Teriyaki Chicken Wings

AIP can feel like the end of food that feels fun. Wings, in particular, can seem like a thing of the past - sticky glazes, sauces, the kind of food you eat off the bone and enjoy completely. These wings are here to prove that wrong. Coconut aminos stands in for soy sauce with more sweetness and none of the problems. Maple syrup gives the glaze its body. Tapioca starch creates a light crust that crisps in the oven. The result has everything the original promised: the sticky-sweet teriyaki hit, the crisp exterior, the bite that makes you reach for another.

Chicken raised outdoors and fed well produces better meat - more flavorful, with a cleaner fat profile. When you can, choose pasture-raised. When you serve these, take time with the plating. Pile them on a board or a wide plate, add something green alongside - sliced cucumber, fresh herb sprigs, anything that grounds the richness. Sit down and eat them with attention. Food that tastes this good deserves a real moment.

Ginger contains gingerols, which have anti-inflammatory properties and are involved in supporting gut comfort and digestive motility. Garlic provides prebiotic compounds that support a healthy and diverse gut microbiome - an important factor in immune regulation. These are not dramatic claims. They are part of the slow, consistent work that happens when you eat this way, meal after meal.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds chicken wings and drummettes
• 1/4 cup coconut aminos
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• Up to 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 cup tapioca starch

*Excluded from AIP version: mayonnaise - omitted.*

Method

Preheat the oven to 220C / 425F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set a wire rack on top if you have one - the rack lets air circulate underneath and makes the wings crispier.

Make the marinade. In a large bowl, combine the coconut aminos, ground ginger, onion powder, minced garlic, maple syrup, and salt. Whisk to combine.

Coat the wings. Add the chicken wings to the bowl and toss well to coat in the marinade. Let them sit for 10 to 15 minutes if you have time - the longer they marinate, the more the flavor penetrates.

Add the tapioca starch. Sprinkle the tapioca starch over the wings and toss again to coat. The starch will absorb the marinade and form a light coating. Do not worry if it looks slightly lumpy - it will smooth out in the oven.

Bake. Arrange the wings in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet, with space between each piece. Bake for 20 minutes, then flip each wing and bake for a further 15 to 20 minutes until the wings are cooked through, the glaze is caramelized, and the coating is crisp and golden. The internal temperature should reach 74C / 165F.

Rest for 3 to 5 minutes before serving. Any pan juices can be spooned over the top or served as a dipping sauce.

Air fryer variation

Coat the wings in the marinade and tapioca starch as above. Arrange in a single layer in the air fryer basket - cook in two batches if your basket is small. Air fry at 200C / 400F for 20 to 22 minutes, flipping halfway. The wings will be crispier than the oven version with a more rendered skin. Watch closely in the final 5 minutes as the maple syrup can catch.

Instant Pot variation

Place the coated wings (marinade only, no tapioca starch yet) in the Instant Pot with 1/4 cup water. Lock the lid, set to High Pressure for 8 minutes, then quick-release. Transfer wings to a baking sheet or air fryer. Toss in tapioca starch, then broil in the oven at 230C / 450F for 5 to 7 minutes per side, or air fry at 200C / 400F for 8 to 10 minutes, until the exterior is crisped and the glaze has set.

*Adapted from Predominantly Paleo (Jennifer Robins)*

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*Provenance: method rebuilt in ARM's own words from aip-source-archives/predominantly-paleo/teriyaki-chicken-wings.md. Ingredient list used as factual reference. No third-party text reproduced. Provenance class: source-derived (re-grounded).*