Make super crispy air fryer chicken wings in 20 minutes with a homemade seasoning blend and optional buffalo sauce for crispy, tender, juicy chicken with savory, smoky, spicy, slightly sweet flavors!
If you want to achieve results that are almost as crispy as deep-fried chicken wings but with a fraction of the oil, then skip the oven and head straight to your air fryer. These crispy air fryer chicken wings are super tender and juicy in the middle, with extra crispy skin without tons of oil. The whole family will adore them!
Not only are the results fantastic, but the process of cooking chicken wings in an air fryer is super simple. It’s quick, too (up to 3x quicker than baking them).
Break the wings down if needed and season them. You can use my delicious homemade chicken seasoning for a perfect blend of savory, smoky, spicy, and slightly sweet. Then air fry to perfection in under 15 minutes.
If that’s not enough, I’ve even included a link to my simple buffalo sauce recipe. It makes for the perfect glaze or dipping sauce for what is about to become your new favorite chicken dish! Oven-baked chicken breast is my go-to for mid-week meals. But these air fryer wings are THE must-have on game days, potlucks, parties, and special occasions!
Why does air-frying chicken wings work so well? First, the smaller size makes for quicker cooking. Meanwhile, the circulating hot air surrounds the wings. It helps them to become super crispy (you’ll think they’re fried!) with minimal or even no oil, which is tricky in an oven.
Learning how to air fry wings is so simple you’ll never rely on restaurants for your wing fix again!
What’s In This Post
The Chicken Air Fryer Wings Ingredients
This crispy air fryer chicken wings recipe comprises just 3 main elements and an optional sauce to make delicious air-fried buffalo wings!
- Chicken wings: You can use wingettes, drumettes, or a combination of the two for these crispy air fryer chicken wings.
- Chicken seasoning: I used my homemade chicken seasoning. However, depending on if and what sauce you plan to serve the air fryer wings with, you may prefer to season them with a simpler combination of salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Flour: A small amount of flour dusted over the chicken wings will help to make for even crispier air-fried wings.
- Buffalo sauce: (Optional) For moreish air fryer buffalo wings, you’ll also need a store-bought or homemade buffalo sauce.
What Is the Best Seasoning for Air Fryer Chicken Wings?
This is down to personal taste. For this crispy air fryer wings recipe, I decided to combine my homemade chicken seasoning and some buffalo sauce. Buffalo chicken wings are my current obsessions.
When it comes to the dry rub seasoning, You could go as simple as salt and pepper. Alternatively, boost that with the addition of onion and garlic powder, paprika, and ginger powder. Otherwise, use other dry rubs, marinades, and sauces to fit your flavor preferences.
How to Make Crispy Chicken Wings in the Air Fryer
These are the best air fryer chicken wings I’ve ever had, and they’re so simple to prepare in just a few steps and minimal effort!
How to Cut Your Whole Chicken Wings into Portions
If you’re starting with whole wings, you can first follow my process on how to separate wings. All you need is a knife and chicken wings. Then easily cut them into wingettes, drumettes, and wing tips (the latter aren’t needed for this recipe).
How to Season Chicken Wings
Start by patting the chicken dry with paper towels. This is important for achieving crispier results AND for the dry rub to adhere without oil.
Then, transfer them to a large bowl/dish. Season with the dry rub, using your hands to rub it into the chicken wings.
Next, add the flour and toss well to evenly coat the wings with the flour.
How Long to Air Fry Chicken Wings
Transfer the seasoned chicken wings to your air fryer basket, using just a single layer at the bottom of your basket, with airflow between each piece.
It’s a good idea to prepare the basket with a light oil spray to avoid sticking.
Air fry the chicken wings for about 15 minutes at 380ºF/195ºC. When ready, the air fryer wings should be tender and juicy in the middle, with a crisp outer skin.
How to Air Fry Chicken Wings with Buffalo Sauce
If you plan to make buffalo hot wings (aka delicious spicy chicken wings), you can prepare homemade buffalo sauce while the wings air fry.
Once cooked, brush or dunk the wings with the buffalo sauce, and enjoy.
For more of a glaze, brush the buffalo sauce over the wings and broil them for 1-2 minutes. Then repeat with another layer of hot sauce, minus broiling.
Can You Cook Frozen Chicken Wings in an Air Fryer?
Air fryer frozen chicken wings are very simple to make and require just a bit more effort. Place the frozen wings (no need to worry about overcrowding at this point) in your air fryer basket and cook at 400ºF/200ºC for 10 minutes.
Then, transfer the now thawed wings to a large bowl (using tongs works best) and drain the excess liquid from the air fryer basket. Next, pat the wings dry and toss them with the chicken seasoning and flour.
How Long Do I Cook Frozen Chicken Wings in Air Fryer
Then return the wings to the air fryer. Cook them for 10-14 minutes until crispy outside, juicy in the middle, and at an internal temperature of 165°F / 74°C.
You can then toss them in your chosen sauce – I chose buffalo sauce, but Alabama white sauce, barbecue sauce, or garlic butter would work wonderfully, too!
Can You Freeze Cooked Chicken Wings?
These airfryer chicken wings freeze very well. Allow them to cool, then spread along a parchment-lined baking tray, not touching, to flash freeze until solid (2-3 hours). Once solid, transfer the chicken wings to a Ziplock or freezer safe container and store for up to 6 months.
What to Serve with Chicken Wings
Whether you decide to enjoy the air fried wings with only the dry rub or make crispy buffalo wings, both versions make for a delicious appetizer, main, or party food. They also pair well with blue cheese dressing or ranch dressing and celery and carrot sticks. They’ll also pair well with:
- BBQ sauce
- Fries or sweet potato fries
- Zucchini fries
- Baked sweet potato
- Corn on the cob
- A side salad
- Onion rings
- Creamy mashed potato
- Veggies like air fryer asparagus, broccoli and cauliflower, or green beans
- Pasta salad or potato salad.
FAQs
Chicken wings are ready when their internal temperature reaches 165ºF/74ºC. To test this, use a meat thermometer and insert it into the thickest part of the wings (like the meaty part of the drumette). Avoid touching any bones, as it can cause inaccurate readings.
If you’re making multiple batches of these air fryer chicken wings, I recommend bringing the internal temperature to around 150ºF/66ºC. The residual heat should continue to cook them to 165ºF. Then you also can place all the batches back into your air fryer to reheat for just a minute or two before serving. No need to worry about overcooking them.
It’s unnecessary and may even compromise the flavor, so I don’t recommend doing so.
Overcooked chicken will become dry and tough.
This is likely because you’ve crowded the air fryer basket. So the wings didn’t have enough space for the hot air flow to surround the pieces and crisp up the skin.
For this buffalo chicken wings recipe, I seasoned the chicken with a dry rub when air frying them. Then used the buffalo sauce as a dipping sauce/glaze for serving (so anyone who isn’t a fan of spice can skip it).
It is possible but takes significantly longer, and the results aren’t as crispy. To do so, preheat the oven to 400ºF/200ºC and bake the wings spread across a baking tray for 45-60 minutes. Flip the wings after 25-30 minutes.
Then baste the wings in the buffalo sauce and broil for 1-2 minutes, repeat, and enjoy!
Yes, it’s fine to make chicken wings in an airfryer without flour, but I find the skin will lose some crispiness that way. Alternatively, skip the flour but add a small amount (about 1 teaspoon) of baking powder to the seasoning. That will help make the skin super crispy.
Top Tips for Extra Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings
- Always pat the chicken dry: Even better, if you have time, leave the wings uncovered in the fridge for an hour or two before seasoning them. This will allow the skin to dry out, making it crispier once cooked, for the best air fryer wings.
- Don’t overcrowd the basket: Otherwise, the chicken skin will steam and not become perfectly crispy wings. Cook in batches if necessary.
- Use a little oil: You don’t technically need oil when air frying chicken wings. But spraying a small amount over the seasoned and floured chicken encourages extra crispy results.
- The cooking time may need adjusting: Based on the size of the wings and the batch size. I prefer to cook the wingettes and drumettes separately, as the latter can take slightly longer to cook through entirely.
- Air fryer oven times will differ: If you have a full-sized air-fryer combi oven, the cooking times will take longer. Why? The cooking space is much larger, so keep an eye on them and have a meat thermometer handy.
More Chicken Recipes
- Crispy Fried Chicken Breast
- Whole Roasted Chicken – Air Fryer or Oven
- Baked Chicken Breast
- Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Tenders (From Scratch)
If you try this easy crispy air fryer chicken wings recipe (air fried buffalo wings), I’d love to hear your thoughts. I’d appreciate a recipe card rating below, and feel free to tag me in your recipe recreations on Instagram @Alphafoodie!
Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 1.6 lb chicken wings wingettes, drumettes, or both
- 1 tablespoon chicken seasoning
- 1 tablespoon flour all-purpose
- 1/4 cup buffalo sauce optional
Suggested Equipment
Instructions
- If you're starting with whole wings, you can first follow my process on how to separate wings into wingettes, drumettes, and wing tips (the latter aren't needed for this recipe).
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. This is important for achieving crispier results AND for the dry rub to adhere without oil.
- Transfer the chicken to a large bowl/dish and season with the dry rub, using your hands to rub it into the chicken wings.Add the flour and toss well to evenly coat the wings with the flour.
- Transfer the seasoned chicken wings to your air fryer basket, adding just enough for a single layer at the bottom of your basket, with airflow between each piece.It's a good idea to prepare the basket with a light oil spray to avoid sticking.
- Air fry the chicken wings for about 15 minutes at 380ºF/195ºC. When ready, the air fryer wings should be tender and juicy in the middle, with a crisp outer skin.
How to Make Air Fried Buffalo Wings
- If you plan to make buffalo hot wings (aka delicious spicy chicken wings), you can prepare homemade buffalo sauce while the wings air fry.Once cooked, brush or dunk the wings with the buffalo sauce, and enjoy.For more of a glaze, brush the buffalo sauce over the wings and broil them for 1-2 minutes, then repeat with another layer of hot sauce.
Storage Instructions
- Store: Once cooked, allow the crispy buffalo wings to cool (no longer than 2 hours after baking), then store the chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.Reheat: To reheat the wings in an air fryer, you can just pop them back in at 380ºF/195ºC for 2-3 minutes.Freeze: Allow them to cool, then spread along a parchment-lined baking tray, not touching, to flash freeze until solid (2-3 hours). Once solid, transfer the chicken wings to a Ziplock or freezer-safe container and store them for up to 6 months. To reheat frozen pre-cooked wings, I recommend air frying them at 400ºF/200ºC for between 16-20 minutes or until warmed through.
Notes
- Always pat the chicken dry: Even better, if you have time, leave the wings uncovered in the fridge for an hour or two before seasoning them. This will allow the skin to dry out, making it crispier once cooked, for the best air fryer wings.
- Don’t overcrowd the basket: Otherwise, the chicken skin will steam and not become perfectly crispy. Cook in batches if necessary.
- Use a little oil: While you don’t technically need oil when air frying chicken wings, spraying a small amount over the seasoned and floured chicken can help encourage extra crispy results.
- The cooking time may need adjusting: Based on the size of the wings and the batch size. I prefer to cook the wingettes and drumettes separately, as the latter can take slightly longer to cook through entirely.
- Air fryer oven times will differ: If you have a full-sized air-fryer combi oven, the cooking times will take longer as the cooking space is much larger, so keep an eye on them and have a meat thermometer handy.
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