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Air Fryer Chicken Wings come out crispy on the outside and juicy inside with nothing but a simple homemade spice rub. No oil, no deep fryer, and no waiting on the oven to preheat. They’re ready in about 30 minutes, which makes them my go-to any time people are coming over.
More wing recipes and flavor ideas: Crispy Baked Chicken Wings | Chicken Wing Marinade | Honey Glazed Chicken Wings
Before You Get Started
Crispy wings are less about the recipe and more about three things you do before the air fryer ever turns on. Get these right and the rest is easy.
- Pat the wings completely dry: Wet skin steams instead of crisping. Blot every piece with paper towels, including between the folds.
- Give them room in the basket: Wings need space for the air to circulate. A single layer with no overlap beats a full basket every time.
- Skip the oil: Wings render plenty of their own fat as they cook, so added oil does not buy you extra crunch.
RECIPE WALK-THROUGH
How to Make Chicken Wings in the Air Fryer
See the recipe card below for full, detailed instructions
Four steps, and the only one that takes real attention is the first. Here’s how it goes.
1. Prep the Wings
Buy wings already split into drumettes and wingettes if you can, which is what I do. If you have whole wings, snip off the pointy tip, pull the wing apart at the joint, and cut through it with a sharp knife or kitchen shears to separate the two pieces.
You can also buy just drumettes. They’re usually everybody’s favorite part and they’re easier to eat, like a mini drumstick. If drumsticks are more your speed, my Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks use the same approach on a bigger cut.
Leave the skin on, then pat everything dry with paper towels.
2. Season Generously
Whisk together the chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, then rub the blend all over the wings so every surface is coated. This combination has been my go-to for years, and I sometimes swap the chili powder for paprika when I want something less warm.
Want more depth? My Chicken Wings Dry Rub adds brown sugar and smoked paprika, plus a little cornstarch that helps the skin crisp even further. Premixed blends work too, and Cajun, taco seasoning, and lemon pepper are all good here.
More wing flavors to try: Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings | Lemon Pepper Wings | Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings | Crispy Baked BBQ Chicken Wings
3. Load the Basket
Preheat the air fryer, which makes a real difference in how fast the skin sets. Give the basket a light spray, then arrange the wings in a single layer with a little space between each one.
An extra large air fryer fits about a dozen pieces, which is four appetizer servings. Anything more than that and you’re better off running two batches.
4. Air Fry and Flip
Cook at 375°F for 10 minutes, flip the wings, then cook another 10 minutes. Your air fryer’s manual may say 350°F for chicken, but 375°F is the sweet spot for wings and gets the skin noticeably crisper.
If they’re cooked through but not crisp enough, crank the air fryer to its highest setting and give them another 2 to 3 minutes. This is the fix for almost every soft-skin problem.
- All of my favorite wing recipes, from baked and fried to grilled and slow cooked, are in my Chicken Wing Recipes collection.
How Long to Air Fry Chicken Wings
Twenty minutes at 375°F is the number for average wings, but wing size varies a lot from package to package, so treat it as a starting point rather than a rule.
Go by temperature, not the timer. An instant read thermometer in the thickest part of a drumette should hit 165°F. Big wings can need 24 to 26 minutes, and small ones are sometimes done at 18.
Cooking for a crowd? Plan on two to three batches for eight people. Hold finished wings on a rack in a 200°F oven while the next batch cooks so nothing goes soft or cold.
Dipping Sauces and What Else to Put Out
Wings need something creamy alongside them, and that’s really the only rule. A cool, thick dip cuts the heat and the salt, which is why ranch and blue cheese have stuck around as the classics. Put out two options rather than one, since people are split on which camp they’re in.
If you’re tossing the wings in buffalo sauce, go creamy with the dip. If you’re serving them plain with the spice rub, something sweeter like honey mustard or barbecue gives you more contrast. Either way, celery sticks are worth the two minutes it takes to cut them.
Dips that work with wings: Blue Cheese Dip | Jalapeño Ranch Dressing | Honey Mustard Dip | Homemade BBQ Sauce
For a fully sauced version, my Crispy Baked Buffalo Wings take the classic route from start to finish.
Storage Tips
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Refrigerator: Store leftover wings in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. Let them cool first so condensation doesn’t soften the skin.
Reheating: The air fryer is by far the best method. Reheat at 350°F for 3 to 5 minutes, until hot and crisp again. The oven works too at 400°F for about 10 minutes on a wire rack. Skip the microwave, which turns the skin rubbery.
Freezing: Freeze cooked wings in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Reheat straight from frozen at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes.
Make ahead: Season the raw wings up to a day in advance and keep them uncovered on a rack in the fridge. The dry air firms up the skin and gives you a head start.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need to use oil on air fryer chicken wings?
No. Wings have enough fat in the skin that they essentially fry in their own rendered fat as they cook. Adding oil mostly creates smoke in the air fryer without improving the crunch. A light spray on the basket is all you need, and that’s just to keep them from sticking.
Can you cook chicken wings from frozen in an air fryer?
Yes, with one extra step. Air fry them at 375°F for about 5 minutes first, just until they separate and the surface thaws. Pull them out, pat off the moisture, season, then cook the full 20 minutes as written. Expect to add 5 to 8 minutes overall, and check for 165°F before serving.
Do you need baking powder or cornstarch to get wings crispy?
Not with an air fryer. The circulating heat does what a coating does in the oven. That said, a teaspoon of cornstarch mixed into your seasoning pulls extra moisture off the skin and gives you a slightly crunchier bite, which is why I include it in my dry rub blend.
Should you sauce the wings before or after air frying?
After, every time. Sauce applied before cooking burns onto the basket and keeps the skin from crisping. Cook the wings plain with the spice rub, then toss them in warm sauce in a big bowl right before serving.
More Wing Recipes to Try
- Boneless Chicken Wings
- Teriyaki Chicken Wings
- Hot Honey Chicken Wings
- Grilled Chicken Wings
- Fried Chicken Wings
Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 3 pounds chicken wings skin on
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- Optional: buffalo wing sauce or other sauces for dipping
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
- Prepare the wings by removing the wing tip and separating the wingettes from the drumettes. Many store packages come already split.
- Pat the wings thoroughly dry with paper towels on all sides.
- Sprinkle the seasoning over both sides of the wings and rub it in to coat.
- Preheat the air fryer to 375°F. Spray a light coating of cooking spray into the basket, then arrange the wings in a single layer with space between each piece.
- Cook at 375°F for 10 minutes, then flip the wings and cook 10 minutes more, until crisp and an instant read thermometer reads 165°F.
- If the wings are cooked through but not as crisp as you'd like, raise the air fryer to its highest setting and cook 2 to 3 minutes longer.
- Toss with sauce if desired and serve immediately.
Notes
- Dry wings are crisp wings: Blot every piece with paper towels before seasoning. This matters more than anything else in the recipe.
- Do not crowd the basket. A single layer with space between pieces lets the air circulate. An extra large air fryer holds about 12 pieces, or 4 appetizer servings.
- No oil needed. Wings render their own fat as they cook. Added oil just creates smoke.
- 375°F, not 350°F: Many air fryer manuals list 350°F for chicken, but 375°F gets wings noticeably crisper.
- Wing size changes the timing. Large wings can take 24 to 26 minutes; small ones may be done at 18. Cook to 165°F rather than to the clock.
- Sauce after cooking, never before. Sauce applied before air frying burns and prevents the skin from crisping.
- Seasoning swaps: Paprika works in place of chili powder. Cajun seasoning, taco seasoning, and lemon pepper are all good alternatives.
- Cooking for a crowd: Hold finished batches on a rack in a 200°F oven while the next batch cooks.
- Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container 3 to 4 days. Reheat in the air fryer at 350°F for 3 to 5 minutes to bring the crunch back.
- Freezing: Freeze cooked wings up to 3 months. Reheat from frozen at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Dipping sauce options: Ranch, blue cheese, honey mustard, barbecue sauce, or buffalo sauce.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.
