These extra Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings come together in just 30 minutes! Seasoned with garlic powder, cayenne pepper and more, this recipe produces perfect chicken wings with minimal effort. Gluten-free, keto, paleo, low carb and Whole30 compliant.
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Easy Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Looking for some easy crowd favorite appetizers? These Air Fryer Chicken Wings are definitely up there. They’re spicy, savory and super delicious. But not everyone wants to serve deep fried food for a family dinner.
This recipe gives you the best of both worlds – delicious fried chicken without all the oil! All you need is your air fryer and half an hour to make it happen. So grab your favorite ranch and get ready for the best weeknight appetizer for game day, parties or busy weeknight dinners.
Looking for more ways to spice up your chicken? Use our Chicken Marinade with 6 delicious flavors next!
Why Use an Air Fryer for Chicken Wings
You may be wondering how it’s possible to cook chicken that has an ultra crispy skin, but stays super juicy and tender on the inside. The anwswer is the Air Fryer! Not only does it excel at cooking the chicken, but it’s also a much healthier process than traditional methods of frying.
The Air Fryer reduces calorie content by up to 80%, and air-fried food contains far less fat than its pan-fried counterparts. Plus, there’s no aimless loitering by the stove or close contact with hot oil. So grab out your Air Fryer and go make this delicious fried chicken!!!
Don’t have chicken wings? Try our Air Fryer Drumsticks, Air Fryer Chicken Thighs and Air Fryer Chicken Tenders or Air Fryer Chicken Breast next!
What You’ll Need
All you need for these flavorful chicken wings are the meat, some spices and a little bit of oil. I like to serve mine with ranch dressing and chopped veggies, too!
- Chicken Wings: Flats and drumettes separated.
- Avocado Oil: Or olive oil.
- Coarse Sea Salt: Or kosher salt, to taste.
- Garlic Powder: For flavor.
- Onion Powder: For more flavor!
- Cayenne Pepper: Or smoked paprika.
- Freshly Cracked Black Pepper: To taste.
- Fresh Chopped Parsley: For garnish.
Optional for serving:
- Ranch Dressing: Or blue cheese dressing. We like Primal Kitchen since it’s made with ingredients that are all gluten-free, low carb, keto, paleo and Whole30 compliant.
- Chopped Veggies: Serve your wings with chopped celery and carrots, if desired.
Can You Put Frozen Wings in the Air Fryer?
Only have frozen wings on hand? No problem! You can pop them right into your air fryer without even thawing them out. Just cook them for an extra 5 minutes or so. If the wings are stuck to each other from being frozen, gently shake the air fryer basket a few minutes into the cook time to separate them.
How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Now that we’ve gone over the ingredients, let’s talk about the recipe itself. In short, it couldn’t be simpler! Be sure to watch the video below and follow the step-by-step instructions and photos to see how to make the best homemade wings:
- Heat Air Fryer: If your air fryer requires preheating, preheat it to 390°F, as needed.
- Season Wings: Pat the wings dry on both sides with paper towels. Drizzle them with oil, then sprinkle them evenly with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and cayenne (or smoked paprika).
- Place in Air Fryer: Working in batches (depending on the size of your air fryer), place the wings in the air fryer basket in a single layer, making sure they are not crowding or overlapping.
- Cook: Cook at 390°F for 12 minutes, then remove the basket and use tongs to flip the wings. Cook again for 10-12 minutes, until the wings are golden brown or once they’ve reached your desired crispiness.
- Serve & Enjoy! Transfer the wings to a serving platter and sprinkle them with coarse salt and chopped fresh parsley. Serve with desired sauce and veggies.
Tips for Success
Want some secrets for making your wings extra crispy? I’ve got you covered! These are all my tips for the best air fryer chicken wings.
- Pat the Wings Dry: Patting the wings dry with a paper towel before adding your seasonings will help them get ultra crispy in the air fryer.
- Season to Taste: Feel free to adjust the seasonings you use according to your tastes. If you want milder wings, use less cayenne pepper. If you want spicier wings, add a little extra.
- Don’t Crowd the Air Fryer Basket: Work in batches if your air fryer isn’t big enough to fit all the wings with ample room. If they’re crowding or overlapping, they won’t cook as evenly or get as crispy.
- Flip the Wings: Speaking of evenly cooked, crispy wings, don’t forget to flip them about halfway through the cooking process.
Serving Suggestions
This appetizer isn’t hard to pair with other dishes. If you need some ideas, I highly recommend any of the following!
- Serve with Mac & Cheese: When people think of chicken wings, they typically think of comfort food like this Macaroni and Cheese! Our easy recipe is made in just one pot.
- Pair with Crispy French Fries or Sweet Potatoes: Crispy chicken wings, Air Fryer Fries and Crispy Sweet Potato Fries are a match made in heaven. Three healthy appetizers are better than one!
- Serve with Vegetable Pasta: These wings are a wonderful starter to serve with Baked Feta Pasta. Both come together quickly and easily, and both taste incredible. Talk about a family favorite meal!
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
These wings are easy to store and reheat later so you can make a double batch for meal prep. They’ll last for up to 3 days if kept in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat them, place them in a 350°F air fryer for 5 minutes. Then, raise the temperature to 390°F and cook for a few more minutes, until crispy.
Can I Freeze Chicken Wings?
Yes! These freezer-friendly chicken wings are amazing for long-term meal prep.
First, place the cooled chicken wings in a single layer on a cookie sheet and freeze them for 30 minutes. Then, transfer the wings to an airtight container or freezer bags and store them for up to 2 months. Thaw out frozen chicken wings in the fridge before reheating.
More Air Fryer Recipes to Try
Looking for more healthy air fryer recipes? Be sure to read our guide for How to Use An Air Fryer and try the recipes below:
These extra Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings come together in just 30 minutes! Seasoned with garlic powder, cayenne pepper and more, this recipe produces perfect chicken wings with minimal effort. Gluten-free, keto, paleo, low carb and Whole30 compliant.
- 1 lb chicken wings flats and drumettes separated
- 1 tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
- 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt kosher salt, to taste
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper or smoked paprika
- freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- fresh chopped parsley for garnish
- ranch dressing for serving
- chopped celery and carrots for serving
If your air fryer requires preheating, preheat to 390°F, as needed.
Pat the wings dry on both sides with paper towels. Drizzle with oil then sprinkle evenly with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and cayenne (or smoked paprika).
Working in batches (depending on the size of your air fryer), place the wings in the air fryer basket in a single layer, making sure they are not crowding or overlapping.
Cook at 390°F for 12 minutes, then remove the basket and use tongs to flip the wings. Cook again for 10-12 minutes, until golden brown or to desired crispiness.
Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle with coarse salt, chopped fresh parsley and serve with desired sauce and veggies.
Yvonne -
these were so yummy 🙂 Wings are my favorite. thanks for the recipe.