• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • About
  • Cookbooks
  • Shop

Chili Pepper Madness logo

  • Recipe Index
  • RECIPES BY TYPE
    • BBQ/Grilled
    • Burgers
    • Chicken Wings
    • Chili
    • Curry
    • Dehydrator
    • Game Day
    • Hot Sauces
    • Jalapeno Poppers
    • Marinades
    • Pickling
    • Preserving
    • Quick and Easy
    • Salsas
    • Sauces
    • Seasonings
    • Stuffed Peppers
    • Tacos
  • COOKING TIPS
  • Pepper Info
    • Chili Pepper Types
    • The Scoville Scale
    • Hottest Peppers in the World
    • Growing Chili Peppers
    • Preserving
    • Health Benefits
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Buy Plants & Seeds
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipe Index
  • All Recipes
  • Pepper Info
  • Chili Pepper Types
  • The Scoville Scale
  • Growing Chili Peppers
  • Preserving
  • Chili Pepper Health Benefits
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Cooking Tips
  • Cookbooks
  • Shop
  • About Us
×

Home » Air Fryer Chicken Wings

Air Fryer Chicken Wings

by Mike Hultquist · Sep 6, 2021 · 7 Comments

Jump to Recipe
Air Fryer Chicken Wings Recipe

This Air fryer chicken wings recipe makes the best super crispy chicken wings without the oil, much better than fried wings. Let's make some tonight!

Air Fryer Chicken Wings Recipe

Air Fryer Chicken Wings are So Crispy!

It's time for super crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings in the Chili Pepper Madness kitchen, my friends. If you've never made chicken wings in an air fryer, you may want to start after reading this recipe.

I may seem late to the party here, but I've had an air fryer for a long time. You may have been making air fryer wings for years by now, and I've seen numerous air fryer chicken wing recipes all over the blogosphere.

I always resisted throwing my own recipe into the ring, as I figured there are just so many recipes out there, but in reality, I get LOTS of questions on just about all of my chicken wing recipes with people asking, "Will this work in an air fryer?"

The answer is a resounding YES.

Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings with celery and ranch dressing

The truth is, air fryer wings are legit, my friends. Especially when you get the wings as dry as possible. I share my tips and process for doing this in the information below.

Your wings are done in about 30 minutes, and they really do come out very crispy, as if you had just pulled fried chicken wings from the deep fryer. I love this recipe because it is very easy to customize with your own seasonings, and you can toss them in your favorite sauce or just enjoy them on their own.

It may be time to get the air fryer, my friends. You'll want to keep one after trying these awesome wings.

Let's talk about how to make air fryer chicken wings, shall we?

Air Fryer Chicken Wings on a platter

Air Fryer Chicken Wings Ingredients

  • Chicken Wings. I am using fresh, not frozen chicken wings for this recipe, with the wing tips removed and separated. Cooking chicken wings from frozen in an air fryer is a different recipe and process with different cooking times.
  • Baking Powder. To help dry out the chicken wing skins.
  • Cajun Seasonings. You can use your own favorite seasoning blends as desired.
  • Salt and Black Pepper. To taste.
  • Vegetable Oil. To help with the "air frying" process. We're not deep frying here, but a bit of oil is needed. You can use other oils, like olive oil or peanut oil.
Air Fryer Chicken Wings on a plate, ready to serve

How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Wings - the Recipe Method

Dry the Chicken Wings. Pat the chicken wings as dry as you can with paper towels. 

Patting dry the chicken wings

Season the Chicken Wings. Set the chicken wings into a large bowl and coat the wings with the baking powder, Cajun seasonings, and salt and pepper, to evenly coat the skin. *See the Recipe Notes for information about crispier chicken wings.

Preheat the air fryer.

Seasoning the chicken wings

Air Fry at Low Temp. Oil the air fryer basket or trays with vegetable oil and set the seasoned chicken wings in a single layer into the air fryer basket. Air fry at 250 degrees F for 15 minutes. You may need to cook the wings in batches.

Flip and Air Fry at Higher Temp. Flip the chicken wings, then set the air fryer temperature to 400 degrees F. Air fry cook the wings for another 15-20 minutes, or to your desired crispiness. Internal temperature of chicken wings should reach 165 degrees F internally when measured with a meat thermometer.

Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings in the air fryer basket

Serve as Desired. Remove and serve. Toss with your favorite wing sauce! Serve with ranch or blue cheese dressing.

Boom! Done! Your air fryer chicken wings are ready to serve! Super crispy, aren't they? I told you this recipe was legit. It really it! No joke, these are some darned crispy chicken wings. I love it.

Air Fryer Chicken Wings in the air fryer basket

Recipe Tips & Notes

  • Dry the Chicken Wings. For the crispiest air fryer chicken wings, drying out the chicken wings skins is essential. Baking powder is a well-known ingredient used to help draw moisture from the skin, so it is best to let the chicken wings set at least a few minutes after seasoning, then pat a bit dry as needed. 
  • Refrigerate the Seasoned Wings for Better Results. I love to set my seasoned chicken wings into the refrigerator in a bowl for a few hours, or overnight, to let them dry out even further. This results in the most amazing crispy air fryer chicken wings every time.
  • Wing Sauce Options. You can't go wrong with a homemade Buffalo sauce, my friends! However, the sky is the limit when it comes to wings sauces. Simply toss your wings with your favorite hot sauce, or try my Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce, White BBQ Sauce, Nashville Hot Sauce, or this awesome Peri Peri Sauce recipe. Enjoy!
  • Blue Cheese or Ranch Dressing. Which do you prefer? This is the eternal argument! Haha, don't make me choose! We can't agree in our kitchen, either. Pick your favorite. Don't forget the celery sticks for dipping.
Air Fryer Chicken Wings ready to serve

How Long Do I Cook Chicken Wings in an Air Fryer?

Air fry your chicken wings for 30-40 minutes in an fryer for crispy air fried chicken wings. My favorite technique is to air fry them for 15 minutes at 250 degrees F, flip the wings, then air fry them for another 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees F, or until they are nice and crispy.

Storage Information

Store any leftover chicken wings in the refrigerator in an airtight container. They will last up to 5 days this way.

That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy my air fryer chicken wings recipe. Let me know if you make it. I know they're going to be nice and crispy! I'd love to hear how you spiced them up!

Try Some of My Other Popular Chicken Wing Recipes

  • Traditional Buffalo Wings
  • Crispy Baked BBQ Chicken Wings
  • Sticky Habanero Glazed Chicken Wings
  • Grilled Chicken Wings with Alabama White BBQ Sauce
  • Grilled Jerk Chicken Wings
  • Smoked Chicken Wings
  • See all of my Chicken Wings Recipes

Try Some of These Other Air Fryer Recipes

  • Air Fryer Jalapeno Poppers
  • Air Fryer French Fries (Curly Fries)
Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings on a plate with celery and ranch dressing

Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.

Air Fryer Chicken Wings Recipe
Print

Air Fryer Chicken Wings Recipe

This Air fryer chicken wings recipe is legit - easy to make and super crispy chicken wings without the oil, much better than fried wings.
Save Recipe Saved!
Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chicken wings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Calories: 291kcal
Author: Mike Hultquist
Servings: 4
Tap or hover to scale
4.80 from 5 votes
Leave a Review

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds chicken wings wing tips removed and separated - fresh/thawed, not frozen
  • 2 tablespoons baking powder
  • 1 tablespoon Cajun seasonings - or use your favorite seasoning blend
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Instructions

  • Pat the chicken wings as dry as you can with paper towels.
  • Set the chicken wings into a large bowl and toss them with the baking powder, Cajun seasonings, and salt and pepper, to evenly coat the skin. *See the Recipe Notes for information about crispier chicken wings.
  • Oil the air fryer basket with vegetable oil and set the seasoned chicken wings into the air fryer basket in an even layer. Air fry at 250 degrees F for 15 minutes.
  • Flip the chicken wings, then set the air fryer temperature to 400 degrees F. Air fry for another 15-20 minutes, or to your desired crispiness. Internal temperature of chicken wings should reach 165 degrees F internally when measured with a meat thermometer.
  • Remove and serve. Toss with your favorite wing sauce!

Notes

*For the crispiest air fryer chicken wings, drying out the chicken wings skins is essential. Baking powder is a well-known ingredient used to help draw moisture from the skin, so it is best to let the chicken wings set at least a few minutes after seasoning, then pat a bit dry as needed. 
Refrigerate the Seasoned Wings for Better Results. I love to set my seasoned chicken wings into the refrigerator in a bowl for a few hours, or overnight, to let them dry out even further. This results in the most amazing crispy air fryer chicken wings every time.
Toss your wings with your favorite hot sauce or wings sauce, or enjoy them as they are!

Nutrition Information

Calories: 291kcal   Carbohydrates: 4g   Protein: 23g   Fat: 21g   Saturated Fat: 6g   Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g   Monounsaturated Fat: 8g   Trans Fat: 1g   Cholesterol: 94mg   Sodium: 96mg   Potassium: 837mg   Fiber: 1g   Sugar: 1g   Vitamin A: 1042IU   Vitamin C: 1mg   Calcium: 279mg   Iron: 2mg
Air Fryer Chicken Wings Recipe
Did You Enjoy This Recipe?I love hearing how you like it and how you made it your own. Leave a comment below and tag @ChiliPepperMadness on social media.

Categories: Appetizers Tags: air fryer, Chili Pepper Madness, chili pepper recipe, patty's favorites, tailgating

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




  1. Damien C. says

    September 12, 2021 at 6:41 am

    5 stars
    This is the best way to make chicken wings in an air fryer, very easy. Another winner, Mike. Thank you again.

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      September 12, 2021 at 6:41 am

      Thanks, Damien!!

      Reply
  2. Pamela says

    September 11, 2021 at 7:11 am

    4 stars
    Would love it if you included a widget, or whatever, to convert weights and measures to metric, for all your international readers. Thanks, Pamela, Australia.

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      September 12, 2021 at 6:42 am

      5 stars
      I've been waiting for such a plugin. I hope to get one soon! Much appreciated for the comment.

      Reply
  3. Nick says

    September 06, 2021 at 10:01 pm

    I love air fryer wings!!
    I use a chipotle mesquite bbq on mine then toss them in a honey sriracha sauce.

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      September 13, 2021 at 5:58 am

      So good!

      Reply
  4. John says

    September 06, 2021 at 11:45 am

    5 stars
    Banging

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

ALL. SPICY. RECIPES. Hi, I’m Mike and I LOVE Spicy Food! Say goodbye to bland and boring food with my easy-to-follow recipes. Let’s get cooking!

More about me →

Mexican
Cajun
Sauces
Seasonings

5 ESSENTIALS FOR SPICY COOKING

Subscribe and receive my FREE email series with tips for spicy cooking and new Recipes

Order The Spicy Food Lovers' Cookbook by Mike Hultquist

AMAZON / BARNES & NOBLE / INDIEBOUND / BOOKS A MILLION

Order The Spicy Dehydrator Cookbook by Mike Hultquist

AMAZON / BARNES & NOBLE / INDIEBOUND

Most Popular Recipes

  • Bang Bang Chicken
  • Jamaican Curry Chicken
  • Mexican Birria Recipe
  • Homemade Blackening Seasoning
  • Michelada Recipe - Spicy Mexican Beer and Tomato Juice Cocktail
  • Pollo Guisado Recipe (Chicken Stew)

Footer

NEVER MISS A RECIPE

Receive my "5 Essentials for Spicy Cooking" email series & new recipes

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

↑ back to top

About | Contact | Travel-Food | Stories | Privacy | Disclaimer | © 2022 Chili Pepper Madness

EXCLUSIVE MEMBER OF MEDIAVINE FOOD