Making chicken wings in the air fryer is such a game-changer! You get irresistibly crispy chicken wings without deep frying them or heating up the entire kitchen with your oven. The wings come out perfectly cooked every time with a tender and juicy interior. It’s so effortless to make, and cleaning up is a breeze.
I also love how quickly this air fryer chicken wings recipe comes together. You toss them in a simple combination of salt, pepper, and garlic powder before being air fried for 16 minutes. They come together quicker than traditional chicken wings, making them perfect for when you need an appetizer or snack quickly. Want another easy recipe that’s great for game day or as an appetizer? Try my buffalo chicken dip, pretzel bites, or guacamole recipe.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Chicken wings — this air fryer recipe uses split wings, which means the wings and split into flats and drumettes. You can do this yourself or save yourself time and purchase “party wings.”
Oil — you don’t need a ton of oil to make the chicken wings crispy in the air fryer, but you’ll still need a tablespoon.
Seasoning — I season the chicken wings with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Feel free to use your favorite seasoning combination.
Hot sauce — feel free to use your favorite hot sauce. You can go as spicy or as mild as you’d like!
Butter — when combined with the hot sauce, it turns into a buffalo sauce!
How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Wings
1. Pat the chicken wings dry with paper towels and place in a large mixing bowl with the olive oil, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper.
2. Toss until the chicken is well coated with spices.
3. Working in batches if needed, add the wings to the air fryer basket in an even single layer with a bit of space between each and air fry, flipping halfway through, until browned and crisp.
4. Mix the hot sauce and butter in a large bowl while the wings cook. Whisk to combine. Toss cooked wings with the sauce.
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
- Make sure to dry the wings thoroughly before air frying them, as any moisture can prevent them from becoming crispy and instead cause them to steam.
- Don’t skip flipping the chicken wings, as it helps them brown evenly in the air fryer.
- Never overcrowd the air fryer basket. You want the hot air to be able to circulate all around each chicken wing so they crisp up perfectly. If all of your wings fit in the basket but seem crowded, you can still cook them all at once, but they won’t become as crispy.
- If they still have them, you can cut the wing tipoff and discard them. They may burn in the air fryer.
- Depending on the size of the wings, the most accurate way of seeing if you’ve finished cooking the wings is by checking the internal temperature. Smaller wings will take less time to cook.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can air fry wings from frozen, but the seasoning may not stick well on frozen chicken. As frozen wings tend to stick together, you’ll need to separate them as they cook so they’ll cook evenly. I highly recommend you thaw the chicken wings before air frying them.
Keep leftover chicken wings in the fridge in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. You can reheat the wings in the microwave, but for crispier leftovers, use the air fryer to heat them back up.
You can definitely freeze leftover air-fried chicken wings. Once the wings are at room temperature, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze them for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
If you’re not a fan of buffalo sauce, you can toss the wings in your favorite sauces like bbq sauce, blue cheese dressing, or ranch dressing. You can also change the seasoning to lemon pepper or toss the wings in melted butter with garlic and parmesan! The options are endless.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this Air Fryer Wings recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Video
Equipment
- Air fryer
- mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken wings split into drums and flats (900g)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ⅓ cup hot sauce like Frank’s Red Hot (80ml)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted (56g)
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Pat the chicken wings dry and place in a large mixing bowl with the oil, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper. Toss until the chicken is well coated with spices.
- Working in batches if needed, add the wings to the air fryer basket in an even layer with a bit of space between each and cook, flipping halfway through, until browned and crisp, about 16 minutes.
- While the wings cook, combine the hot sauce and butter in a large bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Toss cooked wings with the sauce.
Notes
- Make sure to dry the wings thoroughly before air frying them, as any moisture can prevent them from becoming crispy and instead cause them to steam.
- Don’t skip flipping the chicken wings, as it helps them brown evenly in the air fryer.
- Never overcrowd the air fryer basket. You want the hot air to be able to circulate all around each chicken wing so they crisp up perfectly. If all of your wings fit in the basket but seem crowded, you can still cook them all at once, but they won’t become as crispy.
- If the wings still have the tips, you can cut those off and discard them. They may burn in the air fryer.
- Depending on the size of the wings, the most accurate way of seeing if you’ve finished cooking the wings is by checking the internal temperature. Smaller wings will take less time to cook.
Nancy says
These were FANTASTIC! I just wished I had a 2nd air fryer because they were eaten so quickly with people wanting more!!! So good!!