• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to privacy navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Jo Cooks

Simple - Easy - Comfort

Join my free recipe email club!
Free eBook
  • Recipe Index
  • Cookbooks
    • The Big Book of Jo’s Quick and Easy Meals
    • 30-Minute One-Pot Meals
  • ABOUT JO
  • Contact
  • Facebook Instagram Pinterest Twitter YouTube
  • Dinner Ideas
  • Instant Pot
  • Slow Cooker
  • 30 Minute Meals
  • One Pot
  • Desserts
Home / Recipes
38 minutes
4.54 from 13 votes
5 Comments

Air Fryer Chicken Wings

Jump to RecipePrint Recipe
  • 92
by: Joanna Cismaru

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

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.

overhead shot of a white plate full of chicken wings garnished with parsley

Air Fryer Wings

In this recipe you’ll learn how to cook your chicken wings in any type of air fryer. I used a Ninja Foodi which has both pressure cooking and air frying capabilities, but I’ve also included instructions if you’re using a traditional air fryer. The recipe I have here is for my favorite recipe, salt and pepper chicken wings.

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.

Ingredients in Air Fryer Chicken Wings Recipe

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.

Detailed measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page. For this recipe you’ll need:

  • Water – You can also use chicken broth, but water will work just fine for the pressure cooking step.
  • 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.
overhead shot of ingredients needed to make wings in the air fryer

How to Air Fry Chicken Wings

Detailed measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.

  1. Pressure cook the wings: Pour the water into the pressure cooker and add the air frying basket. Toss the wings with salt and pepper then dump them into the basket, seal with the pressure cooking lid, and cook on high pressure for 3 minutes.
  2. Air fry the wings: Dump the water from the pot. Drizzle the oil over the wings and close the air frying lid. Cook on 425F for 20-25 minutes until they are crisp. Gently stir them every 7-10 minutes.

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

Can I Make Air Fryer Chicken Wings Without the Pressure Setting?

My Ninja Foodi air fryer comes with a pressure cooker setting that I like to use to make sure my wings are fully cooked before starting the air fryer process so all I have to worry about is the crispy skin.

If your air fryer doesn’t have a pressure cooking setting, that’s fine too! Follow these steps for perfect wings:

  1. Toss the wings with salt, pepper, and oil. Add them to the basket or lay them flat on the racks, depending on what type of air-fryer you have. Air fry at 375F for 25 minutes. If you have a basket, give it a shake every 5-10 minutes. If they are on a rack, turn them after 12 minutes.
  2. Turn the temperature up to 400F. Check on them every 5-7 minutes until they are your preferred doneness.

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.

  1. For the Ninja Foodi: Increase the pressure cooking time to 10 minutes, then air fry as per the recipe instructions.
  2. For a traditional air fryer: Start with an extra step by air frying the wings at 350F for 10 minutes. Then you can follow the air frying instructions as they’re written.
process shots showing how to make chicken wings in the air fryer

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!

Saucy wings:

  • Buffalo sauce with blue cheese dip
  • Honey garlic
  • Teriyaki sauce
  • Red Chimichurri
  • BBQ sauce
  • Curry sauce

Dry wings:

  • Garlic and parmesan
  • Lemon pepper
  • Cajun seasoning
  • Jamaican jerk
  • Taco seasoning
overhead shot of crispy chicken wings in an air fryer

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 350F 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 350F for 5 minutes. Increase the temperature to 400F 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 375F for 30-35 minutes or until heated through.
  2. Air fryer: Cook at 375 for 15 minutes, then increase the temperature to 400F and cook for another 10-15 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
  • Cowboy Caviar
  • Mini Corn Dogs
  • Easy Potato Salad
  • Chile Con Queso
crispy salt and pepper wings on a white plate

More Delicious Chicken Wing Recipes To Try!

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

Looking for more recipes? Follow on… My Newsletter Pinterest Facebook Instagram

overhead shot of air fryer chicken wings on a plate

Air Fryer Chicken Wings

4.54 from 13 votes
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 23 mins
NPR: 10 mins
Total: 38 mins
Author: Joanna Cismaru
Serves: 4
Print Pin Rate
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.

Equipment

  • Ninja Foodi 8-Quart Multi Cooker

Ingredients

  • 1 cup water
  • 3 pounds chicken wings thawed
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon pepper or to taste
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • Pressure cook the wings: Pour the water into the pressure cooker and add the air frying basket. Toss the wings with salt and pepper then dump them into the basket, seal with the pressure cooking lid, and cook on high pressure for 3 minutes.
  • Air fry the wings: Dump the water from the pot. Drizzle the oil over the wings and close the air frying lid. Cook on 425F for 20-25 minutes until they are crisp. Gently stir them every 7-10 minutes.

Recipe Notes

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 350F 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 350F for 5 minutes. Increase the temperature to 400F and cook for another 5 minutes, or until heated through.
Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 471kcal (24%)Carbohydrates: 1gProtein: 34g (68%)Fat: 36g (55%)Saturated Fat: 9g (56%)Cholesterol: 141mg (47%)Sodium: 719mg (31%)Potassium: 287mg (8%)Fiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 1g (1%)Vitamin A: 270IU (5%)Vitamin C: 1.3mg (2%)Calcium: 22mg (2%)Iron: 1.8mg (10%)
Course:Appetizer
Cuisine:American
Keyword:air fryer wings, chicken wings
Tried this recipe? Rate it belowtag @jocooks on instagram and hashtag it #jocooks!
  • 92

Meet Joanna Cismaru

I’m Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.

30 recipes from around the world cover.

Never miss a recipe!

Subscribe and get a FREE dinner recipes ebook!

side view shot of a skillet of ribeye steak pasta puttanesca
Previous Post
Ribeye Steak Pasta Puttanesca
side view shot of a lemon orange bundt cake drizzled with honey lemon icing and garnished with lemon zest. Two slices are cut from the cake
Next Post
Lemon Orange Cake with Lemon Honey Glaze

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment & Rate Recipe Cancel reply

Did you make this recipe? Rate it:




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  1. William Whitaker says

    March 31, 2020 at 1:21 pm

    5 stars
    Looking to make this tonight, quick question. after pressure cooking do you leave the liquid in the pot for air frying?

    Reply
    • Jo Cooks Team says

      March 31, 2020 at 1:43 pm

      Remove the water! Good catch- I’ll add that instruction to the recipe.

      Reply
  2. David R Campbell says

    July 10, 2019 at 1:41 pm

    5 stars
    Could I use my IP for pressure cooking the 3 minutes and follow up with the Air Fryer? Or would the IP time be different?

    Reply
    • Joanna Cismaru says

      July 10, 2019 at 3:19 pm

      You can! That’s exactly how I would do it!

      Reply
      • David R Campbell says

        July 10, 2019 at 5:37 pm

        5 stars
        Thanks. I’ll try your recipe this weekend using both devices and will report back. 🙂

Primary Sidebar

Joanna Cismaru

Hey there!

I'm Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.

Read More…
cover for the big book of jo's quick and easy meals.

My Cookbook

Order Now: Amazon | Indigo | Barnes & Noble | Indie Bound | Books-A-Million

Never miss a recipe!

Subscribe and get a FREE dinner recipes ebook!

Sign me up

Dinner Favorites

black pepper chicken on a bed of rice on a black plate.

Black Pepper Chicken

a slice of pastitsio on a black plate.

Pastitsio (Greek Lasagna)

side view shot of a piece of eggplant parmesan with marinara sauce in a white plate garnished with parsley and a piece cut out and held by a fork

Eggplant Parmesan

side view shot chicken souvlaki skewers with a little tzatziki on a plate

Chicken Souvlaki

yakisoba noodles with chicken and vegetables in a large serving platter.

Yakisoba

pouring lemon sauce over fried chicken.

Chinese Lemon Chicken

a chicken gyro wrapped in paper and topped with lots of tzatziki sauce with another gyro in the background

Chicken Gyros

homemade hamburger helper lasagna from scratch in a skillet.

One Pot Hamburger Helper Lasagna

Air Fryer Recipes

a roasted chicken on a serving platter along some roasted root veggies.

Air Fryer Whole Chicken

apple pie bombs on a white plate with the top one cut in half.

Air Fryer Apple Pie Bombs

3 cooked chicken breasts on a cutting board.

Air Fryer Chicken Breast

air fried chicken drumsticks in a basket of an air fryer.

Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks

cooked chicken thighs in the basket of an air fryer.

Air Fryer Chicken Thighs

eggs inside an air fryer basket.

Air Fryer Hard Boiled Eggs

lobster tails on a white serving platter.

Air Fryer Lobster Tails

hands pulling apart a mozzarella stick with the rest in the background

Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks

freshly made bread in air fryer on a cutting board cut into slices.

Air Fryer No Knead Bread

bacon wrapped water chestnuts on a white serving platter.

Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts

Jo Cooks...

Flavors from around the world

No matter what household we have all grown up in, there is something that has brought us all together here and that is a love and appreciation of food. Food that is from cultures and cuisines across the world has always been a staple of the blog. I'm excited to bring you all a taste of each corner of the earth, every last bite seasoned to perfection and served up with love - from my kitchen to yours.
chow mein in a white asian bowl.

Asian

caprese gnocchi in a sheet pan.

Italian

chicken fajita taquitos with sour cream and salsa on a white platter.

Mexican

chicken and mushroom in creamy dill sauce over a bed of rice in a blue bowl.

Romanian

freshly made lamb korma in a beige braiser.

Indian

freshly made hummus drizzled with olive oil and garnished with tomatoes cucumbers and olives.

Middle Eastern

Trending Now

overhead shot of oven baked chicken breasts in a baking dish

Baked Chicken Breast

overhead shot of oven baked chicken thighs in a pan

Oven Baked Chicken Thighs

roast chicken with roast potatoes on a roaster.

Roast Chicken

a prime rib roast sliced on a plate

Prime Rib Roast

Browse All
  • Easy Dinners
  • Instant Pot
  • 30 Minute Meals
  • Chicken Recipes
  • Desserts
  • Recipe Index

Featured On

today logo.
huffpost logo.
the washington post logo.
jezebel logo.
countryliving logo.
good housekeeping logo.
lifehack logo.
buzzfeed logo.
mashable logo.
woman's day logo.
health logo.
better homes & gardens logo.
delish logo.
healthline logo.
nbc news logo.
blogloving logo.
university of washington logo.
shape logo.
Facebook Instagram Pinterest Twitter YouTube
  • Recipe Index
  • Cookbooks
  • About Jo
  • Contact
  • visit my other site: Craving Home Cooked
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility Statement
© 2022 · All Rights Reserved · Back to Top
Opens in a new window Opens an external site Opens an external site in a new window

Subscribe and get a free dinner recipes ebook!