Air Fryer Chicken Wings: Cooking With The Vortex

Chicken wings are a popular snack and appetiser, but deep-frying them can be messy and time-consuming. Air fryers offer a healthier, quicker, and easier alternative to deep-frying, and they can make chicken wings that are just as crispy and delicious.

Choosing and preparing the chicken wings

Choosing the Right Chicken Wings:

• Opt for fresh or defrosted chicken wings, separated into drums and flats.
• If using frozen wings, allow them to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before cooking.
• Look for party wings in the grocery store's meat section, which typically include a mix of flats and drumettes.
• Alternatively, buy whole chicken wings, which are usually more affordable, and separate them yourself.

Preparing the Chicken Wings:

• Pat the chicken wings dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture. This step is crucial for achieving crispy skin.
• Place the wings in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Toss to ensure an even coating.
• Add your choice of seasonings to the bowl. You can use a basic blend of garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper, or get creative with other spices like smoked paprika or cayenne pepper.
• Toss the wings again to coat them evenly with the seasonings.
• If desired, you can marinate the seasoned wings in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight for more intense flavour.
• For an even easier cleanup, place the wings and seasonings in a large resealable bag, seal tightly, and shake to coat the wings evenly.

Cooking the Chicken Wings:

• Preheat your air fryer to 380-400°F (190-200°C).
• Arrange the wings in a single layer in the air fryer basket, ensuring they are not overlapping. Cook in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding.
• Cook the wings for 10 minutes at the chosen temperature.
• Carefully flip the wings and continue cooking for an additional 8-12 minutes, or until they reach your desired level of doneness.
• For extra crispiness, increase the temperature to 400°F (200°C) and cook for an additional 5-6 minutes.
• Remove the wings from the air fryer and serve immediately with your favourite dips or sauces.

Remember, the key to crispy chicken wings is ensuring they are thoroughly dried before cooking and not overcrowding the air fryer basket. Enjoy experimenting with different seasonings and sauces to find your perfect combination!

Cooking the wings in the air fryer

Now that you've got your chicken wings, it's time to cook them in your vortex air fryer. Here's a step-by-step guide to ensure you get perfectly cooked wings:

Step 1: Prepare the wings

Start by patting the chicken wings dry with a paper towel. This step is important, as it will help ensure your wings get nice and crispy. You can also lightly dust the wings with a coating of baking powder, salt, and pepper. While the baking powder isn't necessary, it can add a little extra crunch.

Step 2: Place the wings in the air fryer

Place the wings in a single layer on the air fryer trays. Depending on the size of your air fryer and the number of wings you're cooking, you may need to cook them in multiple batches. There's no need to preheat the vortex air fryer in advance. Simply add the wings and set the temperature to 380°F (some recipes suggest 400°F).

Step 3: Cook the wings

Cook the wings for 25 minutes, switching the trays halfway through if your air fryer has multiple levels. If your air fryer has a basket instead of trays, shake the basket halfway through to ensure even cooking.

Step 4: Make your sauce

While the wings are cooking, it's a good time to prepare your sauce. You can make a simple buffalo sauce by melting butter and stirring in hot sauce. Alternatively, you can get creative and make a spicy garlic parmesan sauce by melting butter with jalapeño, garlic, and parmesan cheese.

Step 5: Toss the wings in the sauce

Once the wings are cooked, it's time to toss them in your desired sauce. You can also serve the sauce on the side for dipping. Don't forget to garnish your wings with chopped parsley and serve with ranch or blue cheese dressing on the side.

Step 6: Enjoy!

Dig in and enjoy your delicious, crispy air fryer chicken wings! They're perfect as an appetizer or a main course and can be served with celery, carrots, and your favourite dipping sauces.

Making a sauce to toss the wings in

Buffalo Sauce

This is a classic sauce for chicken wings and can be made by melting butter and stirring in hot sauce. You can also add in some black pepper and garlic. Toss the wings in the sauce and serve with blue cheese or ranch dressing on the side.

Spicy Garlic Parmesan Sauce

Melt a stick of garlic butter in a small pot with a chopped jalapeño and some minced garlic. Toss your wings in this sauce and mix with fresh parmesan.

Lemon Pepper Sauce

Combine olive oil, oregano, lemon zest, garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Toss the wings in this sauce and serve immediately.

Thai Sweet Chilli Sauce

A great choice for an Asian-inspired flavour profile.

BBQ Sauce

A classic, kid-friendly option.

Hot Honey

A relatively new sauce, but it would be terrific drizzled over the wings.

Store-bought Options

You can also buy a store-bought sauce such as Sweet Baby's Ray's Buffalo Wing Sauce or a classic ranch or blue cheese dressing.

Remember, if you want the crispiest wings possible, it is recommended to dunk the wings in the sauce instead of tossing them.

Tips for getting the wings extra crispy

• Pat the chicken wings dry with a paper towel before marinating them. This will remove any excess moisture and help them get nice and crispy.
• Don't overcrowd the air fryer basket. This ensures that the air can flow through and crisp up the skin. It’s okay if the wings touch a little, but try not to have their entire sides touching.
• Use the right salt ratio. A good rule of thumb for meat and poultry is a teaspoon of salt per pound of meat, but since chicken wings have mostly bones, only about 1/3 of their weight is actually meat.
• The baking powder is crucial. This is the main trick for extra crispy skin! Don’t skip it.
• Check the internal temperature. Crispy chicken wings are usually a sign that they are done, but the best way to know for sure is to use a meat thermometer. Confirm that the internal temperature reaches at least 165 degrees F, and make sure not to touch the bone when measuring.
• If you're using an air fryer with a basket, follow the same directions, making sure to shake the basket halfway through. Depending on the size of the basket, you may have to do multiple batches.

Reheating and storing the wings

Reheating and storing your chicken wings is easy! If you have any leftover wings, keep them in an airtight container in the fridge. You can reheat cooked chicken wings in an air fryer at 360°F for 4 minutes or in the microwave until heated through. Only reheat the chicken wings once and enjoy them in one sitting.

You can also freeze the cooked wings for up to a month. Let them cool to room temperature and freeze them on a baking sheet before transferring to a freezer-safe container. Thaw the wings in the fridge overnight before reheating in the air fryer or oven.

Frequently asked questions