effortless cooking – The slow cooker does most of the work, leaving you with tender, fall-off-the-bone wings.
- Balanced flavors – This recipe is the perfect mix of salty, sweet, and tangy with just the right amount of spice.
- Perfectly glazed – Finishing under the broiler gives them a gorgeous, sticky coating.
- Versatile serving options – Teriyaki Wings are great as an appetizer or served with rice and veggies for a meal.
Recipe Walk-Through
Ingredient Notes
- Low Sodium Soy Sauce – It is essential to avoid an overly salty sauce as the flavors concentrate during slow cooking.
- Rice Wine Vinegar – Adds a necessary tang. You can substitute lime juice or apple cider vinegar if you’d like.
- Brown Sugar – Helps create a thick, caramelized sauce. You can use honey for a richer depth of sweetness.
- Cornstarch Slurry – Thickens the sauce to ensure it coats the wings perfectly.
How To Make Teriyaki Chicken Wings
See the recipe card below for full, detailed instructions
These wings are so simple to make, and produce fall-off-the-bone tender, flavorful wings. The homemade teriyaki sauce is amazing, and your whole family is going to be asking for this dish to be added to the recipe rotation!
Prepare the sauce – Mix soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, and the white parts of the green onions.
Cook in the slow cooker – Lightly spray a 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray, add wings, pour the sauce over, and stir to coat. Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours, stirring halfway through, until wings are tender.
Thicken the sauce – Transfer the wings to a bowl. In a saucepan, bring the cooking liquid to a boil. Whisk together cornstarch and water, adding gradually until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
Glaze the wings – Pour the thickened sauce over the wings and toss to coat.
Broil for a perfect finish – Arrange wings on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil on high for 3-4 minutes until glossy and slightly caramelized.
Garnish and serve – Sprinkle with the reserved green onion tops and serve hot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you use regular soy sauce for this recipe?
It is super important to use low sodium soy sauce in this recipe as regular soy can get too salty over time.
Do these wings get crispy?
These wings do not get as crispy a skin as a deep fried or dry seasoned wings would, but they are fall off the bone tender and full of flavor.
Serving Suggestions
These wings pair perfectly with egg fried rice, chow mein, or sautéed broccoli.
Storage Tips
Storage and Reheating
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Reheat in the oven or air fryer to maintain the best texture.
Recipe Tips
- Check for doneness – Slow cookers vary, so check at the 2-hour mark and continue in 30-minute increments if needed.
- Adjust the heat – Add more red pepper flakes for a spicier kick.
More Easy Recipes
- Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs
- Teriyaki Chicken Bowl
- Slow Cooker Teriyaki Pork
- Teriyaki Chicken Sandwich
- Teriyaki Chicken & Pineapple Sheet Pan Dinner
Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 2 ½ pounds Split chicken wings
- 1 cup Low-sodium soy sauce
- 3/4 cup Packed light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons Rice wine vinegar
- 4 Garlic cloves grated
- 1 tablespoon Fresh grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon Red pepper flakes
- 4 Green onions sliced green and white separated
- 3 tablespoons Cornstarch
- 1/4 cup Water
Instructions
- In a small bowl mix together the soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, garlic, red pepper flakes and the white parts of the green onion. Set aside.
- Lightly spray the insert of a 6 quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Place the chicken wings in the crock and top with the sauce. Mix until all the wings are coated well.
- Top with the lid and cook on HIGH for 2-3 hours, stirring halfway through, or until the wings are tender. Transfer wings to a large bowl and set aside.
- Pour the liquid from the slow cooker into a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and water. Add ⅓ of the cornstarch mixture to the boiling liquid and continue to boil for 1 minute. Sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. If not thick enough, whisk another ⅓ of the cornstarch mixture. Boil until thickened and glossy.
- Pour the thickened sauce over the wings in the bowl and toss to coat.
- For an extra lacquered finish, put the wings on a foil lined sheet pan and broil on high for 3-4 minutes. Garnish with the reserved green parts of the green onions and serve.
Notes
- These wings can be kept in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat in the oven or air fryer for best results.
- All slow cookers cook differently, but check them at the 2 hour mark, if they don’t seem to be done, check them in 30 minute increments until tender and starting to pull away from the bone.
- You can use lime juice or apple cider vinegar in place of the rice wine vinegar, and honey or granulated sugar in place of the brown sugar (although the sauce may not be as thick and sweet if using granulated sugar).
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.
