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What’s the great thing about air fryer chicken wings? Wings are one of those fried recipes that’s difficult to replicate in the oven. So if you’re looking for a healthier way to eat chicken wings, the air fryer method is your best bet. That’s because the speed and temperature of the air circulating in the air fryer create very crisp skin that you can’t get in an oven.
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I never cooked chicken wings until I saw my son devour them at a restaurant once. Then I figured I should find a way to make them homemade and, albeit, healthier. I love the air fryer method of making chicken wings. They come out perfectly crisp on the outside while juicy and tender on the inside. And there’s no breading necessary, so the recipe is low carb and gluten-free.
I made the chicken wings today! I made them exactly as your recipe stated, except I used smoked paprika instead of regular. The timing of cooking the chicken wings were perfect! Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside. Fell off from the bone. I warmed up some sugar free bbq sauce and added Sriracha, and coated the wings with the warmed sauce once the wings were done. They were the best chicken wings my husband and I have ever had!! We both agree the wings were a ton better than BW3, and this is coming from BW3 wing connoisseurs. My husband said he didn’t want dinner to end. Thank you so so much for the recipe!! – Tkegs
Why make wings in the air fryer?
If you haven’t tried wings in the air fryer yet, give these a try. They are seriously the best!
I like to cook chicken wings in an air fryer mainly because of the reduced cook time. They take less than 20 minutes to cook and come out perfectly crispy and juicy. They require much less oil, but they taste just like deep fried. The prep time is minimal and the cooking is hands off.
Ingredients you will need
- Non-stick cooking spray: To spray the air fryer basket
- Chicken wings: Split into flats and drummettes. Use free run or organic if you can.
- Marinade: Olive oil, paprika, garlic powder salt and pepper.
- To serve: Chopped parsley and ranch dressing.
How to air fry chicken wings
Marinate the chicken wings with the seasoning and olive oil; substituting according to your taste. You can even add some hot sauce to the marinade. Let it rest for at least 30 minutes.
Place the wings in the air fryer so that they are not touching. You’ll want to cook them for 10 minutes and then increase the temperature and cook until they are golden brown. I used a pound of chicken wings and they fit just fine in my air fryer.
When they come out of the air fryer, you can enjoy them as is. You can also toss them in hot sauce, or hot sauce and melted butter or a store-bought buffalo sauce. I prefer keeping the chicken wings not spicy since my son enjoys them so much!
First time making chicken wings, always thought they were difficult to make. Was I WRONG! Not with this recipe!! My husband (of 53 years) who has never shown interest in cooking not even boiling an egg, said the next time he’ll make them. Thank you for an easy, fast, tasteful wonderful recipe. –Oliva
Tips for making this recipe
- Pat dry the chicken wings dry before marinating them. This will remove any excess moisture and help them get nice and crispy.
- Line up the chicken wings standing upright along the sides of the air fryer. If necessary, this is a good trick to fit them in the air fryer basket. It won’t affect how they’re cooked and allows you to fit more in at once.
- Be sure to increase the temperature of the chicken wings during the last few minutes of cooking. You can use the same temperature throughout to make it easier, but I found this tip makes them crisper.
- Don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket. This fried chicken wings recipe is easily doubled, but you may need to cook the wings in two batches so they’re not touching in the basket.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can, but it will take longer and the results may vary. To make the chicken wings in the oven, bake them at 425˚F for 35-45 minutes, flipping them halfway through.
These wings are best enjoyed as soon as they are cooked. If you have any leftovers, keep them in an airtight container in the fridge. You can reheat cooked chicken wings in an air fryer at 360°F for 4 minutes or in the microwave until heated through. Only reheat the chicken wings once and enjoy them in one sitting.
You can freeze the fried chicken wings recipe. Let them cool to room temperature and freeze them on a baking sheet before transferring to a freezer safe container. Thaw the wings in the fridge overnight before reheating in the air fryer or oven.
From start to finish, these chicken wings are ready to serve in less than 25 minutes. They are super quick to prep and require 16 to 18 minutes of cooking time when cooked at 380F.
I’m so happy we enjoy chicken wings without the need for deep frying them! These crispy air fryer wings are tender and juicy without taking up too much time to make in an oven.
For more air fryer recipes:
- Pickle Brined Chicken Tenders
- Air Fryer Chicken
- Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
- Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
- Air Fryer Potatoes
- Air Fryer Avocado Fries
- Shrimp in Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Salmon
More chicken recipes:
- Chicken Broccoli Casserole
- Pan Seared Chicken Thighs
- Chicken Meatballs with Marinara
- Pickle Brined Chicken Tenders
If you’ve tried this healthy Air Fryer Chicken Wings recipe or any other recipe on FeelGoodFoodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!
Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Video
Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking spray for air fryer basket
- 1 pound chicken wings split into flats and drummettes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Chopped parsley for serving
- Ranch dressing for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 380°F. When heated, spray the basket with cooking spray.
- Pat the chicken wings dry. Then transfer them to a large bowl. Toss the wings with olive oil, paprika and garlic powder; then season with salt and pepper.
- Place the chicken wings in the air fryer so they are not touching. Cook for 10 minutes, then increase the temperature to 400°F, and cook until crisp and golden, about 6-8 more minutes.
- Garnish the chicken wings with parsley, and serve with ranch dressing on the side, if desired
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Girl… you did that!!
Follow the recipe as is and those wings were fire. Cooked perfectly crispy on the outside and juicy on inside. Thank you so much.
So glad to hear, thank you!
Just a quick question-
My air fryer is a multi rack type and not a basket.
Are the temperature(s) and time frames the same for either type of air fryer?
Thank you,
Kevin
Hi Kevin, great question! I have not tested this recipe in the newer air fyer/oven combos so I am not sure, but I would assume that both the temperature and the time are the same. If not then the time might be off by a few minutes
Very tasty 😋
Thank you so much!
Have made these but no true Buffalonian ever coats the wings and NEVER would use ranch dressing. Blue cheese only. That’s a hill I am willing to die on.
LOL love it, Nick!
not a fan of it
So sorry to hear that!
I made the chicken wings today! I made them exactly as your recipe stated, except I used smoked paprika instead of regular. The timing of cooking the chicken wings were perfect! Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside. Fell off from the bone. I warmed up some sugar free bbq sauce and added Sriracha, and coated the wings with the warmed sauce once the wings were done. They were the best chicken wings my husband and I have ever had!! We both agree the wings were a ton better than BW3, and this is coming from BW3 wing connoisseurs. My husband said he didn’t want dinner to end. Thank you so so much for the recipe!!
That’s perfect! I’m so glad to hear how much you enjoyed these.
Just made these wings tonight, and like another comment said, they’re the first wings I’ve ever made not in the oven, and I am just so thankful that I got a good deal on my air fryer and made the decision to get it for my anniversary 😆 my boyfriend loved this recipe, it tasted so amazing.
The only thing I changed was, rather than garlic powder, I only had garlic salt on hand, and then added a 1/4 teaspoon of ginger powder and a 1/4 teaspoon of cumin. And probably 1/4 or salt and pepper. Just wow. I had 2 lbs of wings, so only used half as per your recipe. Can’t wait to cook these wings again this week 😭
I loved the wings as is just with ranch, but made half the recipe with Sriracha and Tapitio hot sauce, my boyfriend absolutely loved it.
Thanks for the great recipe!
So glad you both enjoyed! Those seasonings sound delicious too. Hope you continue to love them!
Thanks for the recipe! I am excited to try it out tomorrow. Have you ever tried the recipe with avocado oil? It has a higher smoke point than olive oil so I’m wondering if this may be a better option. If so, will the cook time be correct, including increasing the heat? Thanks!
You’re so welcome! I can’t wait for you to give it a try! I have not tried this with avocado oil, but I think it will work at the same temperature.
First time making chicken wings, always thought they were difficult to make. Was I WRONG! Not with this recipe!!
My husband (of 53 years) who has never shown interest in cooking not even boiling an egg, said the next time he’ll make them.
Thank you for an easy, fast, tasteful wonderful recipe.
That’s perfect! I love that he is going to give this recipe a go too. You’re so welcome!
When deciding to do chicken wing air fryer recipe, I couldn’t pick between your recipe and Food Network Recipe. I ended up choosing yours, because, well, your recipes have NEVER let me down. These were a damn HIT!!! I added Frank’s Hot Sauce at the end. Thank you for all of your effort 🙂
So glad you loved it! You’re so welcome!
This is exactly how I have been doing my with Vortex Plus 4 Qt
But at the point where Vortex Plus instructs to turn food that is when yes I turn temp up to 400 deg F but I also cover wings with Frank’s Red Hot wing sauce and replace back to the basket to bake on to some degree
That sounds great too!
These came out so good!
That makes me so happy to hear!
Made these today for the Super Bowl and they came out perfect! Thank you!
Yay! I’m so glad to hear that!
Loved the recipe!!! The chicken was so tender and full of flavor.
I baked them in the oven and it turned so good as well.
Thank you so much!
Super simple. Time was spot on to get internal temp of 165f. Nice and crispy wings. I dipped mine in Tai Chili sauce. I used smoked paprika, nice flavor. Thank you.
Yay! So glad to hear it! Thank you!
Ever since I got an air fryer I have been searching for a recipe for wings. All of the other recipes I tried left my wings shriveled up and dried out. Thank you for giving the perfect cooking time for great wings!
Yes!! So glad to hear that!! Thank you!
The perfect wings! I LOVE THIS RECIPE! It makes the wings crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and cooked perfectly! So GOOD!
So glad to hear it! Thank you so much!
Just now tried your chicken wings in air fryer recipe and it was really soo good and tasty. It is more yummy than b-dubs which we buy outside. Must try!!!
Haha best compliment!! Thank you so much!!
We absolutely loved the recipe! Great idea to raise the temperature towards the end. Was the perfect amount of crisp ?❤️
Thank you!!
So glad to hear it. Thanks so much for sharing!
Another good recipe. A first time user of the air fryer. Thanks to you
The chicken wings did come out crisp on the outside, and tender .
So glad to hear it! Thank you!
Hi!
First time visitor. love the recipes!
Will definitely be trying this one on the weekend.
Interested to know how you managed to get the specific nutritional facts for the final cooked dish?
I’ve been told I need to start watching my diet…
Thanks!
Hi Ben – This is what I use to calculate the nutritional facts: https://spoonacular.com/food-api
It’s really helpful and it’s built into my site so I can get the info for all the recipe. Glad you’re liking the recipes. Let me know if you ever have any other questions!