Air Fryer Chicken Wings

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Learn the secret to the crispiest baked wings. My 2-ingredient Air Fryer Chicken Wings recipe flies above the competition with ease (and with remarkably juicy chicken wing results). Toss with barbecue sauce, buffalo sauce, or anything else you love.

A plate of air fryer chicken wings in barbecue sauce.


 

If you’ve been cooking along with me here on Culinary Hill for a bit, you’re probably well aware that I’m wild for chicken wings. From Coca Cola-sauced and Asian-inspired to Baked Buffalo and Smoked Chicken Wings, I love wings any which way.

Quite possibly my favorite way to cook chicken wings, though? In an air fryer. Short on prep time and ingredients (not counting oil, salt and pepper, you just need 2 items!) but rich in flavor, my easy Air Fryer Chicken Wings are crisp on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside. Plus, they can be dressed up any which way you desire.

Recipe ingredients

Labeled air fryer chicken wing ingredients.

At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.

Ingredient notes

  • Chicken wings: Flats and wings; wing tips removed. Wing tips tend to overcook and don’t have much meat on them, so remove them yourself or ask your butcher to assist with the task. Most grocery stores sell chicken wings with the tips already removed, so you may not even need to make a special request.
  • Paprika: Sweet or smoked; whichever you prefer. I personally adore the smoky layer of flavor the latter delivers. Feel free to substitute in another spice if you like or try a blend such as Creole SeasoningLemon Pepper SeasoningRotisserie Chicken Seasoning, or Chili Seasoning. Straight-up Lawry’s is always good too!
  • Sauce: After cooking, I toss Air Fryer Chicken Wings in my copycat Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbecue Sauce or Buffalo sauce (Franks Red Hot + butter). They’re delicious plain, too!
  • Ranch Dressing or Blue Cheese Dressing: Classic Buffalo wings are always served with Blue Cheese Dressing for dunking. If you don’t like blue cheese, though, and do want to channel your inner Midwesterner, use Ranch instead. Or enjoy the Air Fryer Chicken Wings sans-dressing; they’re perfect as-is!

Step by step instructions

  1. Preheat air fryer to 380 degrees for 3 minutes. Pat wings dry with paper towels, then add to a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle with paprika, salt, and pepper.
Raw chicken wings in a clear bowl.
  1. Arrange wings in an air fryer basket.
Chicken wings in an air fryer.
  1. Air fry until skin is crisp, about 10 to 12 minutes per side or 20 to 24 minutes total, flipping the wings halfway through.
Air fryer chicken wings in an air fryer.
  1. Increase heat to 400 degrees and cook 5 minutes longer. Serve plain or with your favorite sauce.
Air fryer chicken wings in an air fryer.

Recipe tips and variations

  • Yield: My Air Fryer Chicken Wing recipe makes about 32 wings, depending on the size of the wings you buy. This is enough for 4 entree-sized servings (8 wings each) or 8 appetizer-sized servings (4 wings each).
  • Storage: Store leftover Air Fryer Chicken wings, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To bring them back to juicy, warm life, you know what to do: Air fry!
  • Paleo and Whole30 Compatible: Choose a Whole30 compatible barbecue sauce such as Primal Kitchen Classic BBQ Sauce.
Air fryer chicken wings covered in sauce resting on parchment paper.
Air Fryer Chicken Wings with Barbecue Sauce.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I wash chicken wings before air-frying them?

There’s no need to wash poultry before cooking. The CDC recommends that you never wash chicken, and I agree. This can splatter raw chicken juices onto your sink, counters, and on any nearby surfaces or utensils.

Why do you suggest patting the chicken wings dry?

This helps lead to the crispiest, crunchiest chicken wings, plus it allows the seasoning to “stick” better.

Favorite sauces for wings

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Air fryer chicken wings covered in barbecue sauce on a wooden cutting board.

Air Fryer Chicken Wings

Learn the secret to the crispiest baked wings. My 2-ingredient Air Fryer Chicken Wings recipe flies above the competition with ease (and with remarkably juicy chicken wing results). Toss with barbecue sauce, buffalo sauce, or anything else you love.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings 4 servings (4 wings each)
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Calories 360
5 from 2 votes

Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • Preheat air fryer to 380 degrees for 3 minutes. Pat wings dry with paper towels, then add to a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle with paprika, salt, and pepper.
  • Arrange wings in an air fryer basket. Air fry until skin is crisp, about 10 to 12 minutes per side or 20 to 24 minutes total, flipping the wings halfway through. Increase heat to 400 degrees and cook 5 minutes longer.

Notes

  1. Chicken wings: Flats and wings; wing tips removed. Wing tips tend to overcook and don’t have much meat on them, so remove them yourself or ask your butcher to assist with the task. Most grocery stores sell chicken wings with the tips already removed, so you may not even need to make a special request.
  2. Paprika: Sweet or smoked; whichever you prefer. I personally adore the smoky layer of flavor the latter delivers. Feel free to substitute in another spice if you like or try a blend such as Creole SeasoningLemon Pepper SeasoningRotisserie Chicken Seasoning, or Chili Seasoning. Straight-up Lawry’s is always good too!
  3. Sauce: After cooking, I toss Air Fryer Chicken Wings in my copycat Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbecue Sauce or Buffalo sauce (Franks Red Hot + butter). They’re delicious plain, too!
  4. Ranch Dressing or Blue Cheese Dressing: Classic Buffalo wings are always served with Blue Cheese Dressing for dunking. If you don’t like blue cheese, though, and do want to channel your inner Midwesterner, use Ranch instead. Or enjoy the Air Fryer Chicken Wings sans-dressing; they’re perfect as-is!
  5. Yield: My Air Fryer Chicken Wing recipe makes about 32 wings, depending on the size of the wings you buy. This is enough for 4 entree-sized servings (8 wings each) or 8 appetizer-sized servings (4 wings each).
  6. Storage: Store leftover Air Fryer Chicken wings, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To bring them back to juicy, warm life, you know what to do: Air fry!

Nutrition

Serving: 4 wingsCalories: 360kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 23gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 102mgSodium: 284mgPotassium: 201mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 278IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 16mgIron: 1mg
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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.

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