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GET IT NOWThe Crispy Skin On These Air Fryer Chicken Wings Blew Me Away
These air fryer chicken wings were actually one of the first air fryer recipes I ever cooked. And they blew me away so much that I was completely hooked on this appliance ever since. Here’s why they seriously renewed my love for wings:
- The crispiest skin you’ll ever have – I only like chicken wings when they are crisp, otherwise they’re not even worth it. That crispy skin is my top priority whenever I make them, whether it’s baked chicken wings or slow cooker chicken wings. But cooking wings in the air fryer? It beats all the other methods in crispness by a landslide.
- Juicy, flavorful, and tender inside – The crispy skin might be the best part, but let’s not forget about the inside. These wings come out super juicy.
- Just a few simple ingredients – You can certainly jazz them up with spices and sauces (see my variations below), but when I’m in a rush, I love a simple recipe with as few ingredients as possible.
- Fast and easy – These air fryer wings only need a few minutes of your hands-on time, and cook much faster than the oven. I usually prepare my side dish (or other appetizers if I’m going that direction) while they cook.
I love these crispy air fryer chicken wings for game day or when we’re hosting a party, but let’s be real, I’d recommend them for any day. Make them with me!
Reader Review
“Easy to prepare and delicious results! This is now the only chicken wings recipe I use.” –Cristine
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Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for making air fryer chicken wings crispy, what each one does in my recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Chicken Wings – I buy them already trimmed into wingettes and drumettes. Feel free to separate whole chicken wings at the joint yourself if you like.
- Olive Oil – Although the air fryer doesn’t require as much oil, I always add some for flavor and extra crispness. Avocado oil works, too. That being said, I tested this recipe without oil as well, and yes, you can skip it if you want to.
- Baking Powder – My surprising “secret” ingredient for the crispiest air fryer chicken wings! It soaks up extra moisture, helping to dry the skin. Be careful not to use baking soda, which won’t work and will leave an aftertaste. (I grabbed it by mistake once and that was, um, not a good experience!) Also, I’ve found aluminum-free baking powder works best to avoid any metallic taste.
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper – If you want a more flavorful seasoning, see my variations below.
How To Cook Chicken Wings In The Air Fryer
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Dry and season. Pat the chicken wings very dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Place them in a large bowl and toss with baking powder, oil, salt, and pepper. I find tongs helpful for mixing easily.
- Air fry wings at lower heat first. Arrange the chicken wings in the air fryer basket, in a single layer. Air fry for half the time at lower heat (see my times and temperatures below).
- Crank up the heat to get them crispy. Flip the wings over, increase the air fryer temperature, and continue air frying until crispy.
My Recipe Tips For Crispy Skin
- Bring the chicken to room temperature if you have time. This is not required, but I noticed that letting them sit out for 20-30 minutes before cooking helps them cook more evenly.
- Drying the skin is key. Moisture is the enemy of crispy skin, so patting dry with paper towels helps you achieve maximum crispiness. I actually do this with all my chicken recipes, even ones without skin, because it also (somewhat counterintuitively) helps lock moisture inside.
- The baking powder is crucial. This is my main trick for extra crispy skin! Don’t skip it.
- The right salt ratio is most important for flavor. While you can customize spices any way you like, I feel strongly about the salt! My rule of thumb is a teaspoon of salt per pound of any meat, but since chicken wings are mostly bones, I use about 1/4 to 1/2 that amount. If you use my air fryer chicken wings recipe and want to scale it, the amount on the recipe card will update for you!
- 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. Cook in batches if needed!
- My air fryer recommendations: I have and love this air fryer. The pictures above are from an older one I used to have, but I like this new one so much better because I can fit more wings in it. If you want to make an even bigger batch at once, this version has a space for two racks. I keep it in storage and pull it out when we have company to make larger batches!
- Checking internal temperature is optional. I almost never say this, but air fryer chicken wings are pretty much guaranteed to be done by the time they get crispy. If you want to check, though, aim for 165 degrees F with a meat thermometer.
- Why change the temperature part-way through? Starting at lower heat makes the meat super juicy, and increasing the heat later gets them extra crispy. It’s the best of both worlds! I’ve tested starting out at high heat, as well as several temperature combos, and in my experience the two-temp approach I use in this recipe turned out the best.
- Can you cook them from frozen? Yes, you just need a special method! Follow my recipe for air fryer frozen chicken wings.
Air Fryer Chicken Wings (Super Crispy)
Make extra crispy air fryer chicken wings with my easy recipe! These turn out crisp on the outside and juicy on the inside every time.
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Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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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, 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 chicken wings for 15 minutes at 250 degrees F.
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Flip the wings over. Increase the air fryer temperature to 400 degrees F. Air fry for 15-20 minutes, until chicken wings are done and crispy.
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 4-6 chicken wings, or 1/4 of the entire recipe
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get super crispy air fryer chicken wings every time, with a juicy inside.
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- Reheat: The best way is to reheat wings in the air fryer again! Somehow even after doing it a gazillion times, I’m still always amazed at how they turn out almost like they were cooked fresh. Just air fry for a few minutes at 350 degrees F, until hot and crispy.
- Freeze: Arrange the wings in a single layer on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and freeze until solid. Transfer to a zip lock bag and keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can reheat right from frozen, although the result is better if you thaw first.
📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Keto Cheat Sheet System, Keto Ebook Bundle, and Healthy Air Fryer Bundle!
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Seasoning Variations
Air fryer chicken wings are flavorful all on their own, but below are some of my favorite sauces and seasonings. Just don’t skip the baking powder — it’s a must for crispy skin!
- Simple Spices – When I want to level up these air fryer wings in a simple way, I just add garlic powder and paprika in addition to the salt and pepper. Takes all of 5 seconds.
- Lemon Pepper – I love homemade lemon pepper seasoning, but store-bought is just fine. These taste just like my baked lemon pepper wings, but crispier!
- Buffalo – Cook the crispy wings in the air fryer as usual, and finish by tossing in a mixture of butter and buffalo sauce (or any other hot sauce you love). My buffalo wings recipe has the perfect ratio! I also use the same sauce for my air fryer buffalo cauliflower.
- Cajun – I use Cajun seasoning less often because my kids can’t take the heat, but my husband loves it! You’ll need to skip the salt if your seasoning is salted like mine.
- Garlic Parmesan – Cook the wings as usual and toward the end, toss in the sauce from my Crock Pot garlic parmesan wings. I like to also add some Italian seasoning with this one.
Serving Ideas
I’ve served these crispy air fryer chicken wings for many kinds of occasions, from an appetizer at parties to the main dish at dinner (why not?). Try them with:
- Dipping Sauce – If nothing else, I have to have sauce! I serve my air fryer chicken wings with blue cheese or ranch dressing (pictured above) most often. If you want some sweetness, try my teriyaki sauce, BBQ sauce, or even jalapeno honey (that’s what I’m using in my picture in the circle at the top).
- Crudites – Carrots and celery sticks are classic, but I’ve totally made these wings a busy-night “girl dinner” with cucumbers, radishes, or bell pepper strips.
- Air Fryer Veggies – Make your entire meal using one appliance by pairing my air fryer wings recipe with air fryer eggplant, air fryer brussel sprouts, or air fryer zucchini.
- Fries – Make some air fryer french fries, or try my lighter rutabaga fries or air fryer sweet potato fries. Sometimes I even make a combination!
- Other Apps – For a party, I like to make a spread with a dip, such as Rotel dip or spinach dip, and a bite-sized appetizer, like zucchini pizza bites or Caprese skewers.
332 Comments
Pearl Groefsema
0Tried this recipe for wings the other night! One word OUTSTANDING! Easy and great flavor! Looking forward to making them again in the very near future!!!!
Lisa
0I’ve made this several times, but tonight’s was superlative! I added onion powder, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. I also planned earlier so I could let the wings sit out to dry and come to temperature. My air fryer is only 3 qts so I did only six cut up pieces at a time. Also important, sometime I eyeballed the quantities of salt, baking powder, pepper. Tonight I measured those (not the extras ??♀️). I probably never added enough salt or baking powder to get the best results.
Peggy Robinson
0Dear Wholesome, I have the Aria counter top air fryer oven not the round container style basket style like yours. I was wondering will this recipe come out the same way in the oven style air fryer if I prepare & cook it according to this recipe?
Jim J
0Typically, with the flat / toaster oven sized air fryers, the times are similar but you don’t need to flip halfway if you’re using the basket
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Peggy, I have never made this recipe in that type of air fryer but it should work for you.
Michael Scott
0I followed your recipe to a “T” and my wings didn’t come out looking like yours, at all! Mine remained white and pasty looking……to the point it was difficult to “see” if they were even cooked.
Biting and chewing them confirmed that they WERE, in fact, cooked thoroughly, but they certainly didn’t look appetizing.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Michael, To me, this sounds like an issue with the air fryer. If you followed the recipe and cooking time exactly the air fryer should have made the skin crispy on the outside.
Tess
0How long should we marinate the chicken pieces?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Tess, There is no need to marinate the chicken in this recipe.
Pamel Sloan-Montgomery
0The best air fryer recipe for crispy wings. Baking powder is key. Thank you
Scott
0Here’s the truth. Following this recipe ruined my Sunday dinner. This is, undeniably, be the worst recipe for wings I’ve ever tried. The baking powder is an absolute mistake. It imparts a flavor that throws everything completely off. It may be impossible for me to overstate how much you should avoid this recipe.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Scott, Sorry this recipe didn’t turn out as expected. Did you only use 1 tsp per 1 pound of wings? This is a small amount of baking powder and should not overwhelm the flavor.
B Sa
0The wings recipe was my 1st recipe made in my new air fryer. I haven’t ever used an air fryer before. Boy, am I glad I chose this recipe. The wings were moist, juicy and, as advertised, super crispy! The only change I made was after tossing the raw wings in the baking powder mixture, I drizzled a little EVOO over the wings and tossed them to coat evenly. I’d read several crispy wing recipes and all others had used some oil on the wings before cooking. Again, the wings turned out great, hubby and I both loved them and they will be my go-to recipe for wings!
Rob Lumpkin
0Excellent comment and I agree with you. I also drizzled a little EVOO over the wings but after turning up the heat and they came out crispy, crunchy and juicy brown! Thanks for that addition!
Laura Campbell
0Hi there!
My ninja grill’s lowest temp is 300 🙁 Any tips on cooking times?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Laura, I would reduce the cooking time in step 4 to 10 minutes.
Kelly H
0These were EXCELLENT! The only change I made was to substitute the salt and pepper with BWW Salt and Vinegar dry rub. They were SO good!!
Mathew
0Best chicken recipe I every came across, and they are so delicious crispy and juicy when cooked.
Lori Hawkins
0My air fryer did not go as high or as low as the recipe stated, so I cooked the wings at 300 degrees for the first half and 400 degrees for the second. They came out tender inside and crispy on the outside. Threw on BWW sauce and it was like eating out!
Carole
0These wings are awesome! I use a lot of wholesomeyum recipes because they are so good but these wings are fantastic!!
Derek
0I tried this last night. Baking powder is that secret ingredient. Thank you, they turned out perfect 🙂
Derek
0I’m counting on you for this. Will give you full report on results : )
Peter M
0This works really well – thank you!!
Sharon Krezanski
0Dear Yum-Did your Air fry Eggplant tonight-YUM!-looked up recipe for Air Fry Chicken wings-going to do it!-Need to tell everyone-your recipes are easy to follow-not many ingredients & delish-Thank you so much-you are GREAT!!
Lois Clarke
0Easy and crisped up air fry wings perfectly.
Bo
0When you mention to baking powder for the crispy skin, is that double or single acting…or does it make a difference? Thanks!
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Bo, In this case it doesn’t make a difference.
YM
0Not the first time I cooked this recipe. I repeat it every time I want crispy chicken wings!
Audrie
0This turned out fantastic. First time using air fryer I got for Christmas and this turned out great!!
Beth
0Hi Maya! All your recipes are amazing so thank you! Question: I do not have an air fryer. Can I use your same recipe but for a standard oven? Thank you kindly!
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Beth, You can follow the instructions in my lemon pepper wings recipe if you are going to use the oven.
Joyce Powell
0My air fryer is cosori 5.8 and only goes to 400.
Jaclyn
0Perfectly crispy and delicious!
Robin
0These wings turned out great!
Ariane
0Perfectly crispy and tender. Winner, winner, chicken dinner!
Ciera
0I made the most perfect wings with this recipe. This has become my boyfriends new favorite chicken wing recipe. They are just the perfect amount of crispy and the chicken remains moist.
Susan L Allen
0These wings are really good!
Anne
0I love chicken wings from the air fryer, and these are a new favorite. They were crispier than any I’ve ever had before.
This will be in my regular rotation for sure
Anne
0Crispy deliciousness
Jakob
0Hi Maya, thank you for sharing all this amazing Keto info, it is much appreciated. Do you mind to add degree Celcius, maybe in brackets, directly after you place degree Farenheit, in your recipies. Here where I live all our equipment is calibrated in Degrees Celcius?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Jakob, Sorry about that! I do usually provide temperature conversions in the recipe card. 250 degrees F = 120 degrees C and 430 degrees F = 220 degrees C. Enjoy!
Nique
0I love love love this recipe…. I was craving fried chicken for a while now and I’m so happy I came across this hands down the best ever and it taste just like it was deep fried too
Niamh
0Excellent every time!!! Thank you for sharing!
Cathy
0Great recipe. So crispy and moist inside. Served with Buffalo and teriyaki sauces. Crowd totally pleased!
Gilbert
0Thank you
Barbara
0Whenever I try to deep fry in my air fryer I found if I spray both sides the coated foods (I do breaded tenderloins using pork rind dust, almond flour and spices) with olive oil or PAM then put in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes to 1 hour the foods taste more like deep-fried. Thank you for all the great recipes and inspiration.
Cat
0Hi again! Ummm…wondering which is correct – the 275 calories you have or the 501 calories the ingredients list I put into MyFitnessPal has. Obviously a huuuge difference. Here’s hoping you’re correct…lol. it’s so hard to know what to trust anymore. You go to different sources for the same recipe and they all give you something different. So it’s really not our fault oh, but I would like to know if there’s a place to go for true, standardized correct calorie counts. These Wings look delish, and I would love to be able to eat them! Thanks so much for any help.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Cat, My nutrition comes from the USDA food database. I believe it’s the most accurate way to get nutrition information. I hope this helps!
Cat
0Yes! Can you tell me where to find that? I’d really appreciate it. And now I can have wings again!! Thank you!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Cat, You can find it here.
Tami
0Absolutely fabulous. The last 2-3 times making wings I just had some temperature guidelines and they were blah.
You instructions are perfect. Both my husband and I felt like we had restaurant quality food in our living room. Thank you
Patricia
0I love that you use baking powder because it makes the wings crispy! I also added Lawry seasoning, lemon pepper, dill and garlic powder!
Elaine
0It came out crispy!! So good! Had it with mango habanero sauce from bww!
Brenda
0OMGOSH! This was our first recipe with our new Air fryer. They turned out perfect. Thank you so much for your awesome recipe. My husband and I started a new lifestyle change in eating and much healthier to say the least. The air fryer will be our saving grace too!
Carrie
0We love these wings. Amazing how crispy they turn out. Could you add additional seasonings like garlic or cheese without changing the crispy crunch? What about using onion rings or zucchini instead of wings? Have you tried anything else? Thanks. Carrie. In Las Vegas.
Moon Lady
0Didn’t work for us at all…
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’d love to help if you could give more specifics about what didn’t work out.
Kate
0I’m going to try these this weekend but need to make them ahead of time. Will they stay crispy and not dry out if they are reheated in the oven? Thank you
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Kate, These will not have the same crisp texture as they do right out of the air fryer, but they will reheat nicely.
Richelle
0No review, just comments/tips. I was born in Buffalo, I currently live and work in Buffalo and we do things a little differently. Sauce: it’s not Buffalo sauce, it’s Frank’s hot sauce and melted butter mixed together, the more butter you use the less hot the sauce is. It is NEVER, ever ranch – it’s 100% blue cheese (the chunkier the better). Air frying is great for home but any restaurant where you can order wings are deep-fried in oil, they are not baked and they certainly aren’t breaded. Oh, and we don’t use baking powder either. Hopefully, these tips are beneficial for anyone who’d like to make genuine “Buffalo” wings (we just call them wings 🙂 )
Michele
0I made the wings a couple of weeks ago, and I’m doing them again tonight. The wings were fantastic! Great recipe! Thanks so much for sharing.
Rolland
0Hi there! I just ordered some dried lemon peel so I can make your lemon wings but I also have an air fryer. Is there a way to mix the two, rather than just air fry wings and THEN sprinkle your lemon pepper on it so that the lemon pepper is cooked like when you bake it, but by using the air fryer?
Thanks!!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Rolland, Sure! Season according to this recipe for Lemon Pepper Wings except reduce the amount of oil to 1 tablespoon. Cook according to the instructions for Air Fry Chicken Wings.
Nicole
0I have done wings in the air fryer both from frozen and already thawed. They both turned out fine, it just takes longer to cook and a couple of extra steps from frozen. If you do them from frozen, just cook them plain first until they are about halfway done, take them out, tops in your seasoning and baking powder or flour mixture, put them back in the air fryer basket and spray with oil. Cook the rest of the way, turning them once and spraying the opposite side with oil again. They turn out crispy and delicious.
Trice
0I made these following the instructions exactly… like some of the other posts, I didn’t like the baking powder aftertaste. They were very crispy though!! Amazing crunch. We made our next batch with self rising flour and it was crispy enough without the aftertaste so we preferred it to the baking powder.
Pattu
0Be sure to use aluminum free baking powder. That will eliminate the aftertaste
Patti
0Yummmm even picky child loved them. No leftovers. Added lemon pepper seasoning after. Will only do wings this way. Thank you so much
KT
0Not sure if I did something wrong, but I have an aftertaste from the baking powder. Aside from that, the chicken was moist and so crispy! Absolutely love how easy it is
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi KT, Feel free to adjust the amount of baking powder in the recipe. It needs to just coat the chicken, so you can use a little less if that’s your preference.
Patti
0And use aluminum free baking powder
Wholesome Yum A
0Thank you!!! Tried it and it turned out well.
Linn
0Loved this recipe. The wings were tender, moist and crispy. I did some plain, bbq and Buffalo. Take out wing are a thing of the past these take a little effort but are well worth it!
Lydia
0Great recipe. Love it more because of the use of an air fryer. Thanks
Cara
0I was thankful for this recipe for my very first air fryer experience. Like others, boyfriend and I were both faced with a BP aftertaste/mouth discomfort once we stopped eagerly eating the wings. ROFLIt is crispy as heck though and really helped me understand how to use this device. Will browse for a recipe using alternate flour next time
Julie
0Sorry wasn’t really thrilled with the BP it was edible but not OMG. Love your site though!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Julie, Sorry this recipe didn’t suit your tastes. Was there a specific element you didn’t care for? Maybe I can provide a solution or alternative for you.
SD
0OMG! My family and I love this quick and easy recipe. Thank you for sharing!