Air Fryer Chicken Wings: A Quick, Crispy Treat

Chicken wings are a versatile dish that can be cooked from fresh or frozen and served with a variety of sauces. They can be cooked in an air fryer in under 25 minutes, making them a quick and easy meal option. To ensure the wings are crispy, it is important to dry them with paper towels before seasoning and cooking. The wings should be cooked at a high temperature, typically around 400 degrees, and shaken or turned regularly to ensure even cooking.

How to season chicken wings for the air fryer

To season chicken wings for the air fryer, you can use a variety of seasonings and spices. Firstly, pat the chicken wings dry with paper towels. This is an essential step to getting a crispy coating. You can then add the wings to a large bowl or zip-top bag and toss them with vegetable oil or olive oil.

For the seasoning, you can combine salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and baking powder in a small bowl, then sprinkle the seasoning over the wings, tossing to evenly coat. Alternatively, you can use a dry rub of herbs, or a marinade of olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. You can also add some hot sauce to the marinade.

Let the wings rest for at least 30 minutes after seasoning to allow the flavours to develop. You can then arrange the wings in the air fryer basket, making sure they are not overlapping. Spray the basket with non-stick cooking spray first to prevent sticking.

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, juicy wings. The cooking time will depend on how crispy you like your wings and how many you are cooking.

First, you'll want to season your wings. You can do this in a large bowl or zip-top bag. Toss the wings with vegetable oil and your chosen seasoning. You can use a basic pantry seasoning of salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and baking powder, or add some olive oil, hot sauce, and parsley to the mix.

Next, preheat your air fryer. Most recipes recommend preheating to between 390-400°F. Spray the basket of your air fryer with non-stick cooking spray, then place your wings inside. Make sure they are in a single layer and not overlapping, although touching is fine.

Now it's time to cook your wings. For wings that are golden brown and crispy, you'll want to air fry for around 20-25 minutes. Shake the basket every 5-6 minutes to ensure the wings cook evenly. If you like your wings extra crispy, you can increase the heat to 390°F and cook for another 5-6 minutes, shaking the basket every 2 minutes.

And that's it! Your chicken wings are now ready to serve. Enjoy!

How to get crispy chicken wings in an air fryer

To get crispy chicken wings in an air fryer, you'll need to start by drying the wings with paper towels. This is an essential step to achieving a crispy coating. Next, season the wings. You can either toss the wings in a large bowl with vegetable oil and your chosen seasoning, or you can marinate the wings in olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Once your wings are seasoned, preheat your air fryer to between 390-400°F. Spray the fry basket with cooking spray and arrange the wings in a single layer, skin side up. Spray the top of the wings with cooking spray and air fry, turning the wings every 5 minutes, until crispy. This should take around 15-20 minutes, depending on your air fryer. Shake the basket every 6 minutes to ensure the wings cook evenly.

Your chicken wings are ready when they are golden brown and crispy.

How to prepare chicken wings before cooking in an air fryer

First, you'll need to cut the chicken wings into three pieces: drumettes, flats and wing tips. You can save the wing tips for stock or discard them. Next, pat the chicken pieces dry with a paper towel and place them into a large bowl or zip-top bag.

Now it's time to season the chicken wings. You can either mix your dry ingredients in a separate bowl and then add them to the chicken, or you can add the seasoning directly to the chicken in the bowl and toss to coat. A basic seasoning mix could include salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika and baking powder. You can also add olive oil to the chicken at this stage to help the seasoning stick.

Once your chicken is seasoned, you're ready to start cooking.

How to cut chicken wings for the air fryer

To cut chicken wings for the air fryer, you'll first need to separate the drumettes and flats. You can do this by using a sharp knife to cut into the joint between these sections, creating three pieces. You can save the wing tips for stock or discard them. Next, trim off any excess skin and pat the chicken pieces dry with a paper towel. This step is essential to getting a crispy coating.

Now you're ready to season the wings. Combine salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and baking powder in a small bowl, then sprinkle the seasoning over the wings, tossing to coat them evenly. Alternatively, you can add the wings to a large bowl and toss with vegetable oil before adding your chosen seasoning.

Once your wings are seasoned, it's time to cook them. Preheat your air fryer to between 390-400°F. Spray the fry basket with cooking spray and arrange the wings in a single layer, skin side up. Make sure the wings aren't overlapping, but it's fine if they're touching. Spray the top of the wings with cooking spray and air fry, turning the wings every 5-6 minutes for about 15-20 minutes, or until they're golden brown and crispy.

And that's it! You now know how to cut and cook chicken wings in your air fryer. Enjoy!

Frequently asked questions