Air Fryer Wings: Breaded To Perfection In Minutes

Air fryer chicken wings are a delicious, healthier alternative to deep-fried wings. They are super easy to make and can be ready in less than 30 minutes. The air fryer eliminates the need for deep-frying oil, resulting in crispy wings without the excess fat. The key to achieving the perfect breaded coating is to pre-cook the wings in a frying pan for a few minutes before placing them in the air fryer. This ensures that the breading sticks to the chicken and cooks to a crispy, golden brown texture.

How to make breaded chicken wings in the air fryer

Ingredients

• Chicken wings
• Oil (vegetable, avocado, olive, or neutral)
• Flour (all-purpose or Italian breadcrumbs)
• Spices (garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, cayenne, onion powder, chilli powder)
• Eggs
• Wing sauce
• Ranch dressing
• Celery

Method

• Place the chicken wings in a large bowl and pour in the oil. Toss to coat the wings well.
• In a separate bowl, add the flour and spices and whisk until combined.
• One at a time, place the oiled wings in the dry mixture and coat with the breading. Then place each wing in the air fryer basket.
• Set your air fryer to 350-400°F and cook for 14-20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
• Use a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken wings have reached an internal temperature of 165°F, and the breading is brown and crunchy before serving.
• Remove the wings from the air fryer and place them in a container with a lid.
• Pour your favourite wing sauce over the wings, put the lid back on, and give the container a shake so they are perfectly coated.
• Serve with ranch dressing and celery, if desired.

Dipping sauces for breaded wings

Breaded chicken wings are a delicious treat, and there are so many dipping sauces to choose from! Here are some ideas for dipping sauces that will perfectly complement the crispy and juicy texture of your air-fried breaded wings:

BBQ Sauce

A classic choice for chicken wings, BBQ sauce comes in a variety of flavours, from sweet and sticky to spicy and tangy. You can easily make your own by combining ingredients like apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, chilli powder, and paprika.

Blue Cheese Dressing

Blue cheese is a popular choice for chicken wings, offering a creamy and tangy contrast to the crispy wings. You can make your own by blending blue cheese with mayonnaise, sour cream, and seasonings like garlic and parsley.

Buffalo Sauce

If you're looking for something spicy, buffalo sauce is a perfect choice. You can make your own by combining hot sauce with melted butter and a pinch of garlic powder and cayenne pepper.

Honey Buffalo Sauce

For a sweeter take on the classic buffalo sauce, try honey buffalo sauce. This sauce combines the heat of buffalo sauce with the sweetness of honey, resulting in a delicious flavour combination that's perfect for breaded wings.

Honey Sriracha Sauce

Another sweet and spicy option, honey Sriracha sauce combines the sweetness of honey with the tangy heat of Sriracha. It's a perfect choice if you're looking for something with a bit of a kick.

Garlic Parmesan Sauce

This creamy sauce is packed with the flavours of garlic and Parmesan cheese. You can make your own by blending mayonnaise, sour cream, grated Parmesan, garlic, parsley, and vinegar.

Cilantro Lemon Sauce

This herby and bright sauce is a perfect choice for those who want something refreshing to dip their breaded wings in. It combines cilantro, yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic.

Smoked Paprika Aioli

You can make a simple aioli from scratch and add smoked paprika, or take a shortcut by mixing mayonnaise, yogurt, garlic, lime, and smoked paprika. It's a perfect choice for those who want a smoky and creamy dip.

Tips for getting the crispiest wings

There are several tips and tricks to getting the crispiest chicken wings when using an air fryer. Here are some of the most important ones:

Dry the wings

Pat the wings very dry with paper towels before adding any oil or seasonings. This is a crucial step to ensure the wings get crispy. Removing the moisture will help the oil and spices soak into the chicken.

Use baking powder

Baking powder is the key to crispy chicken wings. It draws out the moisture from the skin so that it crisps up beautifully. Use aluminium-free baking powder, as the type that contains aluminium can cause a metallic taste.

Don't overcrowd the air fryer

Always cook the wings in a single layer, leaving a little space around each wing. This is important because the hot air needs to be able to circulate properly. If the wings are stacked or touching, they won't get crispy.

Flip the wings

Halfway through the cooking cycle, use tongs or a fork to flip the wings. This will ensure you get evenly crispy wings.

Pre-cook the wings

One way to ensure the breading sticks to the wings and gets super crispy is to pre-cook the wings in a frying pan before placing them in the air fryer. Heat a small amount of vegetable oil in the pan, place the coated wings inside, and cook for one minute on each side until the coating turns light brown.

Use an oil spray

Spraying the wings with oil halfway through cooking will help to crisp up the breading and get rid of any white residue from the flour.

Check the temperature

Use a meat thermometer to ensure the wings have reached an internal temperature of 165ºF. This will ensure they are cooked through and safe to eat.

How to reheat chicken wings in the air fryer

How to Reheat Chicken Wings in an Air Fryer

Preheat the Air Fryer

Set the air fryer to 350°F (some sources recommend 360°F). Preheating the air fryer will ensure that the wings cook evenly and don't dry out.

Prepare the Wings

Take the wings out of the fridge and let them sit for about 15 minutes to reach room temperature. You can add extra salt or pepper at this point if you want a fresh seasoning.

Arrange the Wings in the Air Fryer

Place the wings in the air fryer basket or on the tray in a single layer, with a little space between each wing. This will ensure that the hot air can circulate properly and cook the wings evenly.

Lightly Coat the Wings with Oil (Optional)

For extra crispiness, you can lightly coat the wings with a small amount of cooking oil using a brush or spray bottle.

Reheat the Wings

Place the basket or tray with the wings into the preheated air fryer and cook for 5-6 minutes.

Shake or Flip the Wings

After the initial cooking time, carefully shake the basket or flip the wings using tongs to ensure even cooking. This step will help crisp up all sides of the wings.

Continue Cooking

Continue cooking the wings for an additional 5-6 minutes. Keep an eye on them to prevent overcooking.

Check for Doneness

Check the internal temperature of the wings using a meat thermometer. The internal temperature should reach 165°F.

Tips

• If you are reheating sauced wings, it is recommended to use a small air fryer pan or aluminium foil under the wings to prevent the sauce from sticking to the air fryer basket.
• Preheating the air fryer helps create a hot environment that promotes even cooking and crispy exteriors while locking in moisture.
• Adding a thin layer of oil or melted butter to the wings before placing them in the air fryer basket can help seal in moisture and promote crispiness.
• Covering the wings loosely with aluminium foil during the last part of the reheating process can help prevent excessive browning and drying out.
• It is important to monitor the wings closely during the reheating process to prevent them from becoming overcooked or dried out.
• Chicken should not be reheated multiple times as it increases the risk of bacterial contamination.

How to make the breading stick

Dry the Chicken Wings

Before coating your chicken wings in breading, it's important to pat them dry with paper towels. This will remove any excess moisture and help them get nice and crispy.

Use Oil

Place the chicken wings in a large bowl and pour in some vegetable or olive oil. Toss the wings to ensure they are well coated.

Combine Dry Ingredients

In a separate bowl, combine flour, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, cayenne pepper, and black pepper. Whisk the dry ingredients until they are well combined.

Coat the Wings

Take each wing and place it in the dry mixture, ensuring each wing is well coated. You can use tongs to handle the wings and tap off any excess flour.

Don't Overcrowd the Air Fryer Basket

Place the wings into the air fryer basket, leaving a little room around each one. It is important not to overcrowd the basket as the hot air needs to be able to circulate properly to ensure the breading gets fully crispy. You may need to cook the wings in batches.

Pre-cook the Wings

One way to ensure the breading sticks is to pre-cook the wings in a frying pan before placing them in the air fryer. Heat a small amount of vegetable oil in a pan over medium heat. Place the coated chicken wings in the pan and cook for about 1 minute on each side, until the flour coating turns light brown. Allow the wings to cool before placing them in the air fryer.

Shake the Basket During Cooking

Halfway through cooking, open the air fryer and shake the basket to ensure the wings cook evenly.

Use a Meat Thermometer

To ensure your wings are fully cooked, use a meat thermometer to check that they have reached an internal temperature of 165°F. The breading should be brown and crunchy.

Frequently asked questions