Shop
My
Custom
The 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
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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.
FREE 5-Ingredient Recipe EBook
GET IT NOW
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)
By
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.
Instructions
[ See step photos See my tips ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
-
Pat the chicken wings very dry with paper towels. (This will help them get crispy.)
-
In a large bowl, toss the wings with baking powder, olive oil, sea salt and black pepper.
-
Place the chicken wings in the air fryer in a single layer, without touching too much. (Cook in batches if they don't fit.)
-
Air fry chicken wings for 15 minutes at 250 degrees F.
-
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.
Did you make it? Leave a review or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram!
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.
Add Your Notes Your Notes
Try More Of My Recipes
© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead.
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.
344 Comments
Jenny
0Ok can’t wait to try these wing recipes. Thank you
Lila
0These are by far the very best chicken wings recipe!! On the last 20 minutes I brushed a little olive oil for more crispiness – YUMMY!
Adrienne Garcia
0Easy & best spices for both real crispy wings & chicken.
Ginette
0Thank you for this great recipe. My husband said that he hasn’t ever had crispy chicken that was so good!
Laura Hahn
0Great recipe and easy. Love them
Bandy
0Hello, can you make this with chicken legs the wings were fab? Thanks.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Bandy, Here is my recipe for air fryer chicken legs.
Cathy
0If you are cooking in batches do you have to let the temperature decrease before you start the second batch, or can you just turn the temperature down and start again?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Cathy, No need to turn down the temperature between batches.
Kevin walsh
0My wings came out so small. How can you do the wings without any shrinkage?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Kevin, This is typical for wings, it’s normal for them to shrink a bit when cooking. There isn’t much you can do to stop this.
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!!