Air Fryer Chicken Wings

This easy Air Fryer Chicken Wings recipe is a healthier and much simpler alternative to classic deep fried wings. They’re crispy, flavorful, and all done in a matter of minutes! Check out my step-by-step instructions to give you the perfect chicken wings every time.

Easy Air Fryer Chicken Wings Recipe

In this recipe you’ll learn how to cook your chicken wings in your air fryer. There’s no need to submerge your wings in a vat of hot greasy oil to get the perfect crispy chicken!

I think everyone should have an air fryer in their home. With only a drizzle of oil you’ll be enjoying wings that not only taste better than at your favorite pub, but they are much better for you as well.

This recipe is so simple! If you love your wings saucy or even with a dry seasoning, you can add that at the very end.

• Chicken wings – Make sure to find wings that already have been separated into drums and flats. This will save you lots of prep time.
• Salt and pepper – While you can toss your wings in any flavor you like, cooking them with some seasoning will give the wings great flavor.
• Olive oil – You can also use other high-temp oils such as avocado, peanut, safflower, or sunflower.

Air frying wings is crazy easy and a fantastic way to make them a tad bit healthier! Just follow these simple steps and you’ll have perfectly crispy wings in no time!

Before you even start seasoning the wings, you need to preheat your air fryer to 400°F (204°C). However, whether or not you need to preheat really depends on your particular air fryer. So you will need to check the manufacturer’s guide for your model. 

Now, let’s season some chicken wings! Put the wings into a large bowl, then drizzle them with the olive oil, and season to taste with a bit of salt and pepper. Next, toss everything together until the wings are totally coated in the oil and seasonings. Then spray the air fryer basket with some nonstick cooking spray and add the seasoned wings.

Now, put the basket with the wings into your air fryer and cook them at 400°F (204°C) for 30 minutes, flipping them over halfway through cooking. It’s important to flip them to ensure that the chicken cooks evenly. When they are done, the cooked wings will be golden brown and crispy.  If you have a small air fryer you may need to cook the wings in batches. 

Once the air fried chicken wings are done cooking, remove them from the basket. Then serve them right away with your favorite dipping sauce like ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing and some of my Air Fryer French Fries if you like!

It’s really that simple! You’ll have deliciously crisp wings without all the extra oil and hassle of deep frying them.

Can I Use Frozen Wings?

Yes you can! The only trouble you may run into is if the wings have frozen together to form a block which will be difficult to fit into the fryer basket. However, follow the same steps and after the first 10 minutes, use tongs to separate the wings and shake them around a bit in the air fryer. The amount of time could be 30 minutes to 40 minutes, but just check them every few minutes or so.

How To Thaw Chicken Wings

There are a few different methods you can try out if you’re stuck with frozen wings. Give these a try:

1. Microwave: If your microwave has a defrost function, this is my favorite way to effectively and quickly thaw my chicken wings.
2. Water bath: Fill a large bowl with room temperature water and add the wings to a large freezer bag. You can expel the air by holding the unzipped bag from the top and slowly lowering the wings into the bowl of water to force all the air out. Once you get to the top, zip the bag before any water can get in. Change the water every 30 minutes until the wings have thawed.
3. Overnight: If you have time to plan ahead, you can transfer your wings from the freezer to the fridge the night before you plan on making them.

What Can I Toss My Wings With?

This is where you can start to get creative! I like to serve wing with just salt and pepper, and an array of sauces and seasonings that people can choose from to customize their own serving of wings. Give these ideas a try!

• Buffalo Sauce
• Honey garlic
• Teriyaki Sauce
• Red Chimichurri
• BBQ Sauce

Dry wings:

• Garlic and parmesan
• Lemon pepper
• Cajun seasoning
• Jamaican jerk
• Taco Seasoning

How to Store Leftover Wings

Store leftovers in an airtight container and they will last 4 days in the fridge. You can use one of two methods to reheat your wings and keep them crisp:

1. Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F and make for 10-15 minutes or until heated through.
2. Air fryer: Yes that’s right, your air fryer can reheat as well! Add the wings to your air fryer and cook at 350°F for 5 minutes. Increase the temperature to 400°F and cook for another 5 minutes, or until heated through.

Keep in mind that if you’ve tossed them with a sauce, it will dry up a bit with the reheating process. Don’t worry, though! The wings will still taste amazing. You will just have to toss them with a little bit of fresh sauce.

How to Freeze Leftover Wings

To prevent your wings from freezing together, place them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and cover them with plastic wrap. Freeze them for 1 hour, then transfer them to a large freezer bag or airtight container. They will last 6 months frozen.

To reheat:

1. Oven: Bake your wings at 375°F for 10-20 minutes or until a meat thermometer stuck in the meatiest wing reads at 165°F.
2. Air fryer: Cook at 400°F for 10-15 minutes, flipping them halfway through. If they are not quite done, add a few more minutes.

What to Serve With Air Fryer Chicken Wings

You can serve your wings classic pub style with celery sticks, carrot sticks, and a creamy dip such a ranch or blue cheese.

Putting together a spread for your family and/or friends? Try these recipes!

• Skillet Pizza Dip
• Chicken Ranch Pasta Salad
• Mini Corn Dogs
• Classic Potato Salad
• Chile Con Queso

More Delicious Chicken Wing Recipes To Try!

• Crispy Baked Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings
• Vietnamese Style Chicken Wings
• Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings
• Lemon Pepper Wings
• Sticky Chinese Chicken Wings
• Air Fryer Thai Chicken Wings