Hooters Wings In An Air Fryer: Breaded And Delicious

Hooters' breaded chicken wings are a popular dish, but can you recreate the magic at home in an air fryer? The answer is yes, and there are several recipes online that claim to replicate the famous wings. The key to getting that Hooters-style breading is to double-bread the wings by dipping them in egg and flour, then repeating the process. The wings are then cooked in an air fryer for around 20 minutes, and served with a choice of sauces and dips.

Hooters wing breading ingredients

Hooters' wings are famous for their crispy battered coating. The Hooters Wing Breading Mix is a blend of spices and wheat flour that adds a crunchy texture to chicken wings, shrimp, fish, and vegetables. The mix is available in 16 oz bags and can be purchased online or at select stores.

The ingredients in the Hooters Wing Breading Mix are:

• Wheat flour
• Salt
• Spices
• Natural flavor

To make Hooters-style chicken wings at home, you will need the following ingredients for the wings:

• Chicken wings (around 5 lbs)
• Hooters Wing Breading Mix (1 bag)
• Vegetable oil for deep frying

And for the wing sauce:

• Butter
• Hot sauce (such as Hooters Wing Sauce, Tabasco Sauce, or Frank's Red Hot Sauce)
• Brown sugar
• Paprika
• Balsamic vinegar
• Cayenne pepper
• Chili sauce

Optional ingredients include garlic salt, Old Bay seasoning, and Hooters' 3 Mile Island sauce for an extra kick of heat.

• Combine the Hooters Wing Breading Mix with 5 lbs of thawed chicken wings (a mix of drummettes and flappers) in a container. Shake well to coat the wings evenly.
• Refrigerate the coated wings for 15-30 minutes to help the breading stick.
• Heat vegetable oil in a deep fryer or heavy-bottomed pot to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Fry the wings in batches until they are golden brown. Drain on a wire rack or paper towels.
• Melt butter in a saucepan and add the remaining sauce ingredients, stirring until well combined.
• Place the fried wings in a large bowl and add the desired amount of wing sauce. Toss to coat evenly.
• Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce, such as bleu cheese or ranch dressing, and enjoy!

Note: For gluten-intolerant individuals, the wheat flour in the Hooters Wing Breading Mix can be substituted with a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend.

How to coat chicken wings

Ingredients

To coat chicken wings, you will need the following ingredients:

• Chicken wings
• Flour
• Eggs
• Breadcrumbs
• Spices (e.g. onion powder, basil, garlic salt, paprika, cayenne pepper)
• Butter
• Hot sauce
• Oil or cooking spray

Steps

• Prepare the chicken wings by patting them dry and cutting them into sections. Remove and discard the wing tips.
• Set up your breading station with three separate bowls. In the first bowl, whisk together the eggs and a small amount of water. In the second bowl, combine the flour with your choice of spices. In the third bowl, add the breadcrumbs and any desired spices.
• Dip each chicken wing into the egg mixture, then coat it in the flour mixture. Repeat this process for a double breading, dipping the wing back into the egg and then the flour again.
• Place the breaded chicken wings in the air fryer basket, spraying them with cooking spray or oil between layers if needed.
• Set the air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and cook the wings for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
• For extra crispiness, let the wings cool in the air fryer for a few minutes before removing them.
• If desired, toss the cooked wings with your favourite sauce. Serve and enjoy!

Tips:

• For a lighter option, bake the chicken wings in the oven instead of frying.
• To ensure the coating sticks to the wings, gently pat the breading onto the wings and refrigerate for 30 minutes before cooking.
• For extra-crispy wings, add 1 teaspoon of baking powder to the breading mixture.
• If you prefer not to bread your wings, you can simply coat them in spices and bake or fry.

Air fryer temperature and duration

The optimal temperature for cooking Hooters wings in an air fryer is 400 degrees Fahrenheit. This is the temperature that will give you the classic Hooters wings experience, with the right level of crispiness.

The duration of cooking depends on the quantity of wings you are preparing. For a batch of 10 jumbo wings, 25 to 28 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit is sufficient. However, if you are making a larger batch, you may need to increase the cooking time.

It is important to note that air fryers can vary in terms of cooking times and temperatures. Therefore, it is recommended to check the internal temperature of the chicken to ensure it reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit (75 degrees Celsius) to ensure it is cooked safely.

Additionally, the breading process can affect the cooking time. For a double breading process, where each wing is coated in egg and flour twice, a longer cooking time of about 10 minutes on each side at 400 degrees Fahrenheit is suggested.

To achieve the perfect Hooters wings texture and taste, it is recommended to preheat the air fryer before adding the wings and to let the coated wings sit in the refrigerator for at least 15 to 30 minutes before cooking. This allows the breading to set and helps prevent sogginess.

By following these temperature and duration guidelines, you can enjoy delicious, crispy, and safely cooked Hooters wings from the comfort of your own home, without having to deep fry them.

Preparing the air fryer basket

Firstly, it is important to spray the air fryer basket with a non-stick cooking spray. This step will help prevent your wings from sticking to the basket, making it easier to remove them once they are cooked. The non-stick spray also helps to create a crispy exterior on your wings.

After spraying the basket, it's time to set up your breading station. You will need three separate bowls for this process. In the first bowl, place your seasoned flour mixture. This typically includes flour, salt, cayenne pepper, paprika, and other spices of your choice. Mix these ingredients together thoroughly. In the second bowl, beat two eggs. The eggs will act as a binding agent for the flour, creating a thicker, crispier coating on your wings. The third bowl should contain the chicken wings, which have been patted dry with a paper towel.

Now, you are ready to begin breading the wings. Using tongs or clean hands, coat each wing first in the egg mixture, then in the flour mixture. Repeat this process, dipping the wing back into the egg mixture and then into the flour again. This double breading technique is the key to achieving that signature Hooters-style crunch.

Once your wings are breaded, carefully place them into the prepared air fryer basket. Be sure not to overcrowd the basket, as this can affect cooking performance and crispiness. If your air fryer is not large enough to accommodate all the wings in a single layer, you may need to cook them in batches.

Finally, give the breaded wings in the basket a light coating of non-stick spray. This extra step will help ensure that your wings don't stick to the basket and will promote even browning.

Your air fryer basket is now ready for cooking! Follow the cooking instructions provided by your specific air fryer model to achieve the perfect Hooters-style chicken wings.

Wing sauce and serving suggestions

Wing Sauces

There are many different sauces you can use to coat your wings, ranging from mild to spicy. Here are some options:

• Buffalo sauce
• BBQ sauce
• Honey mustard sauce
• Lemon pepper sauce
• Sweet and sour sauce
• Teriyaki sauce
• Honey-barbecue sauce
• Alabama white BBQ sauce
• Sweet chilli sauce
• Honey-mustard sauce
• Cranberry sauce
• Dr Pepper barbecue sauce
• Butterscotch sauce
• Cherry glaze

Serving Suggestions

Wings are often served with a side of ranch or blue cheese dressing for dipping, as well as celery and carrot sticks. You can also serve wings with:

• Avocado ranch
• Corn chips
• Beer
• Ice-cold beer
• Crispy buffalo shrimp tacos
• Air fryer buffalo chicken burritos
• Air fryer chicken and waffles
• An ice-cold beer

Frequently asked questions