Air Fryer Chicken Wings
These Air Fryer Chicken Wings are extra crispy, deliciously seasoned, and so quick and easy to make!
When it comes to game day snacks, wings are a classic. Whether you like them with spicy Buffalo Sauce or cool and creamy Ranch Dressing, these air fryer chicken wings are sure to be the hit of the party!
I love cooking chicken wings in the air fryer because they always turn out irresistibly crispy on the outside and juicy inside. Plus, air fryer chicken wings cook so much faster than oven baked chicken wings – a good thing when a wings craving hits! In this easy recipe, a simple blend of spices gives the wings incredible flavor. I always find myself going back for “just one more,” straight from the air fryer basket.
The Secret to the Best Air Fryer Chicken Wings
After making batch after batch of air fryer chicken wings, I’ve found that the secret to the best wings recipe is to cook them a little longer than you think you need to. While chicken is safe to eat at 165° F, to make air fryer chicken wings extra crispy you want to cook them a few minutes past this temperature. Flipping the wings over halfway through the cook time ensures that they cook evenly and get crispy all around.
How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Wings
You are going to love how simple this recipe is! If you’re new to air fryer cooking, see my guide on How to Use an Air Fryer.
Preheat your air fryer to 400° F for 5 minutes.
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels.
Drizzle olive oil over the wings and toss to coat.
Season. Sprinkle the seasonings over the wings. Toss until the meat is evenly coated.
Air fry. Put the wings in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cook at 400° F for 8 minutes. Flip and cook on the second side for 8-10 minutes, until wings are crispy and cooked through.
Serve immediately, with your favorite dipping sauces!
Recipe Tips
- Buy party-style wings, so that they are already separated into drumettes and flats/wingettes.
- Use paper towels to pat the wings completely dry before adding the oil and seasonings. Removing all moisture helps them to crisp up as they cook.
- Don’t crowd the air fryer basket. Make sure the wings are in a single layer with a bit of space in between them so that the air can circulate around each piece while air frying. Cook the wings in batches as needed.
- Preheat the air fryer so that the skin starts crisping up as soon as it hits the hot basket.
- Chicken wings are best (crispy and juicy!) when cooked to an internal temperature of 190-200° F.
- To make buffalo wings, toss the wings in buffalo sauce after they finish cooking and then serve.
Can You Cook Frozen Wings in the Air Fryer?
Technically you can cook frozen wings in the air fryer, but for best results I recommend thawing the wings first. Frozen wings won’t get as crispy because of the extra moisture, and the seasonings won’t stick as well to frozen meat. If you do decide to cook your wings from frozen, make sure the pieces are separated and add 5-7 minutes to the cook time.
Can You Bake Them in the Oven?
Yes, if you don’t have an air fryer you can bake the wings in the oven. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top. Spray the rack with cooking spray. Arrange the wings in a single layer on the rack. Bake at 400° F for 20 minutes, then flip and bake for 20-30 more minutes, until crispy.
What to Serve with Wings
A good dipping sauce elevates air fryer wings from good to amazing. Buffalo Sauce is a classic, but I also love serving wings with Ranch Dressing, BBQ Sauce, Honey Mustard or Blue Cheese Dressing.
Round out your game day snack spread with a few of these appetizer recipes:
More Easy Air Fryer Recipes
Try one of these Air Fryer Recipes next!
Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken wings*
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 400° F for 5 minutes.
- Use paper towels to pat the chicken wings completely dry and place them in a large bowl.
- Drizzle with the olive oil and toss to coat.
- Sprinkle on the garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, salt and pepper. Stir to evenly coat the wings with the seasonings.
- Place wings in a single layer in the air fryer with a little bit of room in between each piece. (Cook in batches as needed.) Air fry at 400° F for 8 minutes on the first side, then flip and cook on the second side for 8-10 minutes, until wings are cooked through and crispy
- Serve immediately, with buffalo sauce, ranch dressing, BBQ sauce, or other dipping sauces as desired.
Notes
- If your wings are not already split into drumettes and wingettes with the wing tips removed, you can cut them yourself or leave them as is. (Buy party-style wings so that they will already be split.)
- You can cook frozen wings in the air fryer, but for best results I recommend thawing the wings first. Frozen wings won’t get as crispy because of the extra moisture, and the seasonings won’t stick as well to frozen meat. If you do decide to cook your wings from frozen, make sure pieces are separated and add 5-7 minutes to the cook time.
- To bake wings in the oven: Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top. Spray the rack with cooking spray. Arrange the wings in a single layer on the rack. Bake at 400° F for 20 minutes, then flip and bake for 20-30 more minutes, until crispy.
