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This air fryer chicken wings recipe is my favorite way to cook wings, because it’s the BEST way to get super crispy chicken wings! With just a couple simple ingredients and a few minutes of prep time, this air fryer recipe is as easy as it gets and as crispy as air fryer bacon, but also easy to customize with your favorite sauce. It’s perfect for game day, or (let’s be real) any day! Let me show you how to cook chicken wings in the air fryer perfectly — including the simple steps and a few key tips for the crispiest skin ever.
And if you don’t have an air fryer, you can easily make baked chicken wings or slow cooker chicken wings instead.
Why You’ll Love This Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings Recipe
- Juicy, flavorful, and tender chicken
- Super crispy skin
- Just 2 simple ingredients (plus salt and pepper)
- Only 5 minutes to prep
- Packed with tips for the best air fryer chicken wings ever – see below!
Ingredients & Substitutions
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for air fryer crispy chicken wings, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Chicken Wings – Buy them trimmed, or separate whole chicken wings at the joint (to make wingettes and drumettes) before cooking.
- Olive Oil – Although optional, olive oil helps the seasoning adhere to the wings better and gets them more crispy. Any neutral oil, such as avocado oil, also works.
- Baking Powder – This surprising ingredient makes CRISPY wings! This is because it soaks up extra moisture, helping to dry the skin. Be careful not to use baking soda by mistake, which won’t work and will have an aftertaste. Also, aluminum-free baking powder works best to avoid any aftertaste.
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper – For simple seasoning. See more flavor ideas below!
How To Cook Chicken Wings In The Air Fryer
This section shows how to make chicken wings crispy in the air fryer, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- Prep. Pat chicken wings very dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
- Season. In a large bowl, toss wings with baking powder, olive oil (if using), sea salt and black pepper.
- Arrange. Place chicken wings in the air fryer basket in a single layer, without overlapping. (Work in batches if needed.)
- Cook. Air fry the chicken wings for half the time (see times below).
- Turn. Flip the wings. Increase the air fryer temperature. Continue air frying until your crispy chicken wings are done.
How Long To Cook Chicken Wings In The Air Fryer?
Air fry chicken wings for 15 minutes at 250 degrees F first, then flip and air fry for 15-20 more minutes at 430 degrees F. The total time is 30-35 minutes.
Tips For The Best Air Fryer Wings
Use these foolproof tips to make delicious and crispy wings every single time.
- Let wings come to room temperature if you have time. This is not required, but letting them sit out for 20-30 minutes before cooking will help them cook more evenly.
- Dry the skin. Moisture is the enemy of crispy skin, so patting dry with paper towels helps you achieve maximum crispiness.
- Use the right salt ratio. A good rule of thumb for meat and poultry is a teaspoon of salt per pound of meat, but since chicken wings have mostly bones, only about 1/3 of their weight is actually meat. This air fryer chicken wing recipe is for 2 pounds of wings, which is about 11 ounces of meat, and that’s why I used 3/4 teaspoon of sea salt. Adjust accordingly if you make a bigger or smaller batch.
- Sprinkle baking powder on the skin. This is the main trick for extra crispy skin! Don’t skip it.
- Grease the air fryer if needed. Mine is pretty nonstick, but you can spray with cooking spray or brush lightly with olive oil before adding the wings if you like, for easier cleanup.
- Don’t crowd the air fryer basket. This ensures that the air can flow through and crisp up the skin. It’s okay if the wings touch a little, but try not to have their entire sides touching. If you have patience to have them not touching each other at all, even better.
- Start at low temperature, then increase heat. Cooking the wings at 250 degrees F first makes the meat super juicy, and increasing the heat layer gets them extra crispy.
- Flip and max out the heat. Flipping halfway through helps with even cooking as well, and increasing the heat is necessary to crisp up the skin on the outside.
- Check internal temperature. Crispy chicken wings is usually a sign that they are done, but the best way to know for sure is to use a meat thermometer. Confirm that the internal temperature reaches at least 165 degrees F, and make sure not to touch the bone when measuring.
Can You Cook Frozen Chicken Wings In The Air Fryer?
Yes, you can cook frozen wings in the air fryer. However, you’ll need to use the air fryer to quickly thaw them before seasoning.
Check out my frozen chicken wings in the air fryer post to learn how.
Seasoning Variations
Crispy wings in an air fryer are already flavorful plain, but you can also mix it up with a variety of seasonings or sauces:
- Simple Spices – Don’t want to make any special seasoning or sauce? Use basic spices like garlic powder or paprika to flavor wings.
- Lemon Pepper – Season with lemon pepper seasoning, or try my baked lemon pepper wings.
- Buffalo – Cook wings as written below, and finish by tossing in this buffalo sauce.
- Ranch – Skip the salt and season wings with dry ranch seasoning instead.
- Cajun – Skip the salt and season wings with Cajun seasoning.
- Garlic Parmesan – Cook wings as usual and toward the end, toss in the sauce from this garlic parmesan wings recipe. (Some Italian seasoning is also delicious with this one.)
No matter what seasoning or sauce you use, I recommend keeping the baking powder on the skin — it’s the key to super crispy skin
Storage Instructions
- Store: Keep leftover cooked wings in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
- Freeze: Place air fryer chicken drumettes and wingettes in an airtight container in the freezer for 2-3 months.
Can You Reheat Wings In The Air Fryer?
Yes, the fryer is a great way to reheat wings. Place leftovers in the air fryer basket, set the air fryer to 350 degrees F, and cook for about 5 minutes, or until hot.
What To Serve With Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Chicken wings are a delicious and easy way to cook up a tasty meal in no time. Here are some of my favorite pairings that will perfectly complement your crispy, flavorful wings!
- Dipping Sauces – Blue cheese dressing is a classic, and ranch dressing, sugar-free teriyaki sauce, or bbq sauce are always hits.
- Raw Veggies – Carrots and celery sticks are classic sides to crispy air fryer wings. You can also use cucumber, radishes, or bell pepper strips.
- Air Fryer Veggies – Serve the best air fryer chicken wings with a veggie like air fryer eggplant, air fryer brussels sprouts, or air fryer zucchini chips.
- Simple Salads – Veggie salads always pair well with wings! Try my creamy cucumber salad, coleslaw, or wedge salad.
- Other Appetizers – Serve wings with rotel dip, zucchini pizza bites, or Caprese salad skewers.
More Air Fryer Chicken Recipes
If you like these quick, easy, and crispy chicken wings, you might also like some of these other easy air fryer chicken recipes:
Recommended Tools
- Air Fryer – My favorite basket air fryer for all my air fryer recipes!
- Air Fryer Oven – If you want to make a bigger batch of wings, this version has a space for two racks.
Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Air Fryer Chicken Wings (Super Crispy!)
Learn how to cook the BEST chicken wings in an air fryer! This air fryer wings recipe includes tricks for crispy skin + seasoning ideas.
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Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see where to get them. Please turn Safari reader mode OFF to view ingredients.
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
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Pat the chicken wings very dry with paper towels. (This will help them get crispy.)
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In a large bowl, toss the wings with baking powder, olive oil (if using), sea salt and black pepper.
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Place the chicken wings in the air fryer in a single layer, without touching too much. (Cook in batches if they don't fit.)
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Air fry the chicken wings for 15 minutes at 250 degrees F. (If your wings are frozen, add an extra 10 minutes at this step.)
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Flip the wings over. Increase the air fryer temperature to 430 degrees F (or the highest your air fryer goes). Air fry for about 15 to 20 minutes, until chicken wings are done and crispy.
Last Step: Leave A Rating!
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Readers Who Liked This Easy Recipe Also Made:
Recipe Notes
Serving size: 4-6 chicken wings, or 1/4 of entire recipe
Nutrition info does not include the optional olive oil.
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
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207 Comments
Rosanne
0First thing I made in air fryer worth making again! TY
Phillip
0Cooked with your Instructions and my spices cumin, chili powder, garlic powder sea salt, and the baking powder, and thought they came out fantastic. Will use this method from now on thx a lot.
Ben
0I was pleasantly surprised how enjoyable these wings were! I added some Chinese five spice to the blend with a firecracker sauce… awesome wings! Crispy, juicy,tasty!
Raymond
0Just made these wings and they are great no sauce needed…. did dip in sriracha and it was amazing…. thank you for the recipe
Vince
0These air-fryers sometimes take some experimenting to get different foods cooked just right…Even when going by recipes in the included cookbook. Also, there are the “Preset” buttons for certain foods like chicken, fish, french fries, etc. The other thing is when you have an air-fryer that has different levels for the cooking racks. The top-level for braising and searing…The middle rack, basically, for best air-flow, which also possibly acts to virtually rotisserie food without having to fuss around with a spit… Then there’s the bottom level which pretty much serves as a way to bake food. Combine all of this with cooking-times and what to set the temperature at and things start to get quite interesting. Ultimately though, air-fryers serve as a great tool for cooking healthy meals quickly. I’ve had mine (Door with window) made by Faberware, for about 8 months now and I’m just having such much fun using it.
Lamar
0Thank you. This is the best chicken wing air fryer recipe that I have ever used. I have tried to cook wings in the air fryer for a long time and I have not come close to regular fried wings. This recipe was as close as I can possibly get to actual fried wings which were excellent! It took a little bit longer in time than I really wanted but the end result is perfect. I would give this recipe at 10 star if I could.
Cindi
0Um….YUM! I don’t usually comment but I HAD TO!
Rich
0Tried these recently…did not grease the basket or crisping tray in my Bella fryer. The baking powder and chicken fat combined to create deposits on the non-stick surfaces about the same hardness as concrete! No amount of scrubbing/soaking would remove them. Finally placed in dishwasher which resulted in removing the deposits AND the non-stick coating under each deposit. Spoke with Bella CS – not covered under warranty and they do not sell replacement parts – SOL 🙁 Will be using parchment paper in the future – lesson learned…
Gail
0Is gluten free powder necessary? just bought my air fryer and trying to learn.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Gail, Baking powder is a necessity in keto cooking, however, unless you are strictly clean keto it does not have to be gluten-free.
Paula
0My husband and I just made these wings. They are the best wings I have ever eaten! And we eat lots of wings. No more having to go out for wings.
I didnt even use a sauce, they were soooo good as is! Thank you for sharing. This will be a staple in our home!
Lisa
0When I buy fresh chicken, I wash them first. Do I let it dry first before I cook in the air fryer? Or is it ok to cook right away after I wash them?
Wholesome Yum
0Hi Lisa, you’ll want to thoroughly pat the chicken dry.
Anna
0I did this recipe however I could not eat the wings the taste was horrible… perhaps I put too much baking powder or baking powder was bad? Could either of these reason be possible?
Wholesome Yum
0Hi Anna, that could be possible. Is there also a chance you used baking soda instead of baking powder?
Tracey
0I am so grateful for your reply because I too experienced the worst tasting chicken I’ve ever had but they were beautiful in appearance. After reading through the comments and coming upon this one I realized I too mistakenly used baking soda instead of baking powder, LOL!!! Can’t wait to try this recipe again with the correct ingredient. Baking POWDER!!!
Amy
0I made these and they didn’t turn out at all but I used a Farberware Airfryer that just had the one basket. They never got crispy at all and I cooked them forever.
Wholesome Yum
0Hi Amy, did you arrange your wings in a single layer? They won’t get crispy if they are in more than one layer.
Diane
0The best wing recipe for an air fryer on Pinterest.
Excellent recipe.
Lorri
0Made these tonight for the first time. Oh my goodness! It won’t be the last time. They were incredible!!!!!
Steven
0I made this exactly as written, super good and crispy! I will tweak it a little next time by adding a little more salt and probably some paprika……other than that, cooking low first and high second is the ticket! My air fryer can only hold 8 pieces so this is definitely an appetizer recipe, I keep each batch warm in the oven at 170 degrees.
Zerra
0I never used the Baking Soda before in my AirFryer Chicken Wings… #GameChanger
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Zerra, I recommend using baking powder, not baking soda. The crispy effect will be similar, but with baking soda you might get that baking soda aftertaste.
Frank
0Hello, my Air fryer has recipes that say one of the ingredients is 1Tbsp of olive oil, where and how do you use it?
Wholesome Yum
0Hi Frank, you would probably coat the wings in oil before air frying them. This recipe needs no oil, though.
Laura
0Hi. Could you tell me how I would make these into dry lemon pepper wings? If it works the same as when I make them in the oven, I just pick the lemon pepper seasoning I prefer and coat them in the seasoning and bake in the oven. But, what about making them in my air fryer?
Thank you.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Laura, I would use the same recipe here (including the baking powder), and just add the seasoning you want in addition.
Melody
0Just made these in my GoWiseUSA air fryer!! Excellent! Crispy skin! Going to experiment with seasonings next time!
When I read the recipe and comments and saw the first comment with another Melody I knew that was my sign!!!
Melody
0I just bought an air fryer and tried this recipe for the first time! Best chicken wings I ever cooked!
Kathy
0The only issue I had was eating too many!! I am soooo picky and these are the best wings I’ve ever had! And I’m 59!
Jude
0HI. Some baking powders come with an arrowroot base vs corn starch. More suitable for those avoiding all grains or a corn intolerance. I’m pretry sure it”s the absorbent starch base that does the drying. Mean to experiment with a batch of wings comparing all 3 methods. Ta! ~Jude
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Jude! Would love to hear how that goes for you.
Katie
0I love this idea! So much healthier than frying them in oil, and the flavor is so good!!
Hope
0I so need to get an air fryer! These look so tasty!
Megan
0Delicious!!!! I think it’s time for me to an air fryer, finally. I love how simple your recipe is and that you get that crispy skin with just simple ingredients.
Zuzana
0This is why I need Air Fryer right this moment. Love it.
Erin
0These are fantastic!
Raia
0They are so delicious and crispy!
Renee
0Ok, this is so cool! My husband adores wings – a great recipe for my air fryer! Thanks!
Jean
0I recently learned about the baking powder trick and it’s seriously a game changer! This looks so crispy and amazing.
Wholesome Yum A
0These are going to be a regular for our sports nights. (Watching, not playing that is!) Wings were a big hit. You have some great air fryer recipes. I’m looking forward to trying all of them.
Chelsea
0How did you put in the button to change the servings? I am creating a blog and love this feature.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Chelsea, It’s part of my recipe plugin.
Frannie
0Will this recipe work for other chicken parts – such as thighs? Not a big wing fan.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Frannie, Yes, you can make it using other chicken parts, but the cook time might differ.
Sandi
0I need to figure out my new air fryer so I can make these again. They were so good.
Leslie
0These look amazing. I think I’ll surprise my hubby with these for a Valentine’s Day appetizer.
Emily
0What a good tip about replacing baking powder with baking soda and cream of tartar. I will definitely use homemade baking powder now.
Sues
0I just got an air fryer and have been collecting recipes I want to make with it. This looks like a fabulous chicken wing recipe to try out!
Kim
0So much flavor and so easy too! Love this!
Helen
0Air frying is such a good way of enjoying chicken wings without the greasiness of deep frying. This is a great recipe for a delicious alternative and extra crispy is certainly the best choice.
Aimee
0LOVE these air fryer wings. They turned out so crispy!
Sarah
0Thank you for such great information on air frying wings. You answered all my questions!
April
0I really need an air fryer – just so I can make these wings! Yum!
Layne
0Thank you for the Air fryer recipe! Recently bought a GoWiseUSA air fryer and haven’t used it much. This will help me get the incentive
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0You’re very welcome, Layne! I love mine! Hope you’ll try these in it.
Justine
0Our favorite appetizer ever.
Courtney
0Extra crispy is always the way to go!
Valentina
0So cool you can make something so crispy in an air fryer! I have one and have been experimenting with it, but haven’t tried something like this yet. Thanks for the recipe and idea!
Wilhelmina
0Your tip about baking powder is one I will have to try! Thanks!
Guy
0Um, isn’t baking soda + cream of tarter the ingredients used to make baking powder?
TillyEats
0These were so crispy!
Krissy
0This chicken is so crispy and full of flavor! Such a great way to have this classic chicken without all the fat of frying! Great recipe!