Super Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings can't be beat! This easy recipe has just 2 ingredients, is healthier than deep-fat frying, and makes the best crispy chicken wings with no breading in less time than other methods. If you're a chicken wing lover, you'll love not just their crispiness but also how moist and flavorful they are under that crispy skin.
They're the perfect treat as a game day appetizer or, cook a few more and, make them into a meal. Low carb, gluten-free & paleo.
Table of contents
- Chicken Wings in the Air Fryer
- What is an Air Fryer
- Why You'll Love These Air Fryer Wings
- Ingredients
- How to cut wings into drummettes and wingettes
- How to Make Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings
- Chicken Wing Sauces and Dips
- Recipe Variations
- Best Sides for Chicken Wings
- How to Store, Freeze and Reheat
- More Delicious Appetizers
Chicken Wings in the Air Fryer
This air fryer chicken wings recipe is so easy it lets you indulge in wings any time you want. It's been a real game-changer in our house! No more oil and splattered grease on the stove, just 30 minutes in the air fryer and done.
And you'll never believe how they cook up - tender and juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside just like if you had fried them. Once you taste these crispy air fryer chicken wings you won't want to cook them any other way!
Chicken wings aren't the only delicious appetizer that comes out of the air fryer. When it's game time or party time in our house we bring out our favorites like air fryer jalapeno poppers, air fryer southwest egg rolls, air fryer onion rings, and air fryer hot dogs.
What is an Air Fryer
An air fryer appliance is like a mini convection oven. It delivers a superheated flow of air all around the food and lets dry hot air penetrate the food from the inside out. It's a great way to cook foods to give them the taste and texture of deep-fried foods, minus all the fat and extra calories.
I love cooking in the air fryer and use it every chance I get. And I have found that cooking chicken wings in the air fryer is the absolutely best way to cook them. The cooking time is shorter, no messy cleanup like with a deep fryer and they come out golden brown and crispy with little oil needed. Plus you can cook just about everything in this awesome appliance from appetizers to main dishes to desserts.
Why You'll Love These Air Fryer Wings
Super crispy skin - without all the extra oil and mess from deep frying.
Quick and Easy - Just 30 minutes for the best wings ever! Much faster than baking them too!
Easy prep - just 5 minutes to cut the wings and pat dry then into the air fryer they go.
Easy cleanup - just a little swish of soap and water in the air fryer and you're done!
Ingredients
Here are the two simple ingredients (if you want to call salt and pepper an ingredient) you'll need to make these crispy air fryer wings. That's right, just two! The exact measurements are in the printable recipe card below.
- Chicken Wings - either whole wings and cut them yourself (instructions below) or purchase them already cut.
- Salt & Pepper
How to cut wings into drummettes and wingettes
The cheapest way to buy wings is uncut and dividing them into drummettes and wingettes is so easy you'll wonder why you paid the extra to get them already prepared. Check out these steps for preparing your chicken wings.
- First, locate the joint between the bottom of the drummette and the wing.
- Cut through this with a sharp knife.
- Now you have a drummette and flat, or wingette, you just want to get rid of the wing tip. Find the small joint between the flat and tip.
- Cut through it.
- Now you have a drumette and a flat. Discard the wing tips. See how easy that was!
Tip: Pat them dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture prior to air frying to achieve that extra crispy skin.
How to Make Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings
- Place half of the chicken wings in the air fryer basket of your air fryer in a single layer. For best results, do not overcrowd your air fryer as they need space for the air to circulate to cook properly. Plus they won't crisp up if packed tightly together. If your air fryer is smaller just do them in batches.
- Cook the wings at 380°F for 24 minutes, turning halfway through cook time so they brown evenly.
- To make extra crispy wings, turn the air fryer to 400°F and air fry for another 6 minutes.
The final result just speaks for itself! Just look at all that crispy deliciousness. When you pour them out of the air fryer, you'll actually hear the crackling of the crispy skin. Oh, these are soooo good!
Chicken Wing Sauces and Dips
For all you chicken wing lovers, chicken wing sauce or a dipping sauce is a necessity. These sauces range from spicy to tangy and sweet to creamy and they're perfect for taking your crispy wings to the next level. Here are some suggestions.
- Buffalo Wing Sauce - choose your favorite wing sauce be it mild, medium, or hot
- 5-Spice Chinese Sauce (sweet) - Combine ½ cup hoisin sauce, 2 Tablespoons honey, 2 Tablespoons soy sauce, 2 teaspoons sesame oil, 2 teaspoons Chinese 5-Spice, and 1-2 teaspoons minced garlic. Mix and serve.
- Lemon Pepper - a savory sauce
- BBQ Sauce
- Blue Cheese Dressing
- Creamy Ranch Dressing
- Garlic Parmesan Butter Sauce - Combine ½ cup butter, 2 Tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons minced garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Place in the microwave and cook in 30-second increments, stirring in between, until the butter has melted. Give it a stir then add in ½ cup grated parmesan cheese. Serve warm.
You can toss your wings in your favorite sauce or serve the sauces in side dishes and let everyone choose their own. Of course, you can eat these air fried chicken wings just as they are too because these naked wings don't need anything additional to make them finger lickin' good!
And don't forget a side of blue cheese dressing with celery sticks and carrots 'cause what would wings be without that?
Now give it a dip and enjoy this perfect appetizer while watching your favorite game, for a light lunch, or, make a few more, and serve them as a main dish for a fun, delicious dinner for the entire family.
Recipe Variations
No air fryer? No problem! Check out these other chicken wing recipes that are a delicious alternative to air frying.
Asian Chicken Wings - are tossed in an Asian-inspired sauce and baked, not fried, til nice and crispy.
Crispy Baked Chicken Wings - are baked not fried, yet come out delicious and crispy. It's a great way to get your wings fix in a healthy way.
Best Sides for Chicken Wings
Corn on the Cob - this is a great grilled version but you can also cook up frozen corn on the cob in the microwave.
Air Fryer Frozen French Fires or Tater Tots - the air fryer is our favorite way to cook them for a tasty crispy finish.
Zucchini Fries - air-fried to a crispy finish while staying deliciously soft and tender inside.
Mac and cheese - creamy and rich, the perfect complement to hot wings.
Garden Salad - easy, light and cool.
How to Store, Freeze and Reheat
Store: Let come to room temperature then place in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freeze: Let the wings come to room temperature then place in a freezer-safe bag and freeze them for up to 3 months.
Reheat: Place in the air fryer at 380°F and heat until hot, about 5-7 minutes.
More Delicious Appetizers
Air Fryer Mac and Cheese Balls
Find lots more air fryer recipes here on 2CM!
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Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken wings separated into drumettes and flats
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare chicken wings by cutting the drumette away from the flat and discarding the tip. See above for example.
- Place half of chicken wings in air fryer basket. Place basket into air fryer and turn air fryer to 380 degrees.
- Cook for 12 minutes then remove basket and detach from bottom where grease has fallen. Toss wings then place back in bottom and slide back into cooker. Cook 12 more minutes.
- When timer goes off, raise temperature to 400 degrees and cook for another 5-6 minutes. This is the best way to create that crispy outer coating.
- Remove basket, separate from bottom and place wings on a large plate. Cover to keep warm.
- Repeat above directions with remaining wings.
- Serve wings with your favorite sauces on the side along with blue cheese, celery stalks, and baby carrots.
- Makes 4 appetizer servings or 2 main meals.
Notes
Nutrition
This post has been updated with new photos and more helpful information. It was first published on January 6, 2019.
