Air fryers have become increasingly popular in recent years as a fast convenient and healthier way to cook foods like chicken wings. When using an air fryer, the wings come out crispy and delicious without the need for deep frying. However, nailing down the right cooking times can take some trial and error. Follow this guide for tips on how long to cook chicken wings in an air fryer for the perfect crispiness every time.
Factors That Affect Air Fryer Chicken Wing Cook Times
Several factors impact the cooking time needed for air fryer chicken wings, including:
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Size of the wings – Smaller wings or wing sections like drumettes and flats will cook faster than whole wings.
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Amount of wings – Cooking a large batch will increase cook time compared to just a few wings. Avoid overcrowding the air fryer basket.
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Preparation method – Pat wings dry before cooking for optimal crispness Marinating or coating with a wet batter will lengthen cook time
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Bone-in vs bone-out – Boneless wings cook faster with less time needed.
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Frozen vs thawed – Frozen wings take longer to cook through Thaw first for quicker cooking
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Air fryer model – Larger capacity air fryers heat food faster than smaller models. Newer designs may also cook faster.
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Personal preference – Cook times can vary based on desired level of crispiness and doneness.
Keeping these factors in mind will help determine the ideal cook times for your specific batch of wings.
Best Practices for Air Frying Chicken Wings
Follow these tips for ensuring your air fried chicken wings turn out tasty and crisp:
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Pat wings completely dry – Drying the wings thoroughly before cooking is a must for achieving crispy skin. Wet or damp wings will steam instead of frying.
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Season as desired – Toss dried wings with oil and seasonings like salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, etc. Spice blends also work well.
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Preheat air fryer – Preheating for 3-5 minutes helps the air fryer recover heat faster after adding cold wings.
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Cook in a single layer – Avoid overcrowding for even cooking. Work in batches if needed.
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Flip wings halfway – Flipping the wings midway through ensures even browning and crispiness.
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Check temperature – Wings are done at an internal temperature of 165°F-175°F.
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Let rest before saucing – Allow wings to rest 5 minutes before tossing with any sauces to maintain texture.
Recommended Air Fryer Chicken Wing Cook Times
The recommended air fryer cook times for chicken wings depends on if you are cooking drumettes/flats or whole wings.
For Drumettes and Flats
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375°F for 14-18 minutes
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Flip once halfway through cooking
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Increase time by 2-3 minutes for frozen
For Whole Wings
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400°F for 18-22 minutes
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Flip once halfway through cooking
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Increase time by 3-5 minutes for frozen
These cook times are based on thawed, bone-in chicken wings cooked in a fully preheated air fryer without overcrowding. Cook times may need adjusting based on the size of your wings and your preferred level of crispness. Check wings early and adjust cook time if needed.
For extra crispy wings, you can coat them with a thin layer of cornstarch or potato starch before seasoning and air frying. This helps facilitate browning.
Monitoring Doneness
The best way to ensure your air fried wings are fully cooked but not overdone is to use a digital meat thermometer. Insert the probe into the thickest part of a wing down to the bone. Chicken wings are safely cooked and ready to eat at 165°F. For crisper wings, cook up to 175°F-180°F.
Visually, the wings will turn golden brown and become crispy on the outside when fully cooked. The meat will also pull away from the bone slightly. Undercooked wings will look pale or have soft spots.
Allow wings to rest 5-10 minutes before serving. The temperature will rise slightly as they cool. Toss with sauces or enjoy as is.
Troubleshooting Common Air Fryer Wing Issues
Wings not crispy? Double check wings are dried thoroughly before seasoning. Avoid overcrowding and preheat fryer. Increase cook time in 2-minute increments if needed.
Skin is leathery? Wings may be overcooked. Use thermometer and adjust cook time down.
Still pink inside? Wings are undercooked. Increase air fry temp 25°F if safe for appliance and cook 2-3 minutes longer.
Burn notice? Lower air fry temp 25°F-50°F if wings are browning too quickly. Use recommended cook times as a starting guide.
Air Fried Chicken Wings Taste Delicious
Cooking chicken wings in the air fryer results in wings that are crispy and flavorful without being greasy. Adjust cook times as needed to achieve your preferred level of doneness. Following proper preparation methods and monitoring with a thermometer ensures your wings turn out tender and delicious every time. Air fried wings make for the perfect appetizer or main dish!
How To Make Air Fryer Chicken Wings
- Chicken Wings: Wondering how many wings are needed to feed all your party people? 2 lbs. should feed around 4 people, and 1 lb. more feeds around 2 more people, so calculate how many pounds based on how big your crew is. Not buying by the pound? 3-4 wings per person works too. Keep in mind that you’ll have to cook in batches to ensure your wings get crispy.
- Cooking Spray: To ensure the chicken wing skin doesn’t stick to the air fryer, give the inside a spray of nonstick cooking spray.
- Hot Sauce: You can choose any hot sauce you please, but Frank’s Red Hot is a personal favorite. Not feeling Buffalo? Use one of our other wing sauce recipes.
- Butter: Melted butter adds that body and richness to our Buffalo sauce.
- Worcestershire Sauce: A little bit of Worcestershire sauce adds a tangy, savory flavor to our Buffalo sauce. We don’t always add this to our Buffalo sauces, so if you don’t have it you can leave it out, but it really adds another layer of flavor that I can’t get enough of.
- Garlic Powder: Instead of adding garlic powder to our chicken wings, I’m adding some into the Buffalo sauce for another layer of savory flavor.
Add your wings to a bowl, and season them well with kosher salt and pepper. Then, give them a toss to make sure they are coated evenly. Next, spray the inside of your air fryer with nonstick cooking spray to prevent any sticking.
Add your wings in an even layer in the air fryer (don’t be tempted to crowd the basket!), and cook at 380° for around 12 minutes. Flip the wings, then cook for 12 more minutes. Increase the heat to 400°, then cook for 5 minutes more to lock in that crispy exterior.
While they’re cooking, make your Buffalo sauce by combining melted butter, Buffalo sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder in a large bowl. Once your wings are done, add them to the bowl, and toss to fully coat. Serve with your desired sauce, and get to dipping!
The full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe below.
- How to make crispy wings in the air fryer. For the crispiest possible wings, pat your chicken wings completely dry with paper towels before seasoning. Even better, let your wings chill uncovered in the refrigerator for an hour or two beforehand. My second tip for extra-crispy wings? Cook your wings in a single layer in the air fryer. Crowding you basket will result in wings that aren’t as crisp or evenly cooked, and nobody wants that.
- How long should I cook my wings in the air fryer? Overall, my wings took around 30 minutes to cook. I first set the air fryer to 380° and cooked the wings for 12 minutes before flipping, then cooked for 12 minutes more. I then increase the heat to 400° and cook for a final 5 minutes for perfectly crisp wings.
- Dipping sauces. Blue cheese is always a great option, but if you’re a ranch fan, I would be remiss if I didnt suggest you try making your own ranch dressing. The cooling tartness of buttermilk + lots of fresh herbs perfectly compliments these wings.
How to make CRISPY Chicken Wings in an AirFryer
FAQ
How long should wings go in the air fryer?
Place the wings in the basket of a 3.5-quart air fryer so they are not touching (if necessary to fit, line up the drumettes standing upright along the sides). Set the air fryer to 360 degrees F and cook for 12 minutes, then flip the wings with tongs and cook for 12 minutes more.
How long to cook frozen chicken wings in air fryer?
How long to cook frozen chicken wings in the air fryer is between 20-30 minutes. This depends on the size of the wings, if they are precooked, raw, breaded, or not, the size, type and brand of air fryer used. Air fryer model and brand vary so cooking time can sometimes vary with a few minutes.
How do you air fry chicken wings?
The trick when you’re air-frying these is to either use a liner, or pour a little water into the base of the drawer. This will prevent any of the fat from collecting and smoking, which might affect the flavour of the wings. For a family meal, add some steamed rice or stir-fried noodles and a bowl of Chinese-style steamed greens. View recipe 05
How long do you air Fry Buffalo wings?
Place the wings in a single layer (you’ll be able to fit about 3 whole wings at a time). Air fry at 250°F for 15 minutes, then increase the heat to high and air fry at 400°F for 15 minutes more. Turn the wings over halfway through each cooking time. Baked French Fries. Because Buffalo wings and fries are a match made in comfort food heaven.