Love making healthy recipes in your air fryer? Try my Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower Bites for a vegetarian version of wings, and my Air Fryer Fried Rice goes with all of your favorite homemade takeout recipes!
If you haven’t tried making wings in the air fryer you are missing out. They come out super crispy and there is no deep frying required! I have been using my new air fryer a lot to make fries, tortilla chips even fried chicken. It’s a healthier way to prepare some of your favorite recipes! This easy Air Fryer Wings recipe is ready in just 30 minutes. Perfect for sharing, try this quick recipe when you’re watching the game or for a fun appetizer at the weekend. The wings start with a dry rub of onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Next, they get tossed with some baking powder. This is my trick for extra crispy wings. Then they are air fried for 15-20 minutes then voila they’re done! The easiest way to cook crispy chicken wings!
What you’ll need for this recipe
Chicken: Chicken wings are the star ingredient of this recipe! You can use either fresh or frozen wings. If they’re frozen, thaw them completely before cooking. Seasoning: I added onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper for lots of flavor. You can use either sweet paprika, smoky paprika, or hot paprika for a kick of spice! Baking powder: This is my secret to crispy wings! Because baking powder is alkaline, it elevates the pH of chicken skin, breaking down peptide bonds and speeding up the browning process, resulting in browner and crispier wings than they would have been otherwise.
Buffalo sauce ingredients
Hot Sauce: I like to use the classic, Frank’s Red Hot Sauce but any hot sauce will work. Butter: Butter cuts the vinegar and adds richness. If you’re avoiding dairy, a dairy-free substitute will be fine or try olive oil. Worcestershire sauce: This ingredient adds plenty of umami! It’s tangy, sweet, and salty. Garlic: Garlic powder rounds out the other ingredients so well. Garlic granules are a good substitute or you can use onion powder in a pinch.
How to make chicken wings in an air fryer
Step 1: Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees. In a large bowl toss the wings with all of the seasonings including the baking powder.
Step 2: Grease the rack of the air fryer with non stick cooking spray. Arrange the chicken wings in a single layer on the cooking rack. You may have to do this in two batches depending on the size of your air fryer.
Step 3: Cook for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is crispy on the outside and golden brown.
Step 4: Toss the wings in the buffalo sauce and toss to combine.
Step 5: Serve with your favorite dipping sauce! We love to serve these chicken wings with homemade ranch dip and blue cheese dressing.
How long do you air fry chicken wings at 400 degrees?
I preheat my air fryer to 400 degrees and cook the wings for 15-20 minutes or until they are golden brown and crispy! Depending on the size of your air fryer you may have to cook the wings in two batches.
How to make Buffalo Sauce
I love making my own buffalo sauce at home. All you need is four ingredients! I combine franks hot sauce, butter, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder and heat it up in a small saucepan until the butter is melted and the sauce is warm. I keep the sauce on low heat until I am ready to serve the wings.
What to serve with Air Fryer Chicken Wings
I love serving ranch or homemade blue cheese dressing with these wings. I also like to serve it with a side of celery and carrot sticks for dipping. If you’re not a fan of buffalo sauce you can also toss these wings in my Bourbon Barbecue Sauce or my Honey Chipotle Sauce!
Can I put raw chicken wings in an air fryer?
Yes, absolutely! An air fryer is like an electric oven; it is perfectly safe to put raw chicken in it to cook.
How do I make my air fryer wings crispy?
My top secret to making the crispiest chicken wings is baking powder. All you have to do is toss the wings in the seasonings with the baking powder and cook them. The baking powder raises the pH balance of the chicken skin making it brown quicker and therefore becoming crispy quicker as well.
Here are some other appetizer recipes to try!
Easy 7 Layer Dip Toasted Ravioli Easy Baked BLT Dip Homemade Pretzel Bites Sweet Potato Fries Asian Chicken Bites
title: “Air Fryer Chicken Wings” ShowToc: true date: “2024-10-26” author: “Sarah Bowman”
I also love how quickly this air fryer chicken wings recipe comes together. You toss them in a simple combination of salt, pepper, and garlic powder before being air fried for 16 minutes. They come together quicker than traditional chicken wings, making them perfect for when you need an appetizer or snack quickly. Want another easy recipe that’s great for game day or as an appetizer? Try my buffalo chicken dip, pretzel bites, or guacamole recipe.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Chicken wings — this air fryer recipe uses split wings, which means the wings and split into flats and drumettes. You can do this yourself or save yourself time and purchase “party wings.” Oil — you don’t need a ton of oil to make the chicken wings crispy in the air fryer, but you’ll still need a tablespoon. Seasoning — I season the chicken wings with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Feel free to use your favorite seasoning combination. Hot sauce — feel free to use your favorite hot sauce. You can go as spicy or as mild as you’d like! Butter — when combined with the hot sauce, it turns into a buffalo sauce!
How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Wings
- Pat the chicken wings dry with paper towels and place in a large mixing bowl with the olive oil, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper.
- Toss until the chicken is well coated with spices.
- Working in batches if needed, add the wings to the air fryer basket in an even single layer with a bit of space between each and air fry, flipping halfway through, until browned and crisp.
- Mix the hot sauce and butter in a large bowl while the wings cook. Whisk to combine. Toss cooked wings with the sauce.
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
Make sure to dry the wings thoroughly before air frying them, as any moisture can prevent them from becoming crispy and instead cause them to steam. Don’t skip flipping the chicken wings, as it helps them brown evenly in the air fryer. Never overcrowd the air fryer basket. You want the hot air to be able to circulate all around each chicken wing so they crisp up perfectly. If all of your wings fit in the basket but seem crowded, you can still cook them all at once, but they won’t become as crispy. If they still have them, you can cut the wing tipoff and discard them. They may burn in the air fryer. Depending on the size of the wings, the most accurate way of seeing if you’ve finished cooking the wings is by checking the internal temperature. Smaller wings will take less time to cook.
If you’ve tried this Air Fryer Wings recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
