Air Fryer Chicken Wings

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Your search ends here. This recipe for air fryer chicken wings is THE BEST for achieving extra crispiness. I truly mean it. It’s incredibly simple, requires only a few ingredients, is nearly oilfree, and produces THE CRISPIEST chicken wings imaginable. I’m referring to wings that are crispier than those that have been subjected to double deepfrying. And here’s the best part: the meat remains tender, juicy, and full of flavor.

Why Use An Air Fryer For Wings?

An air fryer functions similarly to a countertop convection oven but has a catchy name. It doesn’t actually fry the food. It moves hot air all around what’s in the basket, creating a crispy outer layer while the inside stays juicy and soft. You won’t have mess splattered all over your stove, no baking sheets to clean up, and you only need a tiny amount of oil compared to traditional frying. It’s the ideal way to achieve crispy chicken wings that will truly amaze you.

Can I Use Frozen Chicken Wings?

Absolutely, frozen chicken wings can be cooked in an air fryer. Just ensure they have been thawed and dried off before you season them. Frozen wings often retain a lot of water, and it’s important to remove as much of that moisture as possible to ensure crispiness during air frying. Otherwise, the outcome won’t be crispy.

Can I Use Boneless Chicken Wings?

Certainly, boneless chicken wings can be used in an air fryer. Just decrease each cooking time by two minutes because boneless wings cook faster than bonein wings. These wings are made from white meat, which has significantly less fat than dark wing meat. Cooking them for too long can result in dryness. Use a meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature reaches 165°F before removing them from the air fryer.

Ingredients For Air Fryer Chicken Wings

For the crispiest chicken wings you’ve ever tasted, use these spices per pound of chicken:

• 1 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
  
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
  
• ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
  

We provide a ratio, so regardless of how many pounds of chicken wings you decide to cook, you’ll know how much seasoning to use. You don’t have to follow a strict recipe. Just multiply the spice amounts by the total weight of the wings. If you prefer to use your favorite spice blend instead of creating your own, simply measure a heaping teaspoon for every pound of chicken.

Why Include Baking Powder For Chicken Wings?

Without diving too deeply into the science, achieving crispy wings requires two main steps: breaking down the proteins in the skin and removing moisture from it. To do this, start by drying the wings with paper towels. After that, coat them with salt and baking powder, then let them rest for at least one hour. Both the salt and baking powder will help eliminate moisture. The salt adds flavor to the chicken, while the baking powder works to break down the proteins in the skin, resulting in the crispiest wings imaginable.

How To Store Leftover Wings

I have no idea how you might end up with extra wings, but I won’t criticize. Clearly, your friends and family handle leftovers better than mine do. You can keep any leftover wings in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to three days. Still, if the wings have been sitting out at room temperature for over two hours, it’s best to discard them, as harmful bacteria may have already started to grow, according to the FDA.

How To Reheat Chicken Wings In An Air Fryer

Reheating wings is quite simple. First, allow them to reach room temperature before placing them into the air fryer. Make sure to preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees. Cook the wings for two minutes, flip them over, and then cook for another two minutes.

Tips For Cooking Wings In An Air Fryer

Always preheat the air fryer.

Your air fryer operates like a countertop oven, and, like most ovens, preheating is important. While not every recipe requires this step, it is essential for crispy wings. Cooking wings while the fryer is still warming up will throw off your cooking time.

Avoid overcrowding the air fryer basket.

It might be tempting to fit as many wings as you can, but resist that urge. For the crispiest results, arrange the wings in a single layer, leaving enough space between them for the air to circulate freely around each wing.

Make sure to flip the wings.

Turning food in an air fryer ensures that both sides are equally exposed to the heat source. This allows for even cooking and browning, leading to better results. You don’t want your wings resembling something that fell asleep on a beach during spring break—burnt on one side and pale on the other. Trust me.

Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings

If you want to discover the ultimate recipe for crispy air fryer chicken wings, you’ve come to the right place! These wings are crunchy, juicy, and packed with flavor. You’ll want to consume them all in one meal!

Author: ranya

Servings 2
Prep 1 hour, 15 minutes
Cook 25 minutes
Total 1 hour, 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 lb chicken wings
  
• 1 tsp coarse salt
  
• 1 tsp baking powder
  
• 1 tsp cornstarch
  
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
  
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
  
• 1/8 tsp cooking oil for greasing
  

Instructions

1. Using a paper towel, dry the chicken wings well. Be sure to remove as much moisture from the skin as you can.
   
2. Combine 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of baking powder for every pound of chicken. Coat the dried chicken wings in this blend until they are covered consistently. Set the wings on a rack placed over a baking sheet and chill for no less than an hour.
4. After the hour, take the wings out from the refrigerator and dry them with a towel again. In a separate bowl, mix cornstarch, garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, and black pepper, using the specified amounts for each pound of chicken. Coat the wings thoroughly in this spice mixture.
   
5. Prepare your air fryer basket by greasing it and setting the temperature to 300°F. Lay the wings in a single layer to ensure they don’t touch. Cook them for 15 minutes.
   
6. Turn the wings over, increase the air fryer temperature to 450°F, and let them cook for an additional 10 minutes. Check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer, ensuring it reaches 165°F prior to serving.
   

Equipment

• Air Fryer

Notes

If using a coarse salt like kosher or coarse sea salt, stick to 1 teaspoon per pound. For finer salts like table salt or fine sea salt, only use 1/2 teaspoon for each pound of chicken.
To achieve the best flavors, select aluminumfree baking powder since the kind containing aluminum may create a metallic aftertaste.

Nutrition

Serving: 0. 5lb
Calories: 282kcal
Carbohydrates: 3g
Protein: 23g
Fat: 20g
Sodium: 1465mg
Fiber: 0. 3g

How to Create Crispy Chicken Wings in an Air Fryer – Step by Step

• With a paper towel, gently dry off the chicken wings, aiming to eliminate as much moisture from the skin as you can.
  
• In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon of coarse salt with 1 teaspoon of baking powder for each pound of chicken.
  Transfer the dried chicken wings into a sufficiently large bowl and sprinkle them with the salt mix. Toss to coat them evenly, and then arrange them on a rack over a baking sheet. Place them in the refrigerator uncovered for a minimum of one hour or up to a full day in advance.
  
• In a separate bowl, mix together 1 teaspoon of cornstarch, ½ teaspoon of garlic powder, ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika, ¼ teaspoon of onion powder, and ⅛ teaspoon of black pepper for every pound of chicken. Once you take the wings out of the fridge, dry them once more using a paper towel. Put the chicken wings into a large bowl, sprinkle them with the spice mix, and toss until they are well coated.
  
• Lightly grease your air fryer basket with cooking oil or spray. Preheat the unit to 300°F. Depending on the size of your air fryer and quantity of wings, you may need to prepare them in batches. Arrange the wings in a single layer in the air fryer basket, ensuring they are not in contact with one another. Cook them for 15 minutes.
  
• Using tongs, flip your wings in the basket. Increase the heat to 450°F. Cook for 10 minutes. Check the wings with a meat thermometer to ensure they reach an internal temperature of 165°F. To keep them warm while you prepare another batch, place them on a sheet pan in an oven set to 200°F. Alternatively, you can follow my method and serve them right away with your favorite sauces while the next batch is cooking.