Air Fryer Chicken Wings: Timing For Perfectly Crispy Results

Chicken wings are a great snack, appetizer, or even a meal. They are a crowd favorite, especially during game days. The air fryer is a healthier alternative to deep-frying chicken wings, and it is also faster than baking them. The cooking time for chicken wings in an air fryer depends on the weight and size of the wings and the type of air fryer being used. On average, it takes 18 to 24 minutes to cook chicken wings in an air fryer.

How to make chicken wings in an air fryer

Ingredients

You will need the following ingredients to make chicken wings in an air fryer:

• Chicken wings
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Paprika
• Pepper
• Baking powder (optional)
• Lemon pepper seasoning (optional)
• White pepper (optional)

Method

• If you are using whole wings, separate them into drums and flats.
• Pat the wings dry with a paper towel. This step is important to ensure that the wings get crispy.
• Place the wings in a bowl and add olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat the wings evenly. You can also add baking powder to make the wings extra crispy.
• Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for a few minutes.
• Place the wings in a single layer in the air fryer, making sure they are not touching.
• Air fry the wings at 400°F for 10 minutes.
• Flip the wings and air fry for another 8-12 minutes at the same temperature until they are crispy and golden brown.
• Remove the wings from the air fryer and serve with your favorite dipping sauces such as ranch, blue cheese, or buffalo sauce.

Tips for crispy wings

• Use fresh chicken wings instead of frozen for the best results.
• Pat the wings dry before seasoning to remove any excess moisture.
• Do not overcrowd the air fryer. Place the wings in a single layer with a little space between them to allow for air circulation.
• Shake or flip the wings occasionally during cooking to ensure even cooking and crispiness.
• Increase the temperature to 400°F for the last few minutes of cooking for extra crispy skin.

How to make crispy chicken wings in an air fryer

Ingredients

• Chicken wings
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Paprika
• Lemon pepper seasoning (optional)
• Baking powder (optional)

Method

• Prepare the chicken wings: If you have bought whole wings, separate them into drums and flats. Make sure they are defrosted and pat them dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture. This will ensure the skin gets nice and crispy.
• Season the chicken wings: Place the wings into a bowl and add olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Toss the wings to ensure they are evenly coated. You can also add baking powder to the mixture to make the skin extra crispy.
• Preheat the air fryer: Set your air fryer to 400°F and preheat for a few minutes.
• Air fry the wings: Place the wings in a single layer in the air fryer basket, making sure they are not touching. Cook for 10 minutes at 400°F.
• Flip the wings: After 10 minutes, open the air fryer and carefully flip over the chicken wings.
• Continue cooking: Close the air fryer and cook the wings for another 8-12 minutes at 400°F, or until the skin is golden brown and crispy.
• Serve: Remove the wings from the air fryer and serve with your favorite dipping sauces and sides.

Tips for crispy wings:

• Don't overcrowd the air fryer. The wings should be in a single layer with a little space between them to allow for air circulation.
• Toss the wings every few minutes during cooking to ensure even cooking and crispiness.
• Increase the temperature to 400°F for the last few minutes of cooking for extra crispy skin.
• Pat the wings dry before cooking to remove any excess moisture.
• Add a little baking powder to the seasoning mixture to help make the skin crispy.

Sauce and seasoning variations:

• Buffalo sauce
• BBQ sauce
• Honey garlic sauce
• Honey mustard sauce
• Ranch dressing
• Blue cheese dressing
• Lemon pepper seasoning
• Chipotle seasoning
• Old Bay seasoning

How to make juicy chicken wings in an air fryer

Ingredients

To make juicy chicken wings in an air fryer, you will need the following ingredients:

• Chicken wings
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Lemon pepper seasoning
• Garlic salt
• Lemon juice
• Baking powder
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Paprika
• Pepper
• White pepper
• Hot sauce
• Butter
• Garlic powder

Method

Preparation

Start by patting the chicken wings dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. Then, cut the wings into pieces so that you have 24 wings.

Seasoning

In a bowl, season the chicken wings with salt, lemon pepper, garlic salt, lemon juice, baking powder, garlic powder, olive oil, onion powder, paprika, pepper, and white pepper. Mix until the wings are evenly coated.

Cooking

Preheat your air fryer to 360-400°F. Place the wings in the air fryer basket in a single layer, making sure they are not overlapping. Air fry for 10 minutes, then flip the wings and air fry for another 8-12 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.

Serving

Serve the wings with your favorite dipping sauces such as ranch, blue cheese, BBQ sauce, or hot sauce.

Tips for crispy wings

• Don't overlap the wings in the air fryer.
• Be flexible with the cooking time, depending on the size of the wings.
• Don't toss the wings in sauce before serving, as this will make the skin less crispy.

How to make chicken wings in an air fryer from frozen

Ingredients:

• Chicken wings (drums and flats)
• Olive oil
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Paprika
• Salt
• Pepper

Method:

• First, prep the chicken wings. If the wings are full, separate them into drums and flats.
• Pat the wings dry. This is important so they get crispy.
• Place the wings into a bowl and add oil, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat the wings.
• Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for a few minutes.
• Add the wings in a single layer to the air fryer (they should not be touching) and cook for 10 minutes.
• After 10 minutes, open the air fryer and carefully flip over the chicken wings.
• Cook for another 8 minutes.
• Remove the chicken wings and serve with your favourite dips or sauces.

Tips:

• If your frozen wings are stuck together, microwave them for about 30 seconds to separate them.
• You can also reheat frozen, pre-cooked wings in the air fryer. Place 12 wings in the air fryer basket at 350°F and cook for 12 minutes.
• For breaded frozen wings, add about 16 wings to the air fryer and cook on 400°F for 14 minutes.
• For sauced frozen wings, add about 16 wings to the air fryer and cook for 18 minutes at 400°F.
• You can also boil the wings for 10 minutes before seasoning and placing them in the air fryer to reduce the cooking time.

How to make chicken wings in an air fryer with sauce

Ingredients:

• Chicken wings
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Lemon pepper seasoning
• Garlic salt
• Baking powder
• White pepper
• Black pepper
• Neutral oil
• Avocado oil
• Canola oil
• Vegetable oil
• Buffalo wing sauce
• Thai sweet chilli sauce
• Ranch or blue cheese dressing
• BBQ sauce
• Hot honey
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Paprika
• Cayenne pepper
• Hot sauce
• Butter
• Garlic powder

Method:

• Preheat your air fryer to 360ºF.
• Season the chicken wings with olive oil, lemon pepper seasoning, and salt.
• Place the wings in the air fryer basket and arrange them in a single layer. Make sure they are not overlapping.
• Air fry the wings for 18 minutes, shaking the basket every 6 minutes, or until they are golden brown.
• Increase the temperature to 390ºF and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes, shaking the basket every 2 minutes, until the wings are brown and crispy.
• Toss the wings in your favourite sauce and serve with carrots and celery sticks.

Tips for crispy wings:

• Don't overlap the wings in the air fryer.
• Be flexible with the cooking time depending on the size of the wings.
• For the crispiest skin, dunk the wings in the sauce instead of tossing them in a bowl.

Frequently asked questions