Air Fryer Chicken Wings: Cooking Time Perfection

Chicken wings are a popular choice for air fryer cooking, with many recipes available online. The cooking time varies depending on the size of your air fryer, the number of wings, and the desired crispiness. However, on average, chicken wings take around 18 to 24 minutes to cook in an air fryer, with some recipes suggesting a cooking time of up to 30 minutes for extra crispy wings.

How long to cook chicken wings in an air fryer

Cooking chicken wings in an air fryer is a quick and easy way to get crispy chicken wings. The cooking time will depend on the size of your air fryer and the number of wings you are cooking.

If you are using a smaller basket-style air fryer, you may need to cook the wings in two batches. For one batch, cook the wings for 18-22 minutes, flipping them halfway through. If you are using a larger air fryer, you can cook more wings at once, and the cooking time will be around 18 minutes, shaking the basket every 6 minutes.

For extra crispy wings, some people recommend cooking the wings at a lower temperature first to render the fat and skin, and then increasing the temperature to ensure they are tender on the inside and crispy on the outside. For example, you could start cooking them at 360ºF and then finish them at 390ºF.

If you are cooking two pounds of chicken wings in a large air fryer, they will take around 23-24 minutes to cook.

For a simple seasoning, coat the wings in oil, garlic salt, and lemon pepper before cooking.

How to season chicken wings for the air fryer

Cooking chicken wings in an air fryer is a quick and easy way to get crispy, tasty wings. But how do you season them?

Firstly, pat the chicken wings dry with paper towels and place them in a mixing bowl. Then, coat the wings in oil. You can use a pastry brush to brush the wings with olive oil, or simply pour the oil into the bowl and toss the wings until they're evenly coated.

Next, it's time to add your seasoning. You can use salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, garlic salt, and lemon pepper. Sprinkle the seasoning over the wings and toss until they're evenly coated.

Once your wings are seasoned, it's time to cook them. Place them in the air fryer basket, making sure they're in a single layer so they cook evenly. You may need to cook them in batches if you're using a smaller air fryer. Set the air fryer to the desired temperature – most recipes recommend cooking wings at around 400°F – and cook for 18-24 minutes, or until they're golden brown and crispy.

How to arrange chicken wings in the air fryer basket

To cook chicken wings in an air fryer, you should first pat them dry with paper towels and place them in a mixing bowl. Coat the wings in oil and season them with garlic salt, lemon pepper, salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika. Place the wings in the air fryer basket, sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, in a single layer so they are not overlapping. It is fine for them to touch.

For two pounds of chicken wings, cook at 360ºF for 23-24 minutes, increasing the temperature to 390ºF for the last 5-6 minutes. If you are cooking at 400˚F, cook for 8 minutes, then flip and cook for another 8 minutes, or until the wings are crisp and golden brown. You can also cook for 10 minutes, then flip and cook for an additional 8 minutes. Shake the basket every 6 minutes to ensure the wings cook evenly.

How to get crispy chicken wings

Cooking chicken wings in an air fryer is a quick and easy way to get crispy chicken wings.

First, pat the chicken wings dry with paper towels and place them in a mixing bowl. Add a tablespoon of oil and a sprinkling of your chosen seasoning. Toss the wings to ensure they are evenly coated.

Next, place the wings in the air fryer basket. If you are using a smaller basket-style air fryer, you may need to cook the wings in two batches to ensure they are in a single layer. If you have a larger air fryer, you can cook them all at once.

Set the air fryer to 360-400°F and cook the wings for 8-10 minutes. Then, flip the wings and cook for another 8 minutes, or until they are crisp and golden brown. If you are cooking a larger batch of wings, you may need to increase the cooking time to 18-24 minutes in total.

Once the wings are cooked to your liking, remove them from the air fryer and serve. You can also toss them in your favourite sauce or dunk them in blue cheese or ranch dressing.

How to cook chicken wings in the oven

To cook chicken wings in the oven, preheat your oven to 400˚F. Place the wings in a mixing bowl and coat them in oil and seasoning. You can use a tablespoon of oil, two teaspoons of garlic salt, and a teaspoon of lemon pepper, or try salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Toss the wings to ensure they are evenly coated.

Arrange the wings in a single layer on a baking tray. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, flipping the wings after 30 minutes, or until the wings are golden brown and crispy.

If you are cooking drums, they will take longer than flats. If you like your wings saucy, toss them in sauce after cooking. You can also dunk them in blue cheese or ranch dressing.

Frequently asked questions