These Air Fryer Chicken Wings have crisp, salty skin with plenty of garlic and lemon pepper flavor in every bite. These are seasoned to perfection and cook so fast with no marinating required!

Air Fryer Chicken Wings in bowl with celery

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We love crispy chicken like my Chicken Schnitzel, Popcorn Chicken or General Tso’s Chicken, but the air fryer is our new best friend for chicken wings because it’s so much faster, requires less oil, and is memorably crispy!

Air Fryer Chicken Wings Recipe

Cooking Chicken wings in the air fryer is brilliant and you will make chicken way more often if you try them in the air fryer. The forced circulating hot air makes the skin super crisp, which is difficult to achieve in a conventional oven, and the center is perfectly cooked, tender, and juicy.

The cook time for air-fried chicken wings is just 16 minutes. It’s three times faster than our Baked Buffalo Wings or Lemon Pepper Wings when cooked in a traditional oven! P.S. Yes, you can totally make those variations in the air fryer and toss them with lemon pepper sauce or buffalo sauce!

Also, there’s no need to preheat an air fryer, which saves you prep time and makes this the fastest crispy chicken wings recipe. All you need is your favorite wing sauce for dipping (more on that below).

Bitten into Air Fryer chicken wing up close

Ingredients for Air Fryer Chicken Wings

The rub for these chicken wings is simple with our go-to spices for baked, sautéed or air-fried chicken. All you need is 3 ingredients: oil, garlic salt and lemon pepper.

Ingredients for air fryer chicken with wings, drummettes, garlic salt and lemon pepper

How to Cut Chicken Wings

If your chicken wings are sold whole (and they are less expensive this way), you will need to cut them for even crisping. To cut a chicken wing, locate the joint between the wing tip, the middle section (drumette), and the end section (the flat). Use a sharp knife to cut into the joint between these sections to create three pieces. Trim off any excess skin.

You’ll use the drumettes and flats. You can save the wing tips for stock or discard them.

How to Make Crispy Air Fryer Wings

  • Pat the chicken pieces dry with a paper towel and set into a large bowl.
  • Drizzle with oil, sprinkle on the seasonings, and then toss to combine.
Dry rub for chicken wings
  1. Air Fry – Arrange the wings in the air fryer basket in a single layer, and you can bake right away – you can let them marinate if you prefer, but there’s no need to pre-marinate chicken wings. Air Fry at 400˚F for 8 minutes, then shake the basket to flip and air fry for another 8 minutes. They should be crispy and golden brown when ready.
chicken wings on air fryer basket

Can I Double the Recipe?

For all-around crispy chicken wings, it’s best to keep the wings in a single layer, so if you are using a smaller basket-style air fryer, you may need to air fry in 2 batches.

If you have a larger air toaster oven-style air fryer, you can double everything. When doubling, air fry for 18-22 minutes or until the skin is crisp, flipping the wings halfway. Bake time will vary based on the surface area of your air fryer basket.

Can I Bake These in a Traditional Oven?

It takes significantly longer to achieve crispy chicken wings in the oven. To bake these chicken wings in a conventional oven, preheat oven to 400˚F and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until crispy, flipping the wings after 30 minutes.

Air Fryer chicken wings garnished with parsley in blue bowl

What to Serve with Air Fried Chicken Wings

I love serving this restaurant style. My husband used to work at a Chilis restaurant and they served their wings with fresh celery and blue cheese dressing – classic! They also pair really well with these dips and sides:

Crispy air fried chicken wings with celery sticks

These Air Fryer Chicken Wings have a crisp, salty skin with a tender, flavorful center. Let the snacking begin!

Storing and Reheating Chicken Wings

Once the chicken wings are cooled to room temperature, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for 3-4 days. You can re-crisp them in the air fryer at 400˚F for 4 to 5 minutes.

More Air Fryer Recipes

If you’re looking for quick and simple meal ideas, you’ll love these air fryer recipes:

Air Fryer Chicken Wings

4.99 from 1007 votes
Air Fryer chicken wings in bowl with celery
Air Fryer Chicken Wings have crisp salty skin with a hint of garlic and lemon pepper in every bite. These are seasoned to perfection and cook so fast with no marinating required!
Prep Time: 4 minutes
Cook Time: 16 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 4 people
  • 1 lb chicken wings, split into flats and drummettes
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp garlic salt, or add to taste*
  • 1 tsp lemon pepper

Instructions

  • Thoroughly pat dry chicken wings with paper towels and place in a mixing bowl.
  • Coat in 1 Tbsp oil then sprinkle on 2 tsp garlic salt and 1 tsp lemon pepper. Toss to evenly coat with seasoning.
  • Place on air frying basket, spacing evenly and air fry at 400˚F for 8 minutes, then flip and air fry another 8 minutes for a total of 16 minutes, or until chicken wings are crisp and golden brown on the outside.

Notes

*Seasoning tip: If you love a salty skin, add 1 1/2 tsp of garlic salt. You can also substitute 1 tsp of garlic salt with 3/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp garlic powder.
*If Doubling the recipe: If your air fryer basket is too small to hold the chicken wings in a single layer, cook in batches. For a large air fryer, you can double the recipe and air fry for 18-22 minutes, or until the skin is crisp, flipping the wings halfway. 

Nutrition Per Serving

168kcal Calories0.3g Carbs11g Protein13g Fat3g Saturated Fat2g Polyunsaturated Fat6g Monounsaturated Fat0.1g Trans Fat47mg Cholesterol626mg Sodium102mg Potassium0.1g Fiber0.003g Sugar93IU Vitamin A0.4mg Vitamin C10mg Calcium1mg Iron
Nutrition Facts
Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Amount per Serving
Calories
168
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
13
g
20
%
Saturated Fat
 
3
g
19
%
Trans Fat
 
0.1
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
2
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
6
g
Cholesterol
 
47
mg
16
%
Sodium
 
626
mg
27
%
Potassium
 
102
mg
3
%
Carbohydrates
 
0.3
g
0
%
Fiber
 
0.1
g
0
%
Sugar
 
0.003
g
0
%
Protein
 
11
g
22
%
Vitamin A
 
93
IU
2
%
Vitamin C
 
0.4
mg
0
%
Calcium
 
10
mg
1
%
Iron
 
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: air fryer chicken wings
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $
Calories: 168
Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook
4.99 from 1007 votes (867 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




Comments

  • Tanya Honkanen
    January 17, 2025

    Hi Natasha!

    I love your recipes—I’m a huge fan! This one is on my list to try, too. Quick question: what air fryer would you recommend?

    Thanks you so much!
    Tanya

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      January 18, 2025

      Hi Tanya! I linked it in the blog (click on the red font words). But if you select “shop” from the menu at the top of the page, you can view my recommendations in the kitchen appliance category in my amazon shop.

      Reply

  • Greg
    January 15, 2025

    I work at a fast food place I have made a lot of fried chicken but this is better taste and it is more heathy:)

    Reply

  • Donald
    January 12, 2025

    Have used so many of your wonderful receipes. So easy to follow, and extremely delicious. I enjoy your receipe book as well.

    Reply

  • Patricia
    November 15, 2024

    Way too salty. Will use recipe again but cut the garlic salt in half.

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      November 16, 2024

      I’m sorry to hear that, Patricia! You can definitely use less but we found that 2tsp was not too much. Did you use any dipping sauce with them that could have been too salty?

      Reply

      • Lindsey
        January 26, 2025

        Question: The recipe calls for 1 tsp of garlic salt but then instructions say 2 tsps. Which amount should I be using?

        Reply

        • Natasha's Kitchen
          January 26, 2025

          Hello! The normal amount is 1tsp but you can add more if you love a salty skin.

          Reply

  • Jessica
    November 12, 2024

    Love this recipe. My go to for chicken wings night at home

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      November 12, 2024

      So happy to hear that you enjoy this, Jessica! Thank you for the feedback.

      Reply

  • Irene
    October 29, 2024

    Mine are anemic. Flavor is wonderful. Added a total of 10 minutes, but they are not golden or crispy.

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      October 30, 2024

      Hi Irene. Are you using the convection setting on a large oven? If so, they will take longer and won’t crisp up quite as much. I used a small countertop convection oven. Some convection ovens may also need to preheat.

      Reply

  • Karin
    October 22, 2024

    If I were to add cornstarch to this recipe how much should I add??

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      October 22, 2024

      Hi Karin! I don’t use cornstarch in this recipe so I don’t have those instructions. You could toss the wings in cornstarch until completely coated.

      Reply

  • Natasha Green
    October 13, 2024

    A rub of baking powder produces great results!

    Reply

  • Seth
    October 2, 2024

    Thanks Nat the wings are great as usual. Love your recipes for sure.

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      October 2, 2024

      Great to hear, Seth!

      Reply

  • Lizette
    September 17, 2024

    Hi Natasha, can I use this recipe for a whole chicken?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      September 17, 2024

      Hi Lizette, I haven’t tried this specific recipe for a whole chicken to advise, but I do have a few recipes for whole chickens that you can either bake – Whole Roasted Chicken or cook in your instant pot – Instant Pot Whole Chicken.

      Reply

  • TheShyFoodBlogger
    September 10, 2024

    Love this air fry recipe…added a few spices and even made a sweet and spicy sauce to coat them in

    Reply

  • Diane
    September 3, 2024

    Made such a mess of the whole toaster/air fryer

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      September 3, 2024

      You can try to apply a sheet of parchment paper on top to help catch splatter.

      Reply

  • Polly Dickinson
    August 30, 2024

    Any hints on changes to make if you are using an induction oven with a built in air fryer? I have a new oven, and no counter space for an air fryer, but my oven has an air fryer feature. I want to give this a try but just curious if you have any suggested adjustments to make if using an oven vs a countertop air fryer appliance. Thanks

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      August 30, 2024

      Hi Polly! They won’t get as crisp in an oven with air fryer mode and may need to be baked for longer since the internal area of the oven is a lot larger than a counter top air fryer.

      Reply

  • Nina
    August 11, 2024

    Good recipe and I loved the flavor. Unfortunately mine didn’t not get crispy without overcooks (they were at 180f). Next time I’ll add 2 tsp baking powder to get them crispy as one food scientist says “sodium bicarbonate reacts with moisture on the chicken—tiny carbon dioxide bubbles form, which dries and hardens. The result is crackly chicken skin.”

    Reply

  • Pam
    August 10, 2024

    How do you keep the wings from getting grease all over air fryer when using wire basket?

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      August 10, 2024

      Hi Pam, you can try to apply a sheet of parchment paper on top to help catch splatter.

      Reply

      • Coni
        October 13, 2024

        Wouldn’t the paper be free to fly all around and catch on the heating element (mine is on top)?

        Reply

        • NatashasKitchen.com
          October 13, 2024

          Hi Coni! Yes, it could. If you have ceramic pie weights, these can help hold the edges down.

          Reply

  • Ericka
    August 4, 2024

    The best English muffin recipe I’ve tried yet!! So airy and fluffy! Could I use a sourdough leavening instead of the yeast?

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      August 4, 2024

      Thanks, Ericka! I have not tested that version yet to advise. We’d love to know how it goes if you give that a try!

      Reply

  • Janis
    June 21, 2024

    These are the best chicken wings ever. I followed your recipe exactly and perfect crispy wings.❤️

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      June 22, 2024

      That’s wonderful to hear!

      Reply

  • Nilam
    June 20, 2024

    Can we cook the chicken wings on 2 shelves of the airfryer cooker?

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      June 20, 2024

      If there is enough room for air to circulate without overcrowding the air fryer, if it’s overcrowded, they will not get as crisp and will need to stay in longer.

      Reply

  • Mary
    May 26, 2024

    Can I use pepper and lemon grated rind. I don’t have lemon pepper.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      May 26, 2024

      Hi Mary, technically yes but it does take a little time to re-create that seasoning from scratch. Here’s a recipe for Homemade Lemon Pepper that you can reference to get an idea of how to make it.

      Reply

  • Beth
    May 19, 2024

    My family love it! I don’t have lemon pepper seasoning so I used lemon juice and ground black pepper instead. It turned out delicious! Thanks Natasha for sharing this recipe.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      May 19, 2024

      Glad you all enjoyed this!

      Reply

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