Easy Garlic Miso Chicken Wings are marinated in a savory sauce, then baked until crispy and tender. Served as a party appetizer or weeknight main dish, they‘re delicious dipped in creamy Japanese mayo spiked with shichimi togarashi. You‘ll devour them in an instant!
Do you love chicken wings? You’re going to need this Garlic Miso Chicken Wings recipe!
Doused in a punchy, garlicky, and umami-packed sauce, these wings come out of the oven with a crispy exterior and perfect juiciness within. Every bite is so flavorful that you won’t want to stop eating. My kids love them for our Friday movie night, but they also make an absolute winner to serve at a party, game night, or just a regular dinner.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- A crowd-winning and fun staple for any occasion—you could never go wrong with these wings!
- Minimal preparation and make-ahead friendly—it’s really as simple as mixing the 4-ingredient sauce and marinating the chicken wings ahead of time. Then pop them into the oven until brown and crispy.
- The easiest yet surprisingly addictive dipping sauce. The chicken wings alone are super flavorful, but this dipping sauce truly elevates your experience!
Pairing Miso with Garlic
It’s a no-brainer that the main flavor comes from miso (Japanese fermented soybean paste) and a copious amount of garlic, as both impart the wings with an aromatic, bold, and deeply savory punch. Such a simple pairing, but you’d be amazed at the result.
I use my favorite miso, Hikari Miso‘s Kodawattemasu in this recipe, but you can use any red miso that has more bolder flavor profile.
How to Make (Recipe Name)
The Ingredients You’ll Need
- Chicken wings – I used 5 flats and 5 drumettes; you can use any parts of the chicken
- Garlic – Add more garlic, if you prefer.
- Miso – I used this miso.
- Japanese soy sauce – I use organic Kikkoman soy sauce.
- Mirin – The Japanese sweet rice wine helps to tenderize the chicken wings and lends a mild sweetness to them. More about it in this post.
- Dipping sauce (optional): Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise and shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven spice)
Substitution Tips
- Chicken – Chicken thighs and drumsticks can be used. Adjust the cooking time.
- Mirin – You can use sake, or Japanese rice wine, but you will need to add sugar to replace the mirin in this recipe. You can use this non-alcoholic mirin.
The Cooking Steps
- Mix minced garlic, miso, soy sauce, and mirin in a resealable plastic bag.
- Pat dry the chicken wings with paper towels and prick the skin with a fork.
- Add the wings to the plastic bag and coat them well with the marinade.
- Let them marinate in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours (preferably overnight) or up to a day.
- Put the wings on the oven-safe wire rack placed on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and bake in the oven at 425ºF (220ºC) for 30 minutes.
- At the 30-minute mark, flip the wings. Put them back in the oven for another 15 minutes. You can also broil the wings for an even crispier skin.
- Serve immediately with optional Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise and shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven spice) on the side for dipping.
Cooking Tips
- Prick the chicken skin with a fork – It helps marinate better.
- Marinate the chicken for 6 hours or more, especially if you use drumsticks or other parts of the chicken.
- Remove the marinade from the chicken to avoid burning. Miso burns easily, so be sure to scrape off the best you can. As you see in my pictures, even though I tried my best, some parts got burnt.
Storage Tips
- To Store. Refrigerate leftover Garlic Miso Chicken Wings in an airtight container for up to 3 days or in the freezer for a month.
- To Reheat. For the best results, reheat leftovers in the oven at 350ºF (175ºC) or microwave until heated through.
What to Serve with Garlic Miso Chicken Wings
- Rice – Japanese Corn Rice, Japanese Mushroom Rice, Yaki Onigiri
- Soup – Kakitamajiru (Japanese Egg Drop Soup)
- Salad – Japanese Potato Salad, Green Salad with Japanese Onion Dressing, Asian Cabbage Salad
- Sides – Kinpiara Gobo, Tamagoyaki, Japanese Spinach Salad
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Garlic Miso Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken wings (flats/drumettes) (5 flats and 5 drumettes; or use other parts like drumsticks or thighs and adjust the cooking time—see instructions)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 Tbsp miso (I use my favorite miso, Hikari Miso Kodawattemasu)
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp mirin
For Serving
- shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven spice) (for a spicy kick)
- Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise (optional; for dipping)
Instructions
- Before You Start: Please note that this recipe requires a marinating time of at least 6 hours (or overnight). Now, gather all the ingredients.
To Marinate the Wings
- In a resealable plastic bag, combine 4 cloves garlic (minced; I use a garlic press), 2 Tbsp miso, 2 Tbsp soy sauce, and 2 Tbsp mirin. Mix it together well to dissolve the miso.
- Pat dry 1 lb chicken wings (flats/drumettes) with paper towels and prick the skin with a fork. I recommend this extra step especially if you‘re using skin-on and bone-in chicken. Transfer the wings to the resealable plastic bag.
- Rub the wings really well from outside the bag, coating them with the marinade. Release the air from the bag and seal. Keep the wings in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours (preferably overnight) or up to a day; if you are using drumsticks, you can marinate for 1–2 days.
To Bake (Method #1)
- To cook the wings, you can either bake or broil them (see the next section). To bake, preheat the oven to 425ºF (220ºC) with the rack in the middle position. Meanwhile, remove the chicken wings from the refrigerator and leave at room temperature for 15 minutes. Line the baking sheet with aluminum foil (for easier clean up) and place an oven-safe wire rack on top.
- After 15 minutes, remove as much of the marinade as possible from the chicken since miso burns easily. Place the chicken on the wire rack skin side down. Bake at 425ºF (220ºC) for 45 minutes total. (If you‘re using other chicken parts, see the instructions below for baking times.)
- After 30 minutes, flip the wings. Put them back in the oven for another 15 minutes.
- Monitor the cooking time; the chicken is cooked through when the internal temperature is 165ºF (74ºC). Serve immediately with optional Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise and shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven spice) on the side for dipping.
To Broil (Method #2)
- Set the oven broiler to High (550ºF/288ºC) for 3 minutes before cooking. Place the baking sheet in the middle rack of the oven, about 8 inches (20 cm) away from the heating element. Cook for 9–10 minutes, until nicely browned and crispy, and then flip the chicken to cook the other side (skin side) for another 9–10 minutes. Watch the chicken carefully so it doesn‘t burn; if your oven is small/strong, try broiling at Medium (500ºF/260ºC) or lower the rack. The chicken is cooked through when the internal temperature is 165ºF (74ºC).
To Cook Other Chicken Parts
- For boneless chicken thighs or breasts: Bake for 30–40 minutes (depending on the part and thickness). Turn over the chicken halfway during the cooking process.
- For chicken drumsticks: Bake for 45–50 minutes, or until the internal temperature is 165ºF (74ºC). Turn over the chicken halfway during the cooking process.
To Store
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for a month.
Nutrition
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on August 5, 2011. It’s been republished on December 11, 2023, with new images and more helpful content.
Hi, Nami. I made the wings last evening. I had to let them marinate an extra 24 hours due to a bit of an accident the night before.
Because the heat is so bad here in the foothills I tried using the air fryer and it worked great! Mine is an older model and temp only goes to 390* so it took 15 total minutes to cook 10 and 5 after turning. They are delicious and I have snacks left for a couple of days. T
hanks for a recipe that I will use again.
Hi Barbara! Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe and for your kind feedback.
We are glad to hear the air fryer worked well for this recipe! Thank you for sharing your cooking experience with us!
Could these wings be cooked in an air fryer?
Hi Ron, We have never tried in an air fryer, but some readers left a comment saying it worked well and they were so moist and flavorful.😉
These are my husband’s favorite wings. Made them last night for dinner and there are no leftovers!
Hi Amber!
Thank you very much for trying this recipe and for your kind feedback!
We are glad to hear you and your husband enjoyed this dish very much.☺️
Lol – Amber’s husband here – just saw her comment. I wanted to say these wings are indeed super good. We’ve done them a few times on a Weber charcoal grill (indirect heat) and they are even better (one time we made then both ways) – maybe you should give it a try on your traeger! 😀
Hi John! We are so happy to hear from you as well! 🥰 Thank you so much for your kind feedback and your input!
I made this recipe last night. I didn’t have mirin (Japanese kid sin, I know) and substituted with xiaoxing wine and a sprinkle of sugar. They turned out INCREDIBLE. So tender, with just the right amount of char. Everything on the wings was perfect and meltingly tender and even my mother, who does not like chicken wings at all, left only bones behind and rave reviews.
Thank you for sharing the recipe with us! These are going to be made again and again in my house.
Hi Mitsue!
We are so happy to hear you and your family enjoyed this recipe!
Thank you for trying this recipe and for your kind feedback!☺️
This was my first time using white miso, other than for soup. I decided to try making this recipe, using boneless, skinless chicken thighs in the air fryer. It took 15 min at 360F, and they were so moist and flavorful. Thank you so much for sharing your inspiring recipes!
Hi Terry! Wow, that sounds delicious! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe and thanks for your kind feedback! 🙂
Can this be made in air fryer?
Can you make some air fryer recipes?
Thank you
Hi Lona! I think you can use air fryer for this recipe. I don’t own one so I can’t say from my own experience… 🙂
What would be the cooking time for chicken drumsticks?
Hi Melody! You can bake it instead. Bake at 425 ºF (220 ºC) for 40-45 minutes. Monitor the cooking time – the chicken is cooked through when internal temp is 165 ºF (74 ºC).
This chicken was amazing! My first time making it and it was a big hit! I can’t wait to make it again.
Hi Meg! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for your kind feedback. 🙂
Made this for dinner tonight for my family & we all loved it! I used 5 cloves of garlic for more flavour. I’ll try it with other parts of the chicken next time!!
Hi Jaime! I’m glad you and your family enjoyed this recipe! Thanks for your kind feedback!
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Done it few days ago. It was first time I was using miso so I wasn’t sure how it will taste, but I liked it very much.
Hi Martyna! Thank you for trying this recipe! Hope your first miso experience was pleasant one. 🙂 Thank you for your kind feedback! xo
Hi Nami,
I would love to try this recipe but I am not able to get awase miso where I live. Could you make it by blending red and white miso and what proportions of each would you use?
Shirley
Hi Shirley! Sure! It’s up to you (awase miso blend is really depends on cook and brands), but you can do half and half. You can also make this recipe with white miso. I’m not a huge fan of red miso but if that’s what you like (for example), you can use it. I also like koji miso as much as awase miso… both great too (if you can purchase koji miso). 🙂
Thanks for your reply Nami. Will look for koji miso otherwise will try the recipe with white miso. I’ve learned so much about Japanese cooking from reading your blog and watching your videos!
Hi Nami,
This sounds super delicious and I want to make this for my upcoming pot-luck BBQ.
Do you think the marinate will be OK for a BBQ (grill style?), only because I know some marinades will brown/burn more easily than others.
Thanks! Love your posts!
Hi Yvonne! Sure, you can bbq on the grill too. However, miso can easily get burn so remove the marinade before you grill (but the chicken should be flavorful after enough marinade time). Hope that helps! 🙂
Hi Nami, my fiance and I like these garlic miso chicken wings very much! Although I substituted the mirin with sake plus sugar and put the wings into the oven (yes, there wasn’t any mirin and broiler in my panty :p), the result was great too! We love these garlic miso chicken. Thank you for the recipe, Nami!
Hi Po! Thank you so much for your feedback! I’m really happy that you liked this recipe and could manage to make without mirin and broiler. 🙂 I appreciate you left the comment so others who are in the same situation can use your method! Thank you!! 🙂