Spicy Chicken Wings: Air Fryer Magic In Minutes

Chicken wings are a classic comfort food, and they're even better when they're crispy and spicy. With an air fryer, you can make delicious wings at home that are perfectly cooked with a crunchy exterior and a juicy, tender inside. Here's a step-by-step guide to making spicy chicken wings in an air fryer.

First, you'll need to gather your ingredients and prepare the chicken wings. You can buy chicken wings that are already split into drumettes and flats, or you can do it yourself by cutting through the joints. Make sure to pat the wings dry and season them generously with salt.

Next, preheat your air fryer to between 360-400°F. Place the wings in the air fryer basket, ensuring they're not overlapping. Cook the wings for about 10-12 minutes, then flip them over. Increase the temperature to 390-400°F and cook for another 5-8 minutes until the wings are golden brown and crispy.

While the wings are cooking, you can prepare the sauce. For spicy Buffalo wings, mix melted butter with hot sauce. You can also experiment with other sauces like lemon pepper, hoisin, or gochujang for different flavour profiles.

Once the wings are cooked, toss them in your chosen sauce and serve immediately. Enjoy your spicy, crispy chicken wings!

Seasoning the chicken wings

Pat the Chicken Wings Dry:

Start by patting the chicken wings dry with paper towels or a clean kitchen cloth. Removing excess moisture is essential for achieving crispy skin. This step ensures that the wings are dry before adding any oil or seasoning.

Choose Your Seasonings:

The beauty of seasoning chicken wings is that you can customise the flavours to your preference. Here are some suggested seasonings to create delicious wings:

• Olive oil or another cooking oil of your choice
• Salt
• Lemon pepper seasoning
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Smoked paprika
• Ground black pepper
• Baking powder

Combine the Wings and Seasonings:

Place the chicken wings in a large bowl or a gallon-size Ziplock bag. Drizzle the oil over the wings, followed by your chosen seasonings. Seal the bag, keeping the air inside, and give it a good shake to ensure the wings are evenly coated. Alternatively, you can toss the wings with the seasonings in a bowl until they're thoroughly coated.

Let the Wings Marinate (Optional):

While this step is not mandatory, allowing the wings to marinate in the seasonings for at least 30 minutes can enhance the flavour. You can even let them sit in the refrigerator overnight for maximum flavour absorption.

Preheat the Air Fryer:

Preheat your air fryer to the desired temperature, typically around 360-400°F. This step ensures that your air fryer is ready to go when you're done seasoning the wings, promoting even cooking.

Arrange the Wings in the Air Fryer:

Place the seasoned chicken wings in the air fryer basket in a single layer, ensuring they are not overlapping. It's crucial that the wings have enough space for the hot air to circulate, promoting even cooking and crispiness. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook the wings in multiple batches.

Now that your chicken wings are seasoned and ready to go, it's time to cook them to perfection! Remember to follow the cooking instructions for your air fryer and adjust the timing and temperature as needed. Enjoy your delicious, spicy chicken wings!

Air frying the wings

Step 1: Prepare the Chicken Wings

Firstly, you will need to separate the wings into drumsticks and flats. You can buy chicken wings that are already split, or you can do it yourself using a sharp knife. Make sure to pat the wings dry with a paper towel and place them in a large bowl.

Step 2: Season the Chicken Wings

Drizzle the wings with extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. You can also add other seasonings such as garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, or lemon pepper seasoning. Place the wings in a Ziplock bag or back in the large bowl and shake to coat them evenly with the seasoning.

Step 3: Preheat the Air Fryer

Preheat your air fryer to 360ºF or 380°F. You may need to adjust the temperature slightly depending on your air fryer model.

Step 4: Arrange the Wings in the Air Fryer

Place the wings in the air fryer basket in a single layer, making sure they are not overlapping. You may need to cook the wings in batches to avoid overcrowding. Spray the basket with non-stick cooking spray to prevent sticking.

Step 5: Air Fry the Wings

Air fry the wings for 18-20 minutes, shaking the basket every 6 minutes, or until they are golden brown. You don't need to flip the wings as shaking will ensure even cooking.

Step 6: Increase the Temperature and Cook for a Few More Minutes

Increase the heat to 390ºF and cook for an additional 5-8 minutes, shaking the basket every 2 minutes, until the wings are brown and crispy.

Step 7: Serve the Wings

Remove the wings from the air fryer and serve with your favorite dips and sides, such as ranch or blue cheese dressing, celery sticks, or corn on the cob.

Tips for Crispy Wings:

• Don't overlap the wings in the air fryer. Air needs to circulate around each wing to make them crispy.
• Be flexible with the cooking time, as wing sizes vary. Larger wings may need more time at a lower temperature to render the fat and cook through.
• If you want extra crispy skin, dunk the wings in sauce instead of tossing them in a bowl.
• Don't overcrowd the air fryer basket. You may need to cook the wings in multiple batches.

Making a sauce

Buffalo Sauce

This is a classic sauce to go with chicken wings and can be made by mixing together hot sauce, butter and garlic powder. You can also buy store-bought buffalo sauce.

Thai Sweet Chilli Sauce

This sauce will give your chicken wings an Asian-inspired flair.

Ranch or Blue Cheese Dressing

These are classic dippers that are sure to be a hit with your chicken wings.

BBQ Sauce

A classic pairing that's also great for kids.

Honey

Drizzling honey over your chicken wings will add a sweet and sticky element to your dish.

Lemon Pepper Sauce

Combine olive oil, oregano, lemon zest, garlic, salt and pepper to make a zesty sauce that will complement your chicken wings perfectly.

Hoisin Sauce

A combination of toasted sesame seeds, ginger, garlic, hoisin, sriracha and more will create an irresistibly sticky glaze for your chicken wings.

Gochujang Sauce

This Korean chilli paste will add layers of sweet and spicy flavours to your chicken wings.

Tossing the wings in sauce

Prepare the Sauce

First, prepare the sauce by mixing together butter and hot sauce. You can use store-bought hot sauce or make your own by combining hot sauce, butter, and garlic powder. Alternatively, you can make a lemon pepper sauce by combining olive oil, oregano, lemon zest, garlic, salt, and pepper. For an Asian-inspired flavor, you can also make a hoisin sauce by mixing together toasted sesame seeds, ginger, garlic, hoisin sauce, and sriracha.

Toss the Wings

Once the sauce is ready, it's time to toss the wings. Remove the wings from the air fryer and place them in a large bowl. Pour the sauce over the wings and toss until they are evenly coated. You can use tongs or a large spoon to mix everything together. Make sure all the wings are well-coated in the sauce.

Serve Immediately

It is best to serve the wings immediately after tossing them in the sauce. This ensures that the wings are still hot and crispy. You can serve them with blue cheese or ranch dressing on the side for dipping. Enjoy your delicious, spicy chicken wings!

Serving with dips

There are so many delicious dips and sauces that you can serve with your spicy air-fried chicken wings. Here are some ideas:

Blue Cheese Dressing

Blue cheese dressing is a classic dip for chicken wings and will add a creamy, tangy flavour to your spicy wings. You can buy it ready-made or make your own by mixing crumbled blue cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, milk, vinegar, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Ranch Dressing

Ranch dressing is another classic dip for chicken wings and goes well with spicy wings. You can buy it ready-made or make your own by mixing buttermilk, mayonnaise, sour cream, chives, parsley, dill, garlic powder, onion powder and black pepper.

Buffalo Sauce

If you want to add even more spice to your wings, serve them with a side of buffalo sauce. You can buy it ready-made or make your own by mixing hot sauce, butter and garlic powder.

Thai Sweet Chilli Sauce

For an Asian-inspired twist, serve your spicy wings with Thai sweet chilli sauce. It will add a sweet and tangy flavour to your wings.

BBQ Sauce

BBQ sauce is a classic pairing with chicken wings and is great for those who don't like their wings too spicy. You can buy it ready-made or make your own by mixing ketchup, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Honey

For something a little different, try drizzling your spicy wings with honey. It will add a sweet and sticky glaze to your wings.

Frequently asked questions