These Air Fryer Chicken Wings have crisp, salty skin and a tender, juicy center. They’re tossed with a simple savory spice rub and a surprising ingredient that helps create irresistible crispiness. They take less than 20 minutes to cook, and there’s no marinating time required. You can use this recipe with a variety of sauces to coat or dip the wings.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
Helpful Reader Review
“Delicious! The best part about your recipes is that besides being delicious, they’re so easy! This one was too easy, much appreciated!” – Terri ★★★★★
Air Fryer Chicken Wings Video
Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Cooking Chicken wings in the air fryer is brilliant, and you will make wings way more often if you try this air fryer method. Cooking chicken wings in the air fryer is one of the fastest ways to get crisp skin and juicy meat. Baking powder helps dry the skin without adding flavor, while the circulating hot air makes the wings blistered and crisp. Did I mention this method is super FAST?
The air fryer cook time is three times faster than my Baked Chicken Wings, Baked Buffalo Wings, or Lemon Pepper Wings when cooked in a traditional oven. There’s no need to preheat the 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).
Ingredients for Air Fryer Chicken Wings
- Chicken Wings – cut into flats and drummettes. I love the big packs of organic chicken wings from Costco.
- Oil – helps the spices stick to the wings and helps with browning.
- Spice Rub – the best and most versatile chicken seasoning, all you need is salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Baking powder – my secret ingredient to make the wings extra crispy because it dries out the chicken skin.
How to Split 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. You’ll only use the drumettes and flats. Wing tips don’t have any meat and tend to burn, so save those for chicken stock or discard them.
How to Air Fry Chicken Wings
- Prep Wings – Pat the chicken pieces dry with a paper towel and set into a large bowl. This is the key to extra crispy chicken wings.
- Drizzle with oil and toss to coat.
- Season – In a small bowl, stir together the seasonings and baking powder (if using), then toss the wings to evenly coat.
- Air Fry – Arrange the wings in the air fryer basket in a single layer and air fry right away. You can let them marinate if you’re making them ahead, 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 8-12 minutes. They should be crispy and golden brown when ready.
How Long to Cook Chicken Wings in the Air Fryer
Air fry chicken wings at 400˚F for 16 to 20 minutes, flipping or shaking the basket halfway through. Smaller wings may be done closer to 16 minutes, while larger wings may need the full 20 minutes. The wings are ready when the skin is crisp and golden, and the thickest part of the chicken reaches at least 165˚F on an instant-read thermometer. If you let them reach 175˚F to 185˚F, they will have even more flavor and texture.
Tips for the Best Air Fryer Wings
- Pat dry to remove excess moisture, so the skins get crisp instead of steaming.
- Let Air Circulate – leave some space between the wings and air fry in a single layer for optimal crispiness on all sides.
- Use a little baking powder – for extra crispy wings, about 1 tsp per pound of wings helps dry out and blister the skin for an extra golden and crispy skin. I also did this with my crispy Baked Chicken Wings.
- Sauce after cooking: wait until the wings are cooked to add any sauce. If you add sauce too early, the wings lose crispiness.
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 tossed in Buffalo Chicken Wing Sauce paired with fresh celery and blue cheese dressing – classic! They also pair really well with these dips and sides:
- Ranch Dressing or Avocado Ranch
- Veggie Dip
- Potato Wedges
- Air Fryer French Fries
- Coleslaw or Caesar Salad
- Corn on the Cob
- Baked Potatoes
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
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken wings, split into flats and drummettes*
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, or add to taste*
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp baking powder, optional (do not use baking soda)
Instructions
- Thoroughly pat dry chicken wings with paper towels and place in a mixing bowl.
- Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat.
- Season – In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper, paprika, garlic and onion powder, and baking powder (if using), then sprinkle over the chicken and toss to evenly coat wings with seasoning.
- Air Fry – Place in air frying basket, spacing evenly, and air fry at 400˚F for 16-20 minutes, flipping halfway. Air-fry until chicken wings are crisp and golden brown on the outside. They should reach 165˚F on an instant-read thermometer, and they will taste even better if you let them reach 175˚F to 185˚F.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
More Easy Air Fryer Recipes
If you’re looking for quick and simple meal ideas, you’ll love these air fryer recipes:
- Air Fryer Salmon
- Crispy Air Fryer Roasted Potatoes
- Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
- Easy Air Fryer Baked Potatoes
- Air Fried Pork Chops
- Crispy Air Fryer Bacon (my fave method!)
- Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
- Air Fryer Whole Chicken
These were perfect! Only thing I did differently was using garlic powder instead of salt (not big on salt) they turned out perfect thank you 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Ramsay!
Hi Natasha. I am going out to purchase an air fryer for myself very soon. I always have used baking powder toss with wings and sat overnight in the fridge. When you bake them they turn out like deep fried. Looking forward to trying out the airfryer chicken wings. Happy cooking!
I hope you love this recipe and your NEW Air Fryer! That’s so exciting!
I just purchased the Pro power XL and let it heat up for the first time LOL and the door just came off WOW. I’m gonna let the blasted thing cool off then try your wings hehe I hope the door can handle it lol here goes for the first time thanks for the recipe loves and hugs chica
Hi Natasha, I have the same Air Fryer that you have. I love it and now I really love it after trying your recipe for the party wings. I finally pick up some wings at the store and made them exactly according to your recipe. They are soooo good and crispy. I went to the store the next day and got two more packages.
Thanks for the great wings.
Jan
Love it! Thank you for trying out this recipe, I’m so happy to know that you loved it!
What can l use if l don’t have garlic salt Natasha?
Hi Monicca, you could sub with equal parts garlic powder and salt.
Hi Natasha, this looks great. I have the same air fryer and want to try. Should I put the tray in the top or bottom slot for best results?
Hi Matt, we have a photo in the recipe of our tray position. We have the wings on the top wire rack and a drip tray on the bottom slot. I hope that helps.
Hi Natasha! Me and my dad love your recipes! We are going to make these wings tonight and was wondering if we needed to soak the wings in water before cooking them? Thanks for your help!
Great to heat that, Catherine. Soaking or brining is not a necessary step in this recipe which is why we did not include that in the ingredients. I hope you love the chicken wings recipe!
Excellent air fryer chicken wings, I added 2 teaspoons of baking powder to the mix and increased the cook time to 14 minutes per side. This made the wings extra crispy.
Thank you for sharing that great review with me, Brian! I’m happy you enjoyed this recipe!
Natasha,Where do you put the dial on the air fryer? Bake ,broil fry. I have one w/all choices, Thank You.
Hi Kate, on ours, there is an Air Fry setting which is what we use.
Why flip the wings when using the air fryer?
This is my first time using an air fryer and want to make sure I am using it correctly.
I am gong to be using Dash 6qrt.
Thank you,
Donna
Hi Donna, flipping makes sure the food is evenly cooked.
You mwntion in your videos you will add notes or links to view products you use. I cannot find thes notes and links. Please advise where to fond these. Thank you
Hi Sande, you can see them linked in the video description on Youtube. You can also find our favorite kitchen tools in our Amazon Affiliate Shop HERE.
Deliciously crispy as advertised.
Thanks for your great review, Peter!
I’ve read that adding baking powder gives the wings a more crispy texture. Have you tried this in your recipe?
Hi Lisa, I haven’t tested to advise. If you happen to experiment I would love to know how you like that.
I can attest that baking powder does make them crispier. Add anywhere from a teaspoon to a tablespoon.
YES, tossing the wings in baking powder after you season, absolutely does make them super crispy, makes the BEST wings ever!!
These were amazingly delish.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that, Jan!
Hi! Is it necessary to brine or soak the wings in buttermilk first? Can’t wait to try these!
Hi Megan, soaking or brining is not a necessary step in this recipe which is why we did not include that in the ingredients. I hope you love the chicken wings recipe!
I always put my wings in a Ziploc bag, to shake them up with the oil and spices. It coats them perfectly, and makes for easy clean up.
I love that idea! So easy and minimal cleanup.
Do you have written recipes on your blog for your videos? Was unable to detect the amount of each ingredients on some.
Hi Jane, yes, all of the written recipes are on our blog with exact ingredients that are in print-friendly format.
Love your recipes and videos. Can’t wait to try this recipe for Super Bowl! My husband say other than me, you a re his girl! I laugh and say I love her too!
Ahaha! That’s the best! I hope you both like this recipe, Lynn!
sounds delish, but your SALT content is outrageous for a healthy adult. 52% sodium for 4 ounces of bone-in wings; people will likely eat twice that many wings with make the salt 104% of daily dosage. Try garlic powder rather than garlic salt.
Hi Barb, you could do garlic powder instead of garlic salt to reduce the salt content or just add a little less seasoning.
You do know that those percentages are guidelines right. They are not “exceed by 4% for 1 party and die!” Chill. Live a little once or, dare to dream, twice a year
Oh good grief! Lighten up. If you don’t like the salt, don’t do it. Easy as that! Smh
I just wanted to pop in and add my two cents to the salt issue. Mostly because it really bothers me when people criticize others for things they don’t know about. The US recommendations of 2500mg/day of sodium are very low. There are other countries currently upping their intake guidelines to numbers around 5000 – twice what ours is in the US. So if you live in one of those places, for example, it’s only 25% of your salt intake – which then makes it no big deal, am I right? Remember, it’s still the same amount of salt. For me personally, since I started following a whole food diet and eliminating processed foods, have found that I get incredible migraines if I don’t have enough salt (my sweet spot is right around 6000 mg/day – one day under is no big deal but two or more in a row and I’m guaranteed a headache). Everyone is different. If you personally don’t like salt (or are afraid of it), just don’t use it, but please don’t harp on this woman for using salt to make delicious food. I love salt and thanks for your recipe, Natasha!!
I’m a big fan and have tried several of your recipes. My wife has also started to follow along!
Question: Do you have any keto diet recipes and, if so, are they on your website?
God Bless
Hi Richard, we do have a Keto recipes section now, but isn’t all-inclusive yet as it is new and we are slowly adding to it. You can find all of our diet categories and other categories by clicking “Recipes” at the top of the site.
SO excited for your new Keto section!! I love your recipes and so happy to hear there’s a new keto section! YAY!
It was most requested so we are slowly building to add more recipes there.
I have made several of your recipes. Made the banana bread and chicken & mushrooms this week. Love them. Enjoy your videos and they are so easy to make.
I’m so happy to hear that, Flora! Thank you for that wonderful review.
Is this cooking all the wings at once, or are they to lay flat in a single row.
I love your recipes, you make them so easy to follow.
Hi Kris, it’s best to have them in one row.