Air fryer chicken wings are a game-changer. The crispy, juicy results are unbeatable and faster than any other cooking method. No more waiting around for the oven to preheat or deep-frying in a pot of oil. Say goodbye to dry and overcooked wings, and hello to the magic of chicken wings in air fryer.
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I have not cooked chicken wings any other way since I got my air fryer. I used to spend hours in the kitchen, frying my wings to a crisp. Now with my air fryer, I can get the best damn perfect crunch in just a fraction of the time. I’m still making my beloved homemade sticky, sweet, and spicy Buffalo sauce along with air-fried wings. The sauce has been a winner for over 20 years and I will share the recipe in the recipe card below. You can adjust the spicy kick and sweetness to your taste. If you’re a wing lover, like me, and love to experiment with different spice blends and sauces please give our Air Fryer Sweet Chili Wings, Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings, and Garlic-Parmesan Chicken Wings a try.
How to Make Chicken Wings in the Air Fryer
Please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for a complete list of ingredients, step-by-step directions, nutrition info, and tips.
Choose your Wings: Fresh vs. Frozen: You can use either fresh or frozen wings in your air fryer. Fresh wings cook more evenly and are juicier, but frozen wings can be convenient and last longer in your freezer. If using frozen, be sure to thaw them completely before cooking.
Wing Sections: Chicken wings are typically sold in three parts—the drumette, the wingette (or flat), and the tip. For the best wing-eating experience, I recommend using drumettes and wingettes. You can discard the tips (sometimes I call them “tails”) or save them for making chicken stock.
Sourcing Quality: When buying wings, look for high-quality, organic, or free-range options. These often have better flavor and texture. Check your local butcher or farmers’ market for the freshest selections.
Prepare Your Wings
Pat Dry for Crispiness: Before seasoning, make sure to pat your wings dry with paper towels. This helps to remove excess moisture and is key to achieving that irresistible crispy skin. Moisture can create steam in the air fryer, which may prevent the wings from crisping up properly.
Season: Next up, it’s time to add some flavor to your wings. There are endless spice blends and marinades out there, but a good blend of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika forms the base for many delicious buffalo wing recipes. Toss the wings with oil and seasoning until evenly coated.
Preheat your air fryer: Set it to 400°F (200°C) and allow it to preheat for about 5 minutes. This ensures that your wings start cooking immediately when placed in the air fryer basket or tray.
Don’t Overcrowd the Basket: Arrange the wings in a single layer with space between each piece to allow hot air to circulate freely. If necessary, cook in batches to ensure each wing gets crispy.
Cook and Flip Halfway: Set the temperature to 400°F and cook for 22-25 minutes, depending on the size of your wings. Shake the basket or flip the wings halfway through the cooking time. This helps to brown all sides and achieve uniform crispiness. It’s a small step that makes a big difference in the final product.
Add the sauce: While your wings are cooking in the air fryer, make a delicious wing sauce. Whether you prefer mild or spicy, you can wing it your way. Please refer to the Homemade buffalo sauce printable recipe at the bottom of this post.
Serve
These saucy sweet and spicy wings are great on their own. Serve them with celery and dip them in our homemade blue cheese dressing.
My son loves his wings dipped in our homemade chipotle sauce or BBQ sauce. As for the appetizers, please try:
- Αir fryer french fries
- Air fryer Broccoli Cheese Bites
- Spicy Mozzarella Sticks
- Crispy Potato Sliders
Leftovers
It’s best to enjoy crispy chicken wings fresh on the day you cook them. However, if you have leftovers, place them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Then, reheat them in either the microwave or in the air fryer at 380 degrees Fahrenheit for 2 minutes per side to bring the outer crisp back.
How to Eat Chicken Wing in One Bite
Take your chicken wing eating skills to the next level, try using this technique to slide the meat off the bone with ease. This method works best with wingettes (flats), so be sure to pick those up next time you’re at the grocery store. First, slowly twist the meat and bone in opposite directions, loosening the meat from the bone as you do so. Then place the wingette in your mouth, close your lips, and use your teeth to gently pull the meat away from the bone. By doing so, you’ll be left with only the bone, which can be discarded without any fuss.
Don’t Abuse Your Chicken Wings
Chicken wings are a beloved food, perfect for game day or a night out with friends. But unfortunately, some among us seem to have no regard for this precious delicacy. As a lover of chicken wings myself, it is painful for me to watch how they take a bite or two and then reach out for the next wing, leaving behind a sad trail of half-eaten wings. I call them… the “chicken wing abusers”, and their actions are almost criminal. Friends, let’s not take these delicious bites for granted and remind ourselves to savor each and every chicken wing we’re lucky enough to enjoy!
More Air Fryer Wing Recipes You’ll Love
- Salt & Vinegar Chicken Wings
- Masala Chicken Drumsticks
- Korean Air Fryer Wings
- BBQ-Chipotle Wingettes
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Best Damn Crispy and Juicy Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken wings Approx 24 pieces of Wingettes and drummettes. Tips cut off.
- 1/2 tsp salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon Olive oil or Avocado oil
Homemade Buffalo Sauce
- 3/4 cup Franks Hot Sauce or you can use a hot sauce of your choice
- 3 tbsp Butter
- 1 TBS flour or corn starch to thicken
- 2 TBS Molasses
- 1 TBS Brown sugar
- 1 TBS Raw Honey
- 1 tsp Maple Syrup
- 1 tsp Tabasco
- 1 TBS ketchup
- 1 TBS bbq sauce
- Paprika – a pinch of to taste
- Cayenne – a pinch of to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F° (200 degrees C°). Use air fry (air crisp setting)
- Sprinkle and toss the wings with oil, salt and pepper for taste, and garlic powder.Arrange wings in the air fryer basket or tray in a single layer, spacing them evenly and air fry for 22-25 minutes, flipping each wing halfway. 10 minutes per side. Until chicken wings are crisp and golden brown.
Make Chicken Wing Sauce:
- While the wings are cooking, in a small or medium saucepan, mix the following:Begin by melting butter over low heat. Once it’s melted, add flour to it – it helps to thicken the sauce. Then add the remaining ingredients, one at a time. Cook the sauce by stirring it frequently over low heat until it thickens and caramelizes. It should take about 10-15 minutes. If the sauce comes out too thick, you can add water (a little at a time). However, don’t overdo it. We don’t want the sauce to be too liquid.
- When the AirFry program is complete, with the help of kitchen thongs, toss wings with the sauce and serve hot. Serve with celery sticks and your favorite dipping sauce. I love this easy Homemade Blue Cheese dip.
If you’re having a Super Bowl party or not these Air Fryer Chicken wings are to die for. Crispy to perfection. And the sauce is the KEY!