Air Fryer Chicken Wings are so crispy without any added oil! Cooking wings in an Air Fryer only takes 30 min, and you can toss them in your favorite sauce.
These wings are a reader favorite and always get rave reviews because they are exactly what they claim to be: Extra crispy without being deep-fried! We originally posted this recipe back in January 2018. The method stays the same, but we’ve added some updated instructions, a video, and some new photos!
Our Air Fryer Wings are extra crispy without any added oil, baking powder, or potato starch! You only need two ingredients to make this easy recipe: fresh (or frozen) chicken wings and your favorite sauce.
The wings are so crispy on the outside but juicy and tender on the inside. You’ll never believe these weren’t cooked in a deep fryer! Cooking wings in an Air Fryer is a great way to save some calories because you don’t need to add any extra oil, and all the excess fat from the wings drips off into the pan, but the wings taste as delicious as deep-fried.
Why this Recipe works
- Cooking the wings for 26 minutes at a lower temperature allows the fat under the skin to slowly break apart, the last 6 minutes at a higher temperature crisp up the skin. Cooking them at a high temperature for the whole time would make the cooking time shorter but also dry out the wings and make them chewy.
- You don’t need to use baking powder when using an Air Fryer. The wings will get crispy without it! This recipe is as easy as it can be!
- Toss the wings in your favorite sauce! Because you add the sauce after the wings are cooked, you can add different sauces like Buffalo Sauce, BBQ sauce, or even a dry rub so everyone is happy! This way, you can also make Keto Air Fryer Chicken Wings!
If you’re looking for more Air Fryer recipes while you’re here, try out our Air Fryer Potato Wedges or our reader favorite, Air Fryer Donuts. These made-from-scratch donuts taste so much better than baked donuts and the easy donut glaze makes them even more delicious!
Detailed measurements and instructions can be found at the bottom of the page on the printable recipe card.
How to Air Fry Chicken Wings
This EASY recipe makes crispy wings without all the extra oil and hassle of deep-frying them!
- Place the chicken wings in the basket and insert it into the air fryer.
- Cook for 24 minutes at a lower temperature, shaking the basket every 10 minutes.
- Increase the temperature and air fry for 6 more minutes.
- Transfer to a bowl and toss with your favorite sauce.
How long to fry them
Chicken Wings take about 30 minutes in the Air Fryer, shaking the basket every 10 minutes, so the wings crisp up evenly. Cooking the wings at a lower temperature first and then increasing the heat for the last few minutes ensures juicy wings with crispy skin because this allows the fat to render out, so the skin gets extra crispy. This method results in the BEST Chicken Wings!
How to make a bigger batch
Frying the Wings in a single layer or separated by a double layer rack works best but you can make a bigger batch by taking some of the wings out before increasing the temperature and crisping them up in smaller batches. Just make sure not to overcrowd the basket so the air can still circulate. Watch the video below to see how I make a bigger batch in my smallest Air Fryer!
Can you cook frozen chicken wings in an air fryer?
Yes, you can cook frozen wings in an Air Fryer! If you are using frozen wings, air fry them 5 minutes longer at 380°F (29 minutes total), before increasing the temperature for the last 6 minutes to crisp them up. Don’t worry if the frozen wings stick together at the beginning; just make sure to shake the basket after a few minutes, so they get separated.
Sauces and Seasonings for Wings
After air frying the wings, they get tossed with your favorite sauce or seasoning. That way, everyone can customize their serving of wings. Here are a few of our favorites:
- Buffalo Sauce: You can buy this sauce or make your own with just two ingredients (recipe in the recipe card)
- Garlic Parmesan Wing Sauce
- Honey Garlic Sauce
- Lemon Pepper
- Teriyaki Sauce: Salty and Sweet!
- Cajun Seasoning
- BBQ Sauce: Add as much sauce as you like and toss the wings!
- Old Bay Sauce: Melt 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, add 2 tsp old bay seasoning, and 2 tsp lemon juice. Toss wings in sauce and dust with more old bay seasoning.
What to serve with Chicken Wings
Serve chicken wings (especially those tossed in Buffalo Sauce) with Blue Cheese or Ranch dipping sauce and fresh celery and baby carrots on the side. Chicken wings are a classic appetizer that also goes well with coleslaw, fries, onion rings, chips, and fried mozzarella sticks. Perfect for a game day party!
Frequently Asked Questions:
- Do I have to pat dry the wings before cooking? In my experience, it is not necessary. If the wings are especially wet, then I pat them dry but not thoroughly.
- Air Fryers with different Temperature Scales: If your Air Fryer doesn’t go up to 400 degrees F, keep cooking them at the highest temperature for the last 6 minutes to crisp up; according to readers, this method works well. If your Air Fryer doesn’t have the exact temperature available the recipe calls for, use the setting that’s closest to it.
- Can I use a dry rub before cooking them? Yes, some readers tried this, and it worked out well!
- Can chicken drumsticks be used instead of wings? I don’t recommend using drumsticks for this recipe because they take longer to bake. But the Air Fryer also makes delicious juicy drumsticks check out my recipe for Air Fryer Fried Chicken.
- Can I make these wings in the oven? Yes, but it will take a lot longer to get the wings as crispy as in the air fryer. To make them in the oven, bake them in a preheated 400 degrees F oven for 45-55 min, flipping them once after 25 minutes.
- How to store leftover chicken wings? You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- How to reheat chicken wings in the Air Fryer? Reheat fried chicken wings at 350°F for 5 minutes, then increase the temperature to 400°F and cook for 3-5 more minutes until reheated and crispy.
- How to cut Chicken Wings? Using your fingers, locate where the two joints connect. Then cut through the center of both joints with kitchen scissors or a sharp knife to separate the drumette, flat, and tip.
What is the BEST Air Fryer?
For this recipe, the bigger the basket, the better because it gives you more cooking surface so you can make more wings. I prefer Basket-Style Air Fryers over Toaster-Oven-Style Air Fryers because I found that the toaster-oven-style ones didn’t air fry as well, food was less crispy, and it was not much different to using a convection oven.
My favorite Air Fryer (and I own a few) is the Ninja Foodi Grill, which is an Indoor Grill and Air Fryer in one; it can also dehydrate, bake, and roast. What I like most about it is that the basket is huge, which makes it perfect for preparing steaks, pork chops, and big batches of wings, and it air fries even better than my trusty Philips Air Fryer.
Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken wings, cut into drumettes and flats
For the Buffalo Chicken Wing Sauce (optional)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup Frank's RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce
Instructions
- Preheat your Air Fryer if recommended in the manual. Place the chicken wings in the basket and insert it into the air fryer.
- Cook the wings for 24 minutes at 380°F (190°C). Shake the basket every 10 minutes, so they cook evenly.
- When the time is up, shake the basket, increase the temperature to 400°F (200°C) and cook for 6 more minutes or until the skin is golden brown and crispy. Depending on the size of your Air Fryer crisp the wings up in batches.
- Transfer wings to a bowl and toss with your favorite BBQ or our easy buffalo wing sauce.
To make Buffalo Sauce (optional)
- Whisk melted butter and hot sauce together in a bowl.
Shannon says
Absolutely loved them! This was my first time using my Ninja Air Fryer and they turned out amazing! My fryer does not have a 380 setting, so I think next time I will either try it at 375 or cook is a shorter amount of time at 390.
Patti says
These were excellent!
Priscilla says
Yummy! My go to chicken wings from now on!!
Doreen says
First wings in my new air fryer and they were perfection! Had no difficulty with available temperatures but mine is a very small air fryer. Would have to prepare in batches for more than one person. The recipe’s a definite keeper! Thank you!
Amber says
Thank you! these were so good!! I dipped mine in ranch mixed with hot sauce. I also left the wing tips on. This will be my go to wings recipe!
Ann says
Well Julia! This was oh so very YUMMY! I had a slight problem in that my airfryer does not go to 400 degrees, only 380 – but no problem after all! I just followed your directions, but when I was supposed to turn it up to 400, I just continued at 380 for the additional 6 minutes and they were so PERFECT!!!! I sprayed them first with PAM-like olive oil and dusted with salt and cayenne. Then for sauce I used 2 TB melted butter and about the same about of Franks Hot Sauce mixed together with 1TB of white wine vinegar – spicy, but not over the top…. The wings were totally crispy just as if they had been deep fried and the sauce just gave that little kick! Thanks for the instructions!!!!!
Francina says
OMG I was worried about cooking these wings from frozen with such an easy recipe. Cooked exactly the way you suggested,these wings are perfect with ranch, blue cheese, & any dressing of choice along with celery sticks. My only regret is that I have a small fryer for one& had to cook in batches. They didn’t last til the next batch was done . You get a thumbs up 👍 & a 5. Tried & true to perfection.
Julia says
Thank you so much for your comment, Francina! So happy you liked the wings!
Haonan says
Just got my Airfryer yesterday and tried this recipe. The wings turned out amazing, I used 5 wings (cut into 10 pieces) and at the bottom of the air fryer I got roughly 1 tablespoon of oil that was originally inside of the chicken skin. I couldn’t love this recipe more! Thank you so much for your amazing creation.
Joyce E Dowling says
I can’t wait to try these but want the barbecued wings. If adding sauce after cooking how do they stay hot?
Julia says
They stay hot even after adding the sauce. Just serve them right away. But you could also warm up the BBQ sauce in the microwave.
Shayne says
I have an emerald airfryer and had to up the cooking time at those temps. Still came out really good. And will make them again! Made garlic parm (coated before I cooked) and korean bbq. Amazing for the first outing
Sarah says
Quick Question – for frozen wings – can you clarify the instructions? It says “just cook the wings 5 minutes longer at 390°F, before increasing the temperature for the last 6 minutes.” When I looked at the actual recipe (below) I’m not sure in what step I make this modification. Can you please help? Thanks!!
Instructions:
1. Place the chicken wings in the basket and insert into the air fryer.
2. Cook for 24 minutes at 380°F (190°). Turn the wings after 13 minutes with tongs.
3. When the time is up, increase the temperature to 400°F (200°C) and bake for 6 more minutes until the skin is browned and crisp.
4. Transfer to a bowl, add toss with BBQ or wing sauce.
Julia says
You add 6 minutes in step 2. So you cook them 30 min at 380 degrees then increase to 400 degrees.
Ngoc says
OMG thank you so much for your recipe!!! I was making it for myself but my mom saw how crispy and delicious the wings are and now we’re making a second batch hahha
Thomas Marker says
Can you use one of the liners they sell in the basket while cooking these instead of stopping to clean the fryer if it smokes?
Julia says
I have never seen liners for the Air Fryer, so I’m not sure. My new Philips AirFryer that has the Turbostar technology doesn’t have the smoking problem.
Pam Tulman says
I have a Breville Air. To set on “air fry,” it automatically goes to 400. In the past, I have used the baking powder (1Tab) to 1 Tab of Kosher salt. I would like to try yours as you don’t use either. Do you know how how I would cook them, please, using the Breville Air w/o salt and BP? Thanks.
Annie says
I make these in my Breville Air. I put the wire rack on position 4, and put the wings in the broiler pan (with the rack inside). I don’t use the air fry basket because the fat will drip and make a mess. You can adjust the temperature of the Air Fry mode by turning the temp knob. You can even press the select button in to turn on the “Rotate Remind” to remind you to flip the wings halfway through that first 24 minute cooking time. Then I turn the temp back up to 400 and air fry the last 6 minutes, according to the recipe. I do use the salt and BP but I’m sure it would also turn out great without!
Kristel says
These are the BEST chicken wings!! We just got an air fryer and have been craving crispy chicken but without breading. I am so happy to have found this recipe! We only wish we had a larger air fryer!
Julia says
I love hearing that Kristel! Another reader posted this tip a few days ago: You can make a bigger batch (they don’t need to be in a single layer) and just up the time at 380 degrees F for a few more minutes until they are cooked, then do the shorter 400 degrees F crisping on smaller batches. Perfect for people that don’t have a large air fryer!
SSellers says
THANK YOU for posting this technique. I was only considering an air fryer because of seeing comments online about how well they did wings….I used to live next door to the original Zaxby’s and those were the first wings I’d ever had and fell in love. Then I watched some videos of the air fryer I was considering (NuWave Brio 10qt, $99 at Costco) and to me the wings they did came out looking baked which is a sin. The pics from your article convinced me to go ahead and buy it, and my first batch was awesome. One thing I did differently was to spray them with butter flavor Pam before cooking which is a trick I picked up and do with all of my skin-on meats when smoking, and I also sprinkled on a little cayenne and Himalayan pink salt. They were great plain or tossed in sauce, and cost a third of what restaurant wings do now. WATCH OUT CHICKENS!
Mark says
I am from Buffalo, and like my wings so hot my eyes water and lips go numb ! First recipe sever That can duplicate the taste and crispness of deep fryer. I used to short order cook as a teen and 5hese are awesome. THANKS !
Chanda says
The wings turned out to be great !!! I don’t spend a lot of time in the kitchen so I was uncertain about the outcome. Also, it was my first time using an air fryer. This recipe is so simple. I can’t wait to pass it along to my friends and use it when I host my next event.
Thank you!!!
Kelly says
These are DELICIOUS! I love them just plain…no sauce. I like them saucy, too…but plain is my jam!
If you were to do legs like this, how much longer do you think it would take? I don’t want to add breading…just salt and pepper…
I think they would cook for longer than the wings, but no idea how much longer. I want them crispy like the wings, though. Aaaaaaand I’m rambling
Julia says
So happy you like my recipe, Kelly! You could try my recipe for Chicken Drumsticks and just skip the breading.
Kathy L says
Just got our air fryer yesterday. Made these wings for my husband. He LOVED them and he is picky about his wings. Served them with homemade BBQ sauce. Times were perfect. Thank you!