Air Fryer Crispy Chicken Wings: The Perfect Recipe

Cooking chicken wings in an air fryer is a quick and easy way to make delicious, crispy wings. With a few simple ingredients and a short prep time, you can achieve juicy, tender wings with a crispy skin. The air fryer method is also healthier than deep frying, as it uses hot air instead of oil to cook the wings. This means you can enjoy crispy wings without the extra fats and calories. The key to getting crispy wings is to ensure they are dry before cooking and to use baking powder, which reacts with the chicken skin to create a golden, crispy coating. You can also toss the wings in your favourite sauce, such as buffalo or BBQ, or enjoy them as they are.

Characteristics and Values Table for Air Fryer Crispy Chicken Wings

Use baking powder to create a crispy coating

To create a crispy coating on your chicken wings, you can use baking powder. This is a key ingredient in achieving that crispy texture and beautiful golden brown colour. The baking powder reacts with the chicken skin, raising the pH level and creating tiny air bubbles, which help to form a crispy coating.

Firstly, pat the chicken wings dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. This is an important step to ensure the skin puffs up and blisters during cooking. Then, in a bowl, season the chicken wings with salt, white pepper, and baking powder. You can also add a neutral oil, such as avocado, canola, or vegetable oil, to help the seasoning stick to the wings. Mix the wings until they are evenly coated.

Place the chicken wings in a single layer in the air fryer basket, ensuring they are not overlapping. Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and cook the wings for 10 minutes. Then, flip the wings and cook for an additional 7 to 12 minutes, or until the skin is golden brown and crispy. The cooking time may vary depending on the size of your wings, so adjust accordingly.

You can serve these crispy chicken wings as they are, or with your favourite sauce. Enjoy!

Dry the wings thoroughly before cooking

Achieving crispy chicken wings in an air fryer requires the removal of excess moisture. This is because moisture is the enemy of crispy skin. Therefore, it is important to dry the wings thoroughly before cooking.

Pat the chicken wings dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. This step is important as it ensures the skin puffs up and blisters in the air fryer basket during frying. It also helps lock in moisture, ensuring the wings are juicy on the inside.

If the wings are not dried properly, they will steam more than they will crisp. This is because the circulating air in the air fryer needs to easily reach all sides of the chicken wings. Therefore, drying the wings thoroughly before cooking will help ensure they are super crispy.

It is also important to ensure the wings are not overcrowded in the air fryer basket. This will ensure the hot air can circulate and crisp up the wings evenly.

Cook at 400°F for 10 minutes, then flip and cook for 7-12 minutes

Now it's time to cook your chicken wings! Place them in the air fryer basket in a single layer, without overlapping. Make sure they are not touching or stacked on top of each other, as this will prevent them from cooking evenly and getting crispy. Work in batches if needed.

Set your air fryer to 400°F and let the wings cook for 10 minutes. After this initial cooking period, open the air fryer and flip the wings over. Close the air fryer and cook for another 7-12 minutes at 400°F. The total cooking time is approximately 17-22 minutes, depending on the size of the wings and your desired level of crispiness.

Keep in mind that the cooking time may vary based on the size of your wings, so adjust the time accordingly. If you want your wings to be extra crispy, you can cook them for a few additional minutes. However, be careful not to overcook them. To ensure doneness, use a thermometer probe to check that the internal temperature of the wings reaches at least 165°F.

Once the wings are cooked to your desired level of crispiness, carefully remove them from the air fryer and serve them with your favorite sauces or dips. Enjoy!

Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature is 165°F

Using a meat thermometer is an important step in ensuring that your chicken wings are cooked thoroughly and safely. By measuring the internal temperature of the meat, you can be sure that it has reached a temperature at which any harmful bacteria have been killed, making it safe to eat.

To use a meat thermometer, simply insert the probe into the thickest part of the chicken wing, being careful not to touch any bones, as this can give an inaccurate reading. Wait for a few seconds until the temperature reading stabilizes. The internal temperature of the chicken wings should reach at least 165°F to be considered safe to consume. If the temperature is below this, return the wings to the air fryer and cook in short intervals until the desired temperature is reached.

It is important to note that the cooking time and temperature settings may vary depending on the size of your chicken wings and the model of your air fryer. Therefore, it is always a good idea to use a meat thermometer to ensure that your chicken wings are cooked thoroughly and safely.

By following this step and ensuring that your chicken wings have reached an internal temperature of 165°F, you can be confident that they are not only crispy and delicious but also safe for you and your guests to enjoy.

Toss in sauce or seasoning, such as buffalo sauce or lemon pepper

Once your chicken wings are cooked, you can toss them in a variety of sauces and seasonings. This is a great way to add flavour and moisture to your wings, and make them even more delicious.

Some popular sauce options include buffalo sauce, hot sauce, BBQ sauce, ranch dressing, and even a simple combination of melted butter and hot sauce. If you're making buffalo wings, you can either use a store-bought sauce or make your own by mixing butter with buffalo sauce or your hot sauce of choice. You could also try a sugar-free BBQ sauce with Sriracha, or a homemade sauce with cayenne pepper, butter, and hot sauce. If you're making lemon pepper wings, you can use a lemon pepper seasoning or try a baked lemon pepper version.

You can also add a variety of seasonings to your wings. Some simple options include garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, and cayenne pepper. You can also try a blend of olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. If you want to make your wings extra crispy, you can add a little baking powder to the mixture.

Frequently asked questions