These air fryer chicken wings are super crispy and cook up in just 20 minutes – you’ll never want to make wings another way again! They’re crisp on the outside and perfectly tender and juicy on the inside.
I love my air fryer buffalo cauliflower wings, but sometimes I just want real deal chicken wings, ya feel me?! That’s where this air fryer chicken wings recipe comes in!
There’s nothing quite like crispy, flavorful chicken wings, and the air fryer makes them so easy to whip up! Baked chicken wings can take up to 1 hour to cook, but with the air fryer you’ll have crispy delicious wings in less than 30 minutes!
These wings come out perfectly golden and crunchy without the need for deep frying or tons of oil. You can keep them plain or toss them in your favorite sauce. My favorite way to serve them is tossed in a buffalo sauce served with ranch dressing.
Whether you’re making them as a game day recipe or just want a quick and satisfying appetizer or full meal, these air fryer wings are guaranteed to be a hit!
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Crispy – No need to deep fry to get crispy wings. These wings get perfectly golden and crunchy thanks to a key ingredient… baking powder!
- Healthier – Since these wings are air fried instead of deep-fried, you’re cutting down on oil but keeping all the flavor and crunch.
- Faster cook time – The air fryer cooks these wings in less than half the time as it would take in the oven!
- Customizable – You can adjust the seasonings to your taste and pair the wings with whatever dipping sauce you prefer like buffalo, BBQ, teriyaki, ranch or blue cheese. The options are endless!
Ingredients Needed
- chicken wings – I used party-style wings for this recipe, but you can also use whole wings and cut them into sections yourself.
- olive oil – you just need enough to coat the wings and help the seasoning stick. You can swap for avocado oil if you prefer.
- baking powder – this is the secret to getting your wings super crispy in the air fryer! Don’t skip this ingredient!
- seasonings – you’re going to need garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper. I like to add cayenne pepper for a bit of heat, but it’s totally optional.
How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Step 1: Pat the chicken wings dry with paper towels. Then place the wings in a large bowl.
Step 2: Combine all the seasonings and baking powder in a small bowl.
Step 3: Drizzle the olive oil over the wings. Toss to coat.
Step 4: Sprinkle the seasoning mixture over the wings.
Step 5: Toss the wings again to make sure the seasoning mixture gets evenly distributed.
Step 6: Add the wings to your air fryer basked in a single layer. Cook at 400°F for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through until fully cooked
Brittany’s Tips!
- Pat the chicken wings dry: Make sure to pat the wings dry with paper towels before seasoning them. This step is super important for getting that crispy skin in the air fryer!
- Don’t overcrowd the basket: Don’t overcrowd your air fryer basket! Make sure to cook your wings in a single layer. You may have to cook multiple batches, depending on the size of your air fryer.
- Toss in a zip-loc bag: For even distribution of the spices you could add your chicken wings to a zip-loc bag with the oil and spices. Then close and shake the bag until the wings are evenly coated.
How to Serve Chicken Wings
These chicken wings can be served plain with your favorite dipping sauce or tossed in a sauce. They can also be served by themselves as an appetizer or with a spread for game day. Some of my favorite game day snacks to serve alongside these wings are my turkey chili, cauliflower nachos and homemade guacamole.
There’s no wrong way to serve these chicken wings! Here are some sauce ideas to get you started:
- Buffalo sauce: I love tossing these wings in buffalo sauce! I don’t have a homemade version just yet, but I love the Primal Kitchen Medium Heat Buffalo Sauce and Noble Made Medium Buffalo Sauce.
- Ranch: My vegan ranch dressing is a great option. If you’re looking for a store-bought version, I recommend Primal Kitchen ranch as it’s allergen-friendly and made with clean ingredients.
- Blue Cheese: Another staple dip pairing! I don’t have a homemade blue cheese dressing recipe so grab your favorite store-bought version. I like the Bolthouse Farms chunky blue cheese.
- BBQ sauce: My homemade BBQ sauce has the same bold, sweet and spicy flavor that you love from regular BBQ sauce, it’s just made healthier without any corn syrup, refined sugar or added preservatives.
- Honey Mustard: One of my favorite dips! This homemade honey mustard dressing is so good!! It’s creamy, perfectly sweet with a touch of tanginess and only takes 5 minutes to whip up!
How to Store Leftovers
We never have any leftover wings when we make this recipe, but if you do have leftovers you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the air fryer for about 5 minutes until heated through.
If you want to freeze the cooked chicken wings you can, but I would only freeze the chicken if you’re starting with raw, not previously frozen chicken. I wouldn’t defrost frozen chicken and then freeze it again. To freeze, let them cool completely then place in an airtight container and store for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can! Just make sure to thaw the wings before seasoning and cooking. This helps them cook more evenly and get that crispy texture you want.
Baking powder helps draw moisture out of the skin, which makes the wings extra crispy in the air fryer. It’s a little trick that works wonders without the need for deep frying!
Yes! You can bake the wings in the oven at 425°F turning every 20 minutes until your wings are crisp and browned. This could take anywhere from 40-60 minutes depending on the size of your wings and how crispy you want them.
More Air Fryer Recipes to Try
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Pat the chicken wings dry with paper towels. This step is crucial to get crispy wings. Place the wings in a large bowl.
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In a small bowl, mix together the garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and baking powder.
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Drizzle the olive oil over the wings and toss to coat. Sprinkle the seasoning mixture over the wings and toss until the wings are evenly coated. You could also do this in a zip lock bag.
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Preheat your air fryer to 400°F for about 5 minutes.
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Arrange the wings in a single layer in the air fryer basket. You may need to do this in batches depending on the size of your air fryer. Cook the wings at 400°F for 20-25 minutes, flipping them halfway through cooking. The wings should be golden brown and crispy.
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Once cooked, transfer the wings to a serving platter.
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Serve with your favorite healthy dipping sauces, like ranch or a homemade honey mustard, buffalo or bbq sauce.
- Storing: You can store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the air fryer for about 5 minutes until heated through.
Serving: 1/4 recipe (no sauce) | Calories: 189kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 748mg | Potassium: 276mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
