Tender, juicy chicken wings are coated in a savory soy garlic marinade with a hint of honey. This easy air fryer soy sauce chicken wings recipe uses the air fryer to caramelize the marinade without deep frying or stovetop cooking. It's ready in just 30 minutes.
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Soy sauce chicken wings are a Chinese-style dish featuring chicken cooked in a savory soy-based sauce until browned and flavorful.
Growing up, my mother made these wings for us on the stovetop, and we'd race to see who could eat the most. I always looked forward to dinnertime when she made these.
I adapted those familiar flavors for the air fryer and found that cooking the wings in a single layer helps the marinade caramelize evenly instead of steaming.
Ingredients & Substitutes
Exact ingredient amounts are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
- Chicken Wings: Pat the wings dry before marinating.
- Vegetable Oil: Or use any neutral cooking oil with a high smoke point, such as canola, refined avocado, or peanut oil.
- Green Onions
Wing Marinade
- Regular Soy Sauce: Light soy sauce also works. For a less salty option, use low-sodium soy sauce.
- Dark Soy Sauce: I prefer using a molasses-based dark soy sauce like Pearl River Bridge Superior to give the wings a deeper brown color, but you can use any thick or dark soy sauce that you enjoy.
- Oyster Sauce: Vegetarian stir-fry sauce also works.
- Honey: Use unflavored liquid honey.
- Toasted Sesame Oil: This has a stronger sesame flavor than untoasted sesame oil.
- Shaoxing Wine: Dry sherry also works.
- Ginger
- Garlic Powder: Do not substitute with minced garlic because it can burn in the air fryer, making the wings taste bitter.
Note: Asian ingredients are typically available at most Asian grocery stores or online.
Expert Tips
- Remove any stray hairs from the chicken wings with clean tweezers before marinating.
- Pat the wings dry so excess moisture doesn't dilute the marinade.
- Keep the wings in one layer so they brown and caramelize instead of steaming.
- Adjust cooking time as needed since air fryer models vary in heat intensity.
- Use a digital cooking thermometer to check that the thickest part reaches 165°F without touching the bone.
Instructions
Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make air fryer soy sauce chicken wings:
- Prepare the wings: Pat the chicken wings dry with clean paper towels and transfer them to a large mixing bowl.
- Marinate the wings: Add the marinade ingredients and massage them into the wings until evenly coated. Marinate for 15 minutes.
- Arrange the wings: Lightly spray the air fryer basket with vegetable oil. Transfer the wings to the basket, leaving any excess marinade in the bowl. Arrange them in a single layer without overlapping. Air fry in batches if needed.
- Air fry the wings: Air fry at 400°F for 8 minutes. Flip the wings and air fry for another 4-5 minutes, or until browned and the thickest part reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. If needed, air fry for another minute and check again.
- Garnish and serve: Remove the wings from the air fryer and transfer them to a large serving plate. Garnish with green onions and serve.
Storage & Reheating
- Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Reheating: Air fry at 350°F for 5-6 minutes or microwave until hot.
Variations
- Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and oyster sauce. Replace Shaoxing wine with dry sherry.
- Spicy: Add 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the marinade.
Pairing Suggestions
Serve Chinese soy sauce wings with:
- Steamed Jasmine Rice: Soaks up the savory soy garlic flavors.
- Chinese Garlic Bok Choy: Adds a crisp vegetable side.
- Egg Drop Soup: Adds a light, comforting starter.
FAQ
Yes, but thaw them completely in the refrigerator first. Pat them dry before marinating so excess moisture doesn't dilute the marinade.
The honey and soy-based marinade can darken quickly at high heat. Check the wings early since air fryers vary, but cook until the thickest part reaches 165°F.
More Like This
Check out my other chicken recipes:
📖 Recipe
Easy Air Fryer Soy Sauce Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb chicken wings
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or any neutral oil
- 1 green onion finely chopped
Wing Marinade
- 1.5 tablespoon regular soy sauce
- 1.5 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 1.5 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1.5 tablespoon honey
- ½ tablespoon sesame oil toasted kind
- 1.5 teaspoon Shaoxing Cooking Wine or dry sherry
- 1 teaspoon ginger grated
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Pat the chicken wings dry with clean paper towels and transfer them to a large mixing bowl.
- Add the marinade ingredients and massage them into the wings until evenly coated. Marinate for 15 minutes.
- Lightly spray the air fryer basket with vegetable oil. Transfer the wings to the basket, leaving any excess marinade in the bowl. Arrange them in a single layer without overlapping. Air fry in batches if needed.
- Air fry at 400°F for 8 minutes. Flip the wings and air fry for another 4-5 minutes, or until browned and the thickest part reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. If needed, air fry for another minute and check again.
- Remove the wings from the air fryer and transfer them to a large serving plate. Garnish with green onions and serve.
Kelly
Tried this recipe for dinner with drumsticks and turned out great!
Christie Lai
Awesome! Happy to read this and glad you enjoyed it, Kelly. Thanks so much for making it!
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!