Chicken wings are a staple for game days and parties. They’re also great for a light dinner.
If you’ve never had much success in making perfectly crispy chicken wings at home, wait until you try them in the air fryer!
It really is so simple to make air fryer chicken wings. All you need is a few ingredients and 30 minutes.
Here’s a few secrets of my secrets to getting foolproof crispy skin wings every time:
I thoroughly dry the wings with paper towel before adding a dry rub. I use no oil - the wings render fat while cooking so it’s not needed here. I use baking powder to coat the wings. It does two science-y things here - helps brown the chicken and also reacts with any moisture left on the chicken to crisp it up. I start with low heat, then finish with high heat - the fat in the chicken skin will be rendered and drained without overcooking the meat.
You can serve these chicken wings as they are with your favourite sauce, or cover them in the optional buffalo sauce for a bit of a kick!
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE…
No-fail crispy chicken wings Quick and easy Perfect to enjoy as is or with your favourite sauce
New to air frying? Be sure to get your free printable Air Fryer Cooking Chart filled with cooking times & temperatures for all your favourite foods, plus tips and tricks on how to get the most out of your air fryer.
INGREDIENTS
Here’s what you’ll need to make crispy chicken wings in your air fryer (full measurements listed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post)…
Chicken Wings - I use a mixture of flats and drumettes (they’re sold as “chicken wing nibbles” in Australia)Baking Powder - NOT baking soda … please don’t mistake the two. Garlic PowderPaprikaSaltPepper
Optional Buffalo Sauce Ingredients
ButterFranks Hot SauceWorcestershire SauceBrown SugarGarlic PowderPaprika
INSTRUCTIONS
Dry the wings as much as you can with paper towel - less moisture left on them, the more crispy the skin!
Add chicken wings to a bowl with the baking powder, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper and toss with your hands to ensure everything is evenly coated.
Arrange the wings in a single layer in the air fryer basket with a little space in between each wing. Don’t crowd your wings - you may need to cook in batches if you have a smaller air fryer.
Cook on 150C / 300F for 15 minutes, then 200C / 400F for 10-15 minutes until cooked through. You can confirm this by using a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the wings are 74C / 165F (you only need to test the biggest one!). If serving as is, you can serve immediately with your favourite sauce.
For the optional buffalo sauce - mix the ingredients in a small saucepan on medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced and thickened.
Add your wings to the saucepan and toss to coat in the buffalo sauce. Return the wings to the air fryer on 200C for 2 minutes or so to crisp up once more with the sauce. Serve immediately.
Tips for Making This Recipe
If you love extra spicy wings, add some cayenne pepper to the wings before you cook them! If you have an oven-style air fryer with multiple racks I’d encourage you not to make multiple racks of chicken wings at the same time if the ultimate goal is to get crispy chicken wings. Fat from the chicken slowly drips off the top rack onto the others and definitely impacts the overall crispiness. I highly recommend investing in a meat thermometer. You can get a decent cheap one for around $10-$15 but it takes all the guess work out of whether meat is cooked or not. You’ll want to check the internal temperature of the wings are 74C / 165F before serving. You only need to test the biggest one - and you insert the thermometer in the meatiest part of the wing, away from the bone. Feel free to double or triple the recipe.
MORE AIR FRYER RECIPES
Air Fryer Whole ChickenAir Fryer Chicken ThighsAir Fryer SausagesAir Fryer Carrot FriesAir Fryer Sweet & Salty Kale ChipsAir Fryer Baked ApplesOR see all Air Fryer Recipes
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If you love extra spicy wings, add some cayenne pepper to the wings before you cook them!
If you have an oven-style air fryer with multiple racks I’d encourage you not to make multiple racks of chicken wings at the same time if the ultimate goal is to get crispy chicken wings. Fat from the chicken slowly drips off the top rack onto the others and definitely impacts the overall crispiness. I highly recommend investing in a meat thermometer. You can get a decent cheap one for around $10-$15 but it takes all the guess work out of whether meat is cooked or not. You’ll want to check the internal temperature of the wings are 74C / 165F before serving. You only need to test the biggest one - and you insert the thermometer in the meatiest part of the wing, away from the bone.
Feel free to double or triple the recipe.
