Air Fryer Chicken Wings

Air Fryer Chicken Wings have ultra crispy skin, super tender meat, and are much healthier for you than a traditional recipe!  Learn how easy it is to cook wings in an air fryer with a few simple tricks – and a secret ingredient!  Once you master the basic recipe, you can serve them up at your next game day or Super Bowl party and watch them disappear!

Brace yourself.  Your mind is going to be BLOWN by how crispy these wings are.

Honestly, I had grown quite fond of baking wings in the oven (like these Parmesan Garlic Wings, Buffalo Chicken Wings, and Lemon Pepper Wings.)

I really didn’t think they could get much better or crispier without deep frying them in a bunch of oil.

But guys… don’t just settle for oven-baked wings.  Cooking your chicken wings in the air fryer is the WAY of the 21st century.

Ok, I admit, I may be a little enthusiastic here, but it’s not without reason.

Since making the first batch of air fryer wings we have since prepared them with many different seasoning and sauce variations.

All three of which I will go over with you below.

Ingredients

• Wings – You’ll need a pound and a half of wings or wing portions for this recipe.  (Also known as wingettes and drumettes.) Buying the pre-cut kind will save you a good bit of time so buy these if you can. Choosing between wingettes or drumettes is also up to you.  We like to mix-and-match ours. If you happen to buy the whole wings, you can learn how to cut chicken wings into portions.
• Oil – Just a little bit goes a long way when air frying!  Either olive or avocado oil will work well for this recipe.
• Starch – This is the secret ingredient that gets the wings extra crispy! Cornstarch is the easiest to find but arrowroot or tapioca starch can be substituted if you’d like to opt for a grain-free alternative.
• Garlic – Fresh garlic is best, but garlic powder may also be substituted.
• Salt and Pepper – Add the lesser amount and adjust to taste after cooking.

How to Make

Once you’ve got your ingredients, it’s time to start air frying.  Here are the basic steps for making Air Fryer Chicken Wings:

Whisk and Toss

Whisk together oil, crushed garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Make sure the bowl is large enough to fit all of the wings.

Add the wing portions and toss until they are completely coated. Any area that is not covered in the sauce will not get the secret ingredient to stick to it!

Sprinkle Starch

And now for the special ingredient… corn starch!! A little bit goes a long way, but don’t leave it out! Be sure to sprinkle the wings evenly with the powdery substance so every inch of the skin crisps up fully.

Toss between each addition so all of the skin is completely covered.

Air Fryer

Set a 6-quart Air Fryer to 375-380°F degrees and let heat up for at least 3 minutes.

Place the wings in a single layer in the air fryer basket, trying not to overcrowd them.  If using less than a 6-quart model, you may need to cook the wings in 2 batches in order to do this.

Cook chicken wings in the air fryer for 24 minutes, flipping or shaking the basket every 4-5 minutes.

Increase the air fryer temperature to 400°F and return the wings to the fryer for an additional 1-2 minutes for extra crispy wings.

Serve and Enjoy!

At this point you can either serve the chicken wings as is, or you can toss them in one of these sauces or seasoning mixes:

• Parmesan Garlic Wings:  Drizzle wings with melted butter and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and finely chopped fresh parsley.  Toss until well coated.
• Buffalo Wings: Toss wings in Buffalo Wing Sauce and serve with finely chopped fresh green onions.
• Teriyaki Wings: Toss wings in Teriyaki Sauce and serve with finely chopped fresh cilantro and roasted peanuts.

Dietary Modifications

While this recipe is already low-carb and dairy-free, there are a few other modifications you can make to make it fit your dietary requirements:

Keto – opt for a nut-based flour instead of the starch.

Gluten-Free – ensure you are using a certified gluten-free starch and sauce.

Paleo and Whole30 – choose a grain-free starch such as arrowroot or tapioca starch.

FAQs

Expert Tips and Tricks

• Starch Coating.  Using some type of starch gives the wings a super crispy coating that you just won’t get without it.  Some other recipes call for using baking soda.  You can substitute 1 tablespoon of this for the starch if you’d like.
• Not Overcrowding.  Placing the wings in a single layer in the air fryer ensures every part of the skin is exposed to the hot air.
• Shaking and Flipping.  Since the heat from an air fryer only comes from the top, it’s best if you shake and flip the wings around.  This helps every part of the wing to get exposed to the high heat and get extra crispy.
• Quick Broil at End.  Increasing the air fryer temperature and cooking the wings for a couple more minutes gives them a chance to really crisp up fully.
• Toss in Sauce after Air Frying.  If you add the sauce to the wings before air frying, they will have too much moisture on the skin and won’t have a chance to fully crisp up.

More Air Fryer Game Day Recipes

Let your Air Fryer do the magic for you while you watch the next game! Here are a few appetizers perfect for a football party:

Air Fryer French Fries

Air Fryer Blooming Onion

Chick-fil-a Nuggets

Air Fryer Onion Rings

Air Fryer Pickles

Air Fryer Zucchini Chips