Air Fryer Chicken Wings
These air fryer chicken wings come out shatteringly crispy on the outside and insanely juicy on the inside, and the best part is that your air fryer does almost all the heavy lifting for you.
Equipment
- Air fryer - Basket-style air fryer with at least 5-quart capacity recommended for 2 lbs of wings
- Large mixing bowl
- Paper towels
- Instant-read meat thermometer
- Kitchen tongs
- Small saucepan
- Non-stick cooking spray
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken wings - 900g, split into drumettes and flats
- 1 tablespoon olive oil - 15ml
- 1 teaspoon baking powder - Aluminum-free essential, such as Rumford
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 0.5 teaspoon onion powder
- 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
- 0.75 teaspoon salt
For the Buffalo Sauce
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter - 60g, melted
- 0.33 cup Frank's RedHot Original Sauce - 80ml
- 1 tablespoon honey - to balance the heat
For Serving (Optional)
- Blue cheese dressing - for dipping
- Ranch dressing - for dipping
- Celery sticks
- Carrot sticks
Instructions
- Pat wings completely dry with paper towels, pressing firmly to remove all surface moisture.
- Toss wings with olive oil in a large mixing bowl, then coat thoroughly with baking powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, black pepper, and salt.
- Preheat air fryer to 400°F and lightly spray the basket with non-stick cooking spray.
- Arrange wings in a single layer in the basket, skin-side up, without overcrowding.
- Cook wings at 400°F for 10-12 minutes, then flip each wing carefully with tongs.
- Cook for another 8-10 minutes until golden brown and crispy, ensuring internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- While wings cook, melt butter in a small saucepan, then whisk in hot sauce and honey until glossy and combined. Keep warm.
- Rest cooked wings for 3-5 minutes, then transfer to a bowl, pour sauce over, and toss to coat thoroughly. Serve immediately with dressing and celery sticks.
Notes
- Essential: Use aluminum-free baking powder (like Rumford) to avoid metallic or bitter taste on the skin.
- Dry thoroughly: Pat wings as dry as possible with paper towels. Surface moisture creates steam and prevents crispiness.
- Avoid overcrowding: Wings should not touch or overlap in the basket. Cook in batches if needed.
- Rest before saucing: Let wings rest 3-5 minutes after cooking to allow juices to redistribute and skin to firm up.
- Extra crispiness tip: For maximum crunch, refrigerate seasoned wings uncovered on a wire rack for 1-2 hours (or overnight) before cooking.
- Adjust cooking time: Smaller wings may need only 16 minutes; larger party-style wings may need up to 25 minutes. Always use a meat thermometer.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
- Reheating: Reheat in the air fryer at 400°F for 4-6 minutes, flipping once halfway. Avoid the microwave, which makes skin rubbery.
- Variations: Try honey BBQ, garlic parmesan, lemon pepper, Korean-style, or Cajun seasoning instead of buffalo sauce.
- Frozen wings: Cook frozen wings directly in the air fryer, adding 10-12 minutes to total cook time and checking internal temperature carefully.