Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Our Air Fryer chicken wings recipe is life changing. We thought we figured out the best way to cook air fried chicken wings without using the regular oven and deep fryer. It wasn’t until we tried our first air fried batch that we were proven wrong.
Air Fryer Chicken Wings Recipe
Wow, these air fryer chicken wings are incredible. These wings were quick to air fry and best of all, there wasn’t any need for oil. They come out perfectly cooked with a nice crispy crust and when the sauce is added, the flavors are outstanding. The one bad thing about this technique is that they are so easy to eat because they’re so easy to make. Beware. Don’t eat them as fast as you can cook them!
Air Frying vs. Deep Frying vs. Oven Roasting the Wings
In comparing the different ways to cook chicken wings, we still love traditional frying for plain wings, the crust just can’t be beat. But if you are going to sauce the wings, using an air fryer is the best technique. We won’t even bother cooking them in the oven anymore after air frying them. The Air Fried chicken wings have a better texture, cook quicker, and is an easier cleanup. Also, the oven takes too long to pre-heat. Even if the deep frying method gives a crispier crust, it’s sometimes not worth the hassle to deep fry a few wings. Overall, the air fryer method uses significantly less oil. The huge reduction of oil usages means less calories and a lot healthier.
Video: Air Fryer Chicken Wings Recipe
Tips for Air Frying Chicken Wings
- try to lay the chicken wings in a single layer. This helps cook crispy chicken wings by allowing all the hot circulating air of the air fryer to cook all sides of the wings.
- Use a large bowl to combine the raw wings with all the seasonings. The more evenly the seasonings are coated, the more flavorful they are.
- Toss the wings in your favorite sauces. Here’s a few of our favorites: bbq sauce, homemade chili crunch, sriracha hot sauce, buttermilk ranch dressing, buffalo sauce, blue cheese dressing. Even some melted butter is simple but gives so much flavor.
- For sides, serve the wings with celery sticks, carrot sticks or cucumber slices. Or make some of our air fryer french fries, homemade!
- When cooking wings, try to cut them into separate wings tips from wing drumsticks. They will cook quicker.
Best air fryer chicken wings: Great Cooking Results in the Air Fryer
If you haven’t discovered the amazing cooking benefits to using the air fryer, you should give it a chance. From salmon and air fryer pork chops to vegetables like brussel sprouts and cauliflower, the air fryer cooks them perfectly. Air frying chicken wings has the same terrific results. With your favorite sauces handy, the possibilities are endless when you’re craving chicken wings. Whether you want to have a big wing spread for your next Game Day party or just wings for two eaters, the air fryer can do the job. For larger group, you’ll just need to cook in batches. But because the wings cook so quick, it’s totally fine to cook in batches. You’ll always have a hot and crispy batch ready for the hungry eaters. Check out our complete collection of air fryer recipes.
Our Favorite Air Fryer Tools
We LOVE the Evo Oil Sprayers. Great for grilling, air frying, and everyday cooking. They don’t clog up like many others we’ve bought. There’s different styles, but all seem to have the same great spray head. Works great for grilling!
Square Mats or Round Mats depending on your needs. Perforated non-stick silicone mats minimize food sticking in your air fryer or steamer. Holes allow the hot air to circulate, cooking quick & even.
Parchment sheets make clean up easy and minimize sticking food in your air fryer or bamboo steamer. Choose from different sizes, shapes, white and brown (unbleached). Holes allow air to cook food evenly.
Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 2 pounds (907 g) chicken wings
- Kosher salt , or sea salt, to taste
- fresh ground black pepper , to taste
- garlic salt or garlic powder , optional
Equipment
Instructions
- Rinse and pat dry the chicken wings. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and optional garlic salt. For Salt & Pepper Wings, make sure to season them liberally.
- Put the wings in the air fryer in an even layer. Don't overfill the basket/tray or they won't cook evenly.
- Air Fry at 400°F for 20 minutes. Flip/shake the wings.
- Continue to air fry for another 10-15 minutes or until cooked through. Optional – If using a sauce, toss wings with a light coating of sauce, and then air fry for another 2-4 minutes.
- For serving, if using a sauce for the wings, toss the wings with extra sauce or serve with the sauce on the side for dipping.
Notes
- No Oil Necessary. The wings have enough fat in them to air fry.
- Shake and turn the wings 2-3 times for even cooking. Remember to set a timer to shake/flip/toss the wings.
- Don’t overcrowd fryer basket. 2 batches will cook better than 1 overstuffed batch. If cooking in multiple batches, the first batch will take longer to cook if Air Fryer is not already pre-heated.
- If using a sauce, it is added in just at the end, otherwise it will usually burn before the chicken wings are cooked.
Video
Nutrition Information per Serving
What is the Best Air Fryer?
We have 15 different air fryers, all different brands and we definitely have our favorites.
Here’s our extensive write up on Air Fryer World’s Best Air Fryer Guide. There’s so many on the market now. You just need to research and find the ones that fits your needs, capacity and style. We group the basket style air fryers into 2 main size groups: 3-4 qt. range & the 5-6 qt. range. There’s oven style and basket style. With so many to choose from, we highlight the ones that are most popular for small to medium sized families. Here’s our favorites:
Good Mid-Sized Air Fryers
The non-stick basket style (non-wire base) & smoothness of the basket tray is great for clean up. Easily cooks 2-3 servings of fish & meat.
Great ceramic coated basket for easy clean-up. Super powerful fan that often cooks food hotter & faster than other air fryers.
Good Larger Air Fryers
One of our favorite larger basket style air fryers. Great basket size for about 4 servings. Clean up is great. It has become one of our kitchen favorites.
Instant Pot Brand makes air fryers. The Vortex plus 9-in-1 is beyond the conventional air fryer. Broil, Bake, Dehydrate, Rotisserie, Roast and Re-heat.
Sauce Recipe for Air Fryer chicken wings (homemade recipes)
- sticky honey garlic sauce
- Easy Honey Mustard Sauce (photo above)
- Vietnamese Fish sauce wings
- All our chicken wing recipes are perfect for Super Bowl or Game Day parties.
More Easy Recipes:
- Crunchy fried chicken wings with sweet chili garlic sauce
- sticky sriracha chicken wings
- Honey mustard chicken wings
- What is an Air Fryer?
- this recipe was originally published in 2019
This was such a useful recipe. It’s awesome how quick we can get them cooked.
Awesome recipe !! My wife doesn’t eat wings typically but she couldn’t stop eating these. I should have made more ! Its like heaven in mouth.
I love cooking my wings in the air fryer. I love cooking a whole bunch and then adding whatever sauce I want to the chicken wings.
I’ve been making these since football season started. The air fryer is really the way to go when cooking chicken wings. They come out perfect.
I had the opportunity to make this for Super Bowl and it was a hit. No one could believe that I cooked it in the air fryer. Much healthier with less oil.
I love making this in the air fryer when our friends come over! They all love it. I also can’t believe how easy it was to just pop these into the air fryer. Thanks for the recipe!
This is perfect for watching the NBA finals! We tested it out and they came out amazing!
I’m obsessed with your air fryer recipes! And your photos are gorgeous! Thanks so much!
I’ve tried them out and they cooked perfectly! I’m cooking this for the NBA finals!
I love all your air fryer recipes! This one especially is a big hit at my parties! I love that there’s no need to cook these with oil It’s much healthier.
We’re obsessed with air fryer recipes and glad you enjoy the air fried chicken wings!
I’ve already prepared this before and it turned out absolutely amazing! I’m totally making these again for Super Bowl Sunday!
These chicken wings will be super perfect for Super Bowl. Enjoy! Again!