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Slow cooker teriyaki wings are the kind of effortless magic that makes you feel like a kitchen hero with barely lifting a finger. As they simmer away, they soak up all the bold, sweet, and savory goodness from soy sauce, brown sugar, and a few cozy spices—resulting in fall-apart tender wings with big flavor. A quick trip under the broiler gives them that irresistible sticky-sweet glaze and crispy edge. They’re a total win for game day spreads, lazy weekend dinners, or whenever you want something fun and fuss-free. Pair with rice or crunchy veggies and call it a night.
This lip-smackingly delicious slow cooker teriyaki wings dish is flavored with Asian favorites like sesame, soy, brown sugar, ginger, and garlic for a perfect appetizer.
You might also like peach bourbon wings, hot honey wings, chipotle chicken wings, or buffalo wings.
Why You’ll Love It
Easy to make: This recipe is so simple. After slow cooking the wings in sauce, you just need to broil them for a minute or two and that’s all.
A versatile dish: Enjoy teriyaki wings as a snack, appetizer or even a main dish. They’re ideal for any occasion from a party to a casual get-together or even game day.
Gluten-free and dairy-free: There’s no gluten or dairy in this dish.
Delicious flavors: The sweetness of the brown sugar contrasts wonderfully with the savory garlic, ginger and soy sauce in the dish, for a vibrant, well-balanced flavor profile.
Crockpot Teriyaki Wings Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Chicken wings: I used frozen party wings with flats and drumettes that I thawed in the refrigerator overnight before cooking. You could thaw them in the sink for a couple hours with cold water, or else use fresh wings.
Brown sugar: Adds a rich sweetness with a hint of caramel.
Garlic and ginger: Add complementary savory flavors.
Soy sauce: You can use low sodium soy sauce if you’re watching your sodium.
Rice vinegar: Adds an acidic tang to balance out the brown sugar.
Sesame seeds and green onions: Optional garnishes. I like to toast the sesame seeds first to give them a richer flavor.
How to Make Teriyaki Slow Cooker Wings
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
Prepare the teriyaki sauce: Whisk the sauce ingredients together.
Assemble the dish: Add chicken wings to your slow cooker in a single layer and pour the sauce over them.
Slow cook the wings: Cook the wings until they’re done. Arrange them on a baking sheet and broil until crispy, basting and flipping a couple times. Serve and enjoy.
Substitutions and Variations
Garlic: I used fresh garlic for my teriyaki wings but you could use 1 teaspoon of garlic powder instead
Ginger: I used fresh ginger but you could use ½ teaspoon ground ginger powder instead.
Brown sugar: Feel free to adjust the amount or use brown Swerve or similar for a sugar-free result. Another idea is honey teriyaki chicken wings, using honey instead of sugar. This also helps make them wonderfully sticky.
Spice them up: Add a splash of hot sauce or some red pepper flakes to the sauce. Teriyaki isn’t typically spicy but they’re your wings so you can spice them up if you wish.
Teriyaki shortcut: Use bottled teriyaki sauce instead of making your own if you’re pressed for time.
Serving Suggestions
As an appetizer: Pair your wings with carrot and celery sticks or enjoy them with other appetizers such as crab cake egg rolls, samosas and mac ‘n cheese balls.
As a main dish: Teriyaki chicken wings go well with hibachi fried rice or how about egg noodles lightly tossed in sesame oil? Add some garlicky green beans to the plate too.
How to Store Crockpot Teriyaki Wings
Store: Let leftover wings cool and then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freeze: You can freeze the wings in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Thaw: Thaw them in the refrigerator overnight.
Reheat: Spread the wings out on a baking sheet and give them 10 to 15 minutes in a preheated 375°F oven to warm them back up.
Top Tips
Use a large slow cooker: I recommend using a 7-quart slow cooker or larger. If you overcrowd the Crockpot, you’ll find the wings don’t cook evenly.
Coating thickness: If you want an extra-thick sauce, baste your wings every few minutes as they broil. Keep in mind the more teriyaki sauce you add, the more bold the teriyaki flavors will be.
If using frozen wings: These release liquid as they cook, so discard any excess liquid left after transferring the slow cooked wings onto the sheet pan.
Keep an eye on them: All broilers heat differently so check your wings often to make sure they’re not burning. Broil times are estimates, so just broil until the wings are crispy.
Slow Cooker Teriyaki Wings FAQs
Yes, scoop out about 1 ½ cups of the sauce from the slow cooker and put it in a saucepan. Bring it to a boil, whisking constantly for a minute or 2 until thick. Baste the wings with the sauce or you can serve it as a side. If you want to make fresh teriyaki sauce for basting and/or serving on the side, whisk the ingredients together in a pan and boil, whisking all the time, until it’s thickened up, 1 or 2 minutes.
I don’t recommend cooking frozen chicken wings on low because they’d spend too long in the danger zone (between 40 and 140°F) and pose a food safety risk. Crockpots take a while to reach a safe temperature. But for thawed or fresh wings, go ahead and cook on low, as they only have to cook from chilled and not from frozen.
You can, but do keep in mind they might take longer to cook through. You’ll want to check for doneness with a meat thermometer (this one works great!) Once they reach 165°F in the thickest part, they’re done.
Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken Wings Recipe
Slow Cooker Teriyaki Wings
Equipment
- Slow Cooker 7-Quart
Ingredients
- 4 Pounds chicken wings, fresh, frozen or thawed
- ⅔ Cup brown sugar
- ½ Teaspoon black pepper
- 3 to 5 Cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Teaspoons ginger, freshly minced
- ½ Cup soy sauce, low sodium
- 3 Tablespoons rice vinegar
- ¼ Cup cornstarch
For Garnish:
- green onions, sliced
- sesame seeds, toasted
Instructions
- Add the wings to a slow cooker.
- Whisk together the soy sauce, cornstarch, brown sugar, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, and black pepper until well combined.
- Pour the sauce over the wings, reserving a little for basting.
To Cook Frozen Wings:
- Cover the slow cooker and cook for 3 to 4 hours on HIGH.
To Cook Fresh or Thawed Wings:
- Cover the slow cooker and cook for 4 to 5 hours on LOW.
- Check the chicken is tender, cooked through and 165°F in the thickest part.
- Preheat the oven broiler.
- Line a baking sheet with foil and then grease it to prevent sticking.
- Arrange the wings on the prepared baking sheet and brush the reserved teriyaki sauce over them.
- Broil for 6 to 8 minutes, flipping halfway through, or until they’re crispy.
- Serve garnished with sesame seeds and green onions.
Notes
Coating thickness: If you want an extra-thick sauce, baste your wings every few minutes as they broil. Keep in mind the more teriyaki sauce you add, the more bold the teriyaki flavors will be.
If using frozen wings: These release liquid as they cook, so discard any excess liquid left after transferring the slow cooked wings onto the sheet pan.
Keep an eye on them: All broilers heat differently so check your wings often to make sure they’re not burning. Broil times are estimates, so just broil until the wings are crispy.
Nutrition
Juicy, tender slow cooker teriyaki wings are one of the most popular bar snacks ever. They’re flavored with a homemade teriyaki sauce with ginger, garlic, brown sugar, and soy sauce, and these wings are just amazing paired with white rice as a main dish or some carrot sticks and celery sticks if you’re making them as an appetizer. It’s simple to cook chicken wings in the Crockpot. Broil them after a long slow cook to ensure you get crispy wings which everyone will go crazy for.
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Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
