Air Fryer Chicken Wings
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Make the most juicy, flavorful Air Fryer Chicken Wings with this easy recipe. The wings are covered in a flavorful dry rub, then cooked in an air fryer to make the best wings ever in just 20 minutes! Serve them with buffalo sauce, ranch dressing or blue cheese for the ultimate wing experience!
Table of contents
When it comes to wings, I’m very particular! I want them fall-off-the-bone tender, juicy and flavorful. Luckily, these wings are all of those things and more!
The secret to my air fryer chicken wings? Using this chicken wing seasoning as a dry rub. It’s seriously a game changer when it comes to making wings! It’s smoky, spicy and so flavorful!
Crazy enough for someone that’s been called “the queen of buffalo sauce”, I actually don’t even think these wings need to be tossed in sauce! The dry rub is so good, these wings are perfect straight out of the air fryer. Of course, dipping them in buffalo sauce, ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing is never a bad idea!
Once you make these air fryer chicken wings, you’ll be hooked! This is seriously my favorite way to cook chicken wings and I certainly will never go back to baking wings in the oven. The air fryer makes perfect crispy wings in half the time of the oven! It’s so easy and the results are so delicious. The inside is tender and juicy, while the skin on the outside is crispy and flavorful. You have to give this recipe a try!
Ingredients
- Chicken wings – I recommend purchasing “party wings” which contain both the drumettes and the wingettes or “flats”, already separated. Otherwise, if you purchase whole chicken wings, you’ll have to separate the drummette, wingette and tips yourself. The wing tips are mostly cartilage, bone and skin, so you can either discard them, or toss them in the freezer to use for chicken stock at a later date.
- Olive oil – or another neutral flavored oil, like canola, avocado or vegetable oil.
- Chicken wing seasoning – the real star of the show is this seasoning blend. Made up of 6 simple spices that you probably already have in your pantry, including salt, chili powder, smoked paprika, onion powder and garlic powder. You can adjust the amount of cayenne pepper in the seasoning mix, depending on which spice level you like your wings. It’s easy to mix up in 5 minutes and can be stored in the pantry for up to 6 months. Mix up a big batch, and you’ll have it on hand anytime you want wings!
- Buffalo wing sauce – this ingredient is optional. Once the air fryer wings are cooked, you can toss them in the sauce, or eat them straight from the air fryer. The rub adds so much flavor, these wings are delicious dry or sauced. You can also serve the sauce on the side for dipping, instead of tossing the wings in the sauce.
Instructions
I’ve included step by step photos below to make this recipe super easy to follow at home. For the full detailed recipe instructions, ingredient quantities and step by step video, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Dry the chicken wings. This step is super important to achieve a crispy skin on the outside of the wings. Wet wings will not crisp up. I like to lay the wings out in an even layer on paper towels, then use another paper towel to pat them completely dry.
- Season the wings. Place the dry chicken wings on a cutting board. Drizzle a light layer of olive oil over the chicken wings and rub the oil into the wings. Sprinkle the wings evenly with the chicken wing seasoning (click link for the recipe). Rub it onto all sides of the chicken wings until they’re fully covered in the seasoning.
- Add the wings to an air fryer. Place the wings in an air fryer basket in a single layer. It’s very important that each wing has space around it, so that the air can circulate around the wings and get them crispy. I can fit 9 average-size wings, with plenty of space around each wing, in my 5.8 quart air fryer basket.
- Cook the wings. Set the air fryer to 400°F for 10 minutes. Remove the basket from the air fryer, flip the wings, then continue to air fry the wings for an additional 8 minutes at 400°F.
Once the wings are cooked, either serve them immediately, or immediately toss them in your favorite wing sauce, like buffalo sauce. Add the wings to a large bowl, pour in the sauce and use tongs to toss the wings until they’re fully coated in the sauce. I recommend 1/4 cup sauce for 1 pound of wings. Make sure the sauce is room temperature or warm. If you toss the cooked wings in cold sauce, it will cool down the wings.
Serve with blue cheese or ranch dressing as a dipping sauce. Or switch things up and try dipping them in this Roasted Garlic Dip (my favorite dipping sauce!) or Avocado Ranch Dressing.
Tips and tricks
- To double this recipe, you’ll need a large air fryer, or you’ll need to cook the wings in two batches. Other than that, simply double the amount of wings, olive oil and seasoning to make 2 pounds of air fryer wings.
- This recipe is dairy free and gluten free, using the ingredients shown above. Dip the wings in buffalo sauce or dairy-free avocado ranch to keep them dairy free.
- This recipe is also low carb and keto-friendly. Each wing contains only .1 net carbs, making it the perfect keto snack or appetizer!
- Store leftover air fried chicken wings in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat them in the air fryer at 400°F for 4 minutes. I recommend tossing reheated wings in buffalo sauce for maximum juicy, saucy flavor.
- Feel free to toss the wings in any sauce. While I love buffalo sauce, other sauces like bbq sauce, your favorite hot sauce, this Buffalo Wild Wings copycat garlic parmesan sauce, lemon pepper sauce, white bbq sauce, Carolina gold bbq sauce, or my general tso’s sauce, are all perfect for tossing with wings!
What to serve with them
Wings are delicious on their own, served with carrots and celery sticks for a tasty snack, or party appetizer. You can also make them part of an epic game day spread. Try serving them with any of these recipes!
Tools for this recipe
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Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken wings, party wings – separated drums and flats
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon chicken wing seasoning, click link for recipe
- ¼ cup buffalo sauce, optional – for tossing with the wings
Instructions
- If the wings were frozen, make sure that they're fully defrosted and pat them completely dry (this will help them get a crispy skin on the outside.)
- Drizzle the olive oil evenly over the wings and rub the oil into the wings.
- Sprinkle the chicken wing seasoning evenly over the wings, then rub it onto all sides of the wings.
- Preheat an air fryer to 400°F.
- Place the wings in an even layer (not touching) in the air fryer for 10 minutes.
- Flip the wings and continue cooking for an additional 8 minutes.
- Remove the wings and toss with the buffalo sauce (if desired).
- Serve immediately with ranch or blue cheese dressing, if you’d like.
Video
Notes
- If tossing the wings in sauce, make sure the buffalo sauce is room temperature or warm. If you toss the cooked wings in cold sauce, it will cool down the wings.
- To double this recipe, you’ll need a large air fryer, or you’ll need to cook the wings in two batches. Other than that, simply double the amount of wings, olive oil and seasoning to make 2 pounds of air fryer wings.
- This recipe is dairy free and gluten free, using the ingredients shown above. Dip the wings in buffalo sauce or dairy-free avocado ranch to keep them dairy free.
- Store leftover air fried chicken wings in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat them in the air fryer at 400°F for 4 minutes. I recommend tossing reheated wings in buffalo sauce, after removing them from the air fryer, for maximum juicy, saucy flavor.
Nutrition Facts
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