Air Fryer Soy Sauce Chicken Wings. Tender juicy wings marinated in a honey soy garlic sauce made in the air fryer. This is a quick and easy chicken wing recipe that is great as a main dish for the whole family saving you on takeout bills!
Jump to:
These Air Fryer Soy Sauce Chicken Wings feature tender wings packed with savory and umami flavors! They are marinated in a garlicky soy-oyster sauce with a hint of sesame and sweetness and air fried to perfection!
I love enjoying these wings with steamed rice and veggies or as an appetizer. Chinese restaurants may serve their version of this dish, sometimes using thighs or chicken leg quarters or a whole chicken.
As a young girl, my mother would make these wings for us on the stovetop (back then the air fryer didn't exist). The glossy brown sauce would envelope the wings. When they were served, it was a race to see who could eat as many as they were so good!
Ingredients & Substitutes
Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements.
Note: Most Asian grocers will carry these ingredients. You may find some at your select grocery store or online, like on Amazon.
- Chicken wings & drumettes
- Neutral oil: like avocado oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil or canola oil with a high smoke point. Avoid olive oil that has a low smoke point.
- Green onions: optional garnish
Wing Marinade
- Regular soy sauce: or substitute with low sodium soy sauce or light soy sauce. If you’re gluten-free, substitute with tamari sauce, coconut aminos or a gluten-free soy sauce.
- Dark soy sauce: this is thicker and darker than regular soy sauce. But if you don’t have this, substitute with regular soy sauce.
- Oyster sauce: or substitute with vegetarian stir fry sauce if you don't like oysters. If you're gluten-free: substitute with a gluten-free version.
- Honey or brown sugar: This will balance out the saltiness in the chicken.
- Sesame oil: for that nutty flavor. If you're allergic, omit completely.
- Shaoxing wine: a Chinese rice cooking wine. Or substitute with Dry Sherry. For a non-alcoholic or gluten-free version, substitute with any broth.
- Ginger
- Garlic powder
Expert Tips
- Use fresh chicken wings. When you buy fresh wings there will be no odor. You can usually smell it through the packaging and if you do, avoid buying those wings at all cost!
- Pat dry the wings to remove odor and excess moisture so the marinade can stick better. If your wings have a gamey odor, soak them in white vinegar or apple cider vinegar in a glass or stainless-steel bowl for 5 minutes, then strain and rinse under cold water and strain again. This helps remove some of the odor.
- Spray enough oil into air fryer basket to prevent the chicken skin from adhering to the grates.
- A digital meat thermometer is helpful! This is the best way to measure the internal temperature of meat! They're a very affordable tool ranging from $10-20 at the store or online.
- To check if the meat is cooked without a thermometer, the juices should run clear, and the meat should peel away from the bone easily. The meat should be white in color, not pink or translucent.
A Note on Air Fryers
Different brands have various ways of building their air fryers. From placing the heating element from a further from the air fryer basket to various heat levels.
Therefore, it's important to use my suggested cook time as a starting range and monitor the meat using a cooking thermometer or checking if the juices run clear. If you notice it's slightly under cook, don't worry air fry for another minute until you reach the right temperature (165 F for chicken)
Instructions
Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make air fryer soy sauce chicken wings:
Prepare Wings
Use clean paper towels to pat dry the wings. The excess moisture will prevent the marinade from sticking to the chicken skin as it's slippery. Transfer chicken wings into a large mixing bowl.
Add Marinade ingredients into the bowl and massage into chicken until coated.
Marinate and place wings into air fryer
Marinate wings for 15 minutes or ideally overnight if possible for best results.
Spray enough vegetable oil or any neutral oil into the air fryer basket to prevent sticking. Lay chicken wings in a single layer. Do not overlap. Depending on the size of your air fryer basket, you may need to air fry in batches to avoid overlapping.
Air fry chicken wings
Air fry for 8 minutes at 400 degrees F on one side. Flip the wings over and air fry for 4-5 minutes on the other side.
Cook until an internal temperature is 165 F or until juices run clear and meat is cooked through. If not cooked through, air fry for another minute.
Garnish
Garnish with green onions and enjoy!
Storage
- Leftovers will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat: microwave for 2-3 minutes or reheat in the air fryer at 350 F for 5-6 minutes until hot.
- Freezer friendly? This can be stored in a freezer friendly bag and frozen up to 3 months or until you see freezer burn. To reheat, defrost it and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop in a pan.
Pairing Suggestions
This Chinese dish serves well with:
- starters like egg rolls, egg drop soup
- white or brown rice, cauliflower rice, fried rice, chow mein, lo mein, plain noodles, or soup noodles
- cooked vegetables like choy sum, gai lan, garlic green beans or stir fried snow pea leaves.
FAQ
If you have extra sauce after marinating the wings, you can simmer the sauce in a small saucepan over medium high heat until it bubbles. Remove off heat and serve as a dipping sauce for the wings.
Yes! To pan-fry the wings:
In a large non-stick pan set over medium heat allow the pan to get hot. Add 2 teaspoon of cooking oil. Then add half the batch of wings and turn down the heat to medium low. Do not over crowd the pan. Cook on one side for 1-2 minutes.
Flip wings over and cover the pan with a lid and cook wings for 3 minutes.
Flip wings over again especially for the drumettes. Cover and cook again for 3-5 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 165 F.
Add a little bit of sriracha sauce or red pepper flakes, about 2-3 tsp, to the marinade.
Yes! I would suggest using boneless thighs with skin on or boneless skinless chicken thighs. I actually share a recipe for Air Fryer Soy Sauce Chicken Thighs if you click here.
📖 Recipe
Easy Air Fryer Soy Sauce Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb Chicken Wings and Drumettes
- 1 tablespoon Vegetable oil or any neutral tasting oil for spraying air fryer basket
Wing Marinade
- 1.5 tablespoon Regular soy sauce
- 1.5 teaspoon Dark soy sauce
- 1.5 tablespoon Oyster sauce (or sub with Vegetarian Stir Fry Sauce)
- 1.5 tablespoon Honey (or sub with maple syrup, brown or white sugar)
- ½ tablespoon Sesame oil
- 1.5 teaspoon Shaoxing wine (or sub with Dry Sherry Wine or White Wine or omit completely)
- 1 teaspoon Ginger peeled and grated
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
Optional Garnish:
- 1 Green onion chopped finely
Instructions
- Pat chicken wings dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Transfer chicken wings into a large mixing bowl.
- Add Marinade ingredients as listed into the bowl and massage into chicken until well coated. Marinate for at least 15 minutes or overnight for best flavor.
- Spray air-fryer basket with vegetable oil or any neutral tasting oil to prevent wings from sticking to it.
- Place chicken wings in a single layer. Do not overlap. Depending on the size of your air fryer basket, you may need to air fry in batches to avoid overlapping.
- Air fry for 8 minutes at 400 degrees F on one side. Flip the wings over and air fry for 4-5 minutes on the other side. Cook until an internal temperature is 165 F or until juices run clear and meat is cooked through. If not cooked through, air fry for another minute.
- Optionally garnish with green onions. Enjoy!
Notes
May I pan fry these wings?
Yes! Follow these instructions:- In a large non-stick pan set over medium heat allow the pan to get hot. Add 2 teaspoon of cooking oil.
- Then add half the batch of wings and turn down the heat to medium low. Do not over crowd the pan.
- Cook on one side for 1-2 minutes.
- Flip wings over and cover the pan with a lid and cook wings for 3 minutes.
- Flip wings over again especially for the drumettes. Cover and cook again for 3-5 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 165 F.
Jd
Iĺ try your air fryer soy sauce chicken wings it looks so delicious
Garry
Another amazing dish that I will be trying very soon.
Thanks Christie
christieathome
Thanks so much Garry! I hope you enjoy my wings recipe!