In my book, its not really a Super Bowl party without chicken wings. I love snacking on crispy wings drenched in a tasty sauce (or dry rub). It keeps me going during a game day. While I love our classic buffalo wings, sometimes I just dont have the patience (or time) to turn the oven on. The solution? The air fryer. This party food can be made in the air fryer faster and with less mess if you’re short on time or don’t want to clean up the kitchen. The wings will be extra-crispy and ready to be drenched in your favorite sauces and seasonings.
Keep reading down below for all of my tips on how to make the crispiest wings possible in everyones favorite kitchen gadget:
What People Are Saying: “Been making these wings this exact way for a couple of years now. Tried and true recipe. ” – PurpleBucket.
In the past few years, air fryers have become more popular as a quick, easy, and healthy way to cook things like chicken wings. If you use an air fryer, the wings are crispy and tasty without having to be deep-fried. It may take a few tries, though, to find the right cooking times. This guide will tell you how long to cook chicken wings in an air fryer so that they always come out crispy.
Factors That Affect Air Fryer Chicken Wing Cook Times
Several factors impact the cooking time needed for air fryer chicken wings, including:
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Size of the wings: Drumettes, flats, and other small wings will cook faster than whole wings.
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Amount of wings – Cooking a large batch will increase cook time compared to just a few wings. Avoid overcrowding the air fryer basket.
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Preparation method – Pat wings dry before cooking for optimal crispness Marinating or coating with a wet batter will lengthen cook time
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Bone-in vs bone-out – Boneless wings cook faster with less time needed.
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Fried vs. thawed: Wings that are frozen take longer to cook. Thaw them first to cook them faster.
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Air fryer model – Larger capacity air fryers heat food faster than smaller models. Newer designs may also cook faster.
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Personal preference – Cook times can vary based on desired level of crispiness and doneness.
Keeping these factors in mind will help determine the ideal cook times for your specific batch of wings.
Best Practices for Air Frying Chicken Wings
Follow these tips for ensuring your air fried chicken wings turn out tasty and crisp:
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Pat wings dry all the way through. For crispy skin, you must dry the wings completely before cooking them. Wet or damp wings will steam instead of frying.
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Season as desired – Toss dried wings with oil and seasonings like salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, etc. Spice blends also work well.
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Preheat air fryer – Preheating for 3-5 minutes helps the air fryer recover heat faster after adding cold wings.
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Cook in a single layer – Avoid overcrowding for even cooking. Work in batches if needed.
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Flip wings halfway – Flipping the wings midway through ensures even browning and crispiness.
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Check temperature – Wings are done at an internal temperature of 165°F-175°F.
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Let rest before saucing – Allow wings to rest 5 minutes before tossing with any sauces to maintain texture.
Recommended Air Fryer Chicken Wing Cook Times
The recommended air fryer cook times for chicken wings depends on if you are cooking drumettes/flats or whole wings.
For Drumettes and Flats
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375°F for 14-18 minutes
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Flip once halfway through cooking
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Increase time by 2-3 minutes for frozen
For Whole Wings
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400°F for 18-22 minutes
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Flip once halfway through cooking
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Increase time by 3-5 minutes for frozen
These cook times are based on thawed, bone-in chicken wings cooked in a fully preheated air fryer without overcrowding. Cook times may need adjusting based on the size of your wings and your preferred level of crispness. Check wings early and adjust cook time if needed.
For extra crispy wings, you can coat them with a thin layer of cornstarch or potato starch before seasoning and air frying. This helps facilitate browning.
Monitoring Doneness
The best way to ensure your air fried wings are fully cooked but not overdone is to use a digital meat thermometer. Insert the probe into the thickest part of a wing down to the bone. Chicken wings are safely cooked and ready to eat at 165°F. For crisper wings, cook up to 175°F-180°F.
Visually, the wings will turn golden brown and become crispy on the outside when fully cooked. The meat will also pull away from the bone slightly. Undercooked wings will look pale or have soft spots.
Allow wings to rest 5-10 minutes before serving. The temperature will rise slightly as they cool. Toss with sauces or enjoy as is.
Troubleshooting Common Air Fryer Wing Issues
Wings not crispy? Double check wings are dried thoroughly before seasoning. Avoid overcrowding and preheat fryer. Increase cook time in 2-minute increments if needed.
Skin is leathery? Wings may be overcooked. Use thermometer and adjust cook time down.
Still pink inside? Wings are undercooked. Increase air fry temp 25°F if safe for appliance and cook 2-3 minutes longer.
Burn notice? Lower air fry temp 25°F-50°F if wings are browning too quickly. Use recommended cook times as a starting guide.
Air Fried Chicken Wings Taste Delicious
Cooking chicken wings in the air fryer results in wings that are crispy and flavorful without being greasy. Adjust cook times as needed to achieve your preferred level of doneness. Following proper preparation methods and monitoring with a thermometer ensures your wings turn out tender and delicious every time. Air fried wings make for the perfect appetizer or main dish!
How To Make Air Fryer Chicken Wings
- When it comes to chicken wings, 2 pounds is the right amount to feed everyone at your party. should feed around 4 people, and 1 lb. to feed about two more people, so figure out how many pounds you need based on your group’s size. Don’t want to buy by the pound? Three to four wings per person will do. Remember that you’ll need to cook the wings one at a time to make sure they get crispy.
- Cooking Spray: Spray nonstick cooking spray inside the chicken wings so the skin doesn’t stick to the air fryer.
- Hot Sauce: You can pick any hot sauce you like, but I like Frank’s Red Hot the best. If you don’t want Buffalo, try one of our other wing sauce recipes.
- Cream: To give our Buffalo sauce body and richness, we melt butter.
- Worcestershire Sauce: A little Worcestershire sauce gives our Buffalo sauce a tangy, smokey taste. This is something we don’t always put in our Buffalo sauces, so if you don’t have it, you can leave it out. I love how it adds another level of flavor.
- You could put garlic powder on our chicken wings, but I’m going to add some to the Buffalo sauce to make it taste even better.
Add your wings to a bowl, and season them well with kosher salt and pepper. Then, give them a toss to make sure they are coated evenly. Next, spray the inside of your air fryer with nonstick cooking spray to prevent any sticking.
Don’t crowd the basket when you put the wings in the air fryer; spread them out evenly. Cook at 380° for about 12 minutes. Flip the wings, then cook for 12 more minutes. Increase the heat to 400°, then cook for 5 minutes more to lock in that crispy exterior.
While they’re cooking, make your Buffalo sauce by combining melted butter, Buffalo sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder in a large bowl. Once your wings are done, add them to the bowl, and toss to fully coat. Serve with your desired sauce, and get to dipping!.
The full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe below.
- How to make crispy wings in the air fryer. If you want the crispiest wings possible, dry your chicken wings completely with paper towels before you season them. Even better, put your wings in the fridge without covering them for an hour or two before cooking them. For even crispier wings, cook them in an air fryer in a single layer. If you put too many wings in your basket, they won’t be as crisp or cooked evenly, which is something no one wants.
- If I use an air fryer, how long should I cook my wings? Mine were done in about 30 minutes. First, I heated the air fryer to 380° and cooked the wings for 12 minutes. Then I flipped them over and cooked them for another 12 minutes. Then I turn up the heat to 400° and cook for another 5 minutes to get perfectly crisp wings.
- Dipping sauces. While blue cheese is always a good choice, I would be remiss if I didn’t suggest that you make your own ranch dressing if you like ranch. The cool, sour taste of buttermilk and lots of fresh herbs go well with these wings.
How to make CRISPY Chicken Wings in an AirFryer
FAQ
How long should wings go in the air fryer?
Place the wings in the basket of a 3. 5-quart air fryer so they are not touching (if necessary to fit, line up the drumettes standing upright along the sides). It should be set to 360 degrees F. Cook for 12 minutes, then use tongs to flip the wings and cook for another 12 minutes.
How long to cook frozen chicken wings in air fryer?
How long to cook frozen chicken wings in the air fryer is between 20-30 minutes. This depends on the size of the wings, if they are precooked, raw, breaded, or not, the size, type and brand of air fryer used. Air fryer model and brand vary so cooking time can sometimes vary with a few minutes.
How do you air fry chicken wings?
The trick when you’re air-frying these is to either use a liner, or pour a little water into the base of the drawer. This will keep the fat from building up and smoking, which could change the taste of the wings. For a family meal, add some steamed rice or stir-fried noodles and a bowl of Chinese-style steamed greens. View recipe 05.
How long do you air Fry Buffalo wings?
Place the wings in a single layer (you’ll be able to fit about 3 whole wings at a time). Air fry at 250°F for 15 minutes, then increase the heat to high and air fry at 400°F for 15 minutes more. Turn the wings over halfway through each cooking time. Baked French Fries. Because Buffalo wings and fries are a match made in comfort food heaven.