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Who doesn’t love chicken wings!? I love making them in the air fryer, which I consider a bit of a shortcut way to make crispy, juicy chicken wings! Air Fryer Chicken Wings have been a highly requested recipe and after a couple of tests this is my favorite way to make them!
These Air Fryer Chicken Wings only take a few minutes to make, but require one KEY ingredient – baking powder! The baking powder reacts with the chicken skin by raising its pH level to create beautiful golden brown and crispy skin. They’re delicious on their own, but also spectacular with my Easy Homemade Ranch Dressing, BBQ Sauce, or Raising Cane’s Sauce!
Watch the Air Fryer Chicken Wings Recipe Video Below!
Ingredients for Air Fryer Chicken Wings
I love this air fryer chicken wing recipe because only a few ingredients will make crispy, juicy chicken with less fat than deep frying! Firstly, here are the ingredients you will need!
- chicken wings
- neutral oil – my go to neutral oil is avocado oil but you can also use canola or vegetable oil
- kosher salt
- white pepper – I get asked all the time if you can sub black pepper for white pepper – and my answer is, it depends BUT you need to watch the ratio. White pepper has a milder flavor profile than black pepper, so it’s not a 1-1 substitute. I would start with less black pepper and add as you go. (But really, you should have white pepper in your pantry! It’s a staple in mine!)
- baking powder – The baking powder reacts with the chicken skin to raise the pH level and and creates tiny air bubbles, which also helps form a crispy coating.
Want to use the oven instead? Make my Baked Chicken Wings! Feel like pork? Try Air Fryer Crispy Pork Belly!
Air Fryer Chicken Wings: Recipe Instructions
Pat the Chicken Wings Dry
The first step patting the wings with a paper towel to get them as dry as possible. You want to remove any excess moisture from the wings to help them crisp up.
Next, place the chicken wings into a bowl with kosher salt, white pepper, baking powder and neutral oil. Mix well with your hands and head to the air fryer!
Air Fry the Chicken
Lay your chicken wings in a single layer in your air fryer basket, making sure there is enough space between the wings to allow for air to circulate freely in the basket. Air fry them at 400F (preheat if needed) for 10 minutes!
Flip and Air Fry the Chicken Wings
After the first “fry” in the air fryer, the chicken pieces might look a little bland and grey, but don’t worry! Give them a flip then air fry a second time at 400F for another 8-12 minutes until they are crispy! This time may vary based on the size of your wings, so adjust the time accordingly.
This was the final result – look just how incredibly crispy that chicken is! You can see the puffed skin from the baking powder, which results in a beautiful paper thin and crisp exterior. You can also watch the video for audio evidence as well 🙂
Want a non-meat alternative? Try my super crispy Air Fryer Tofu!
COOKING TIME
The cooking time may vary for the wings depending on their size. If the skin isn’t crispy enough, just add a few more minutes until the skin gets to where you want it to be. To ensure doneness, use a thermometer probe to make sure the internal temp reads at least 165F.
If you liked this Air Fryer Chicken Wings recipe, check out some of the most popular air fryer recipes like my Air Fryer Chicken Thighs, Air Fryer Chicken Tenders, or my other fried chicken recipes on the blog like my:
Air Fryer Chicken Wings (SUPER CRISPY)
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 lb chicken wings
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tbsp neutral oil, I used avocado oil
Instructions
- Pat the chicken wings dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.
- In a bowl, season the chicken wings with salt and white pepper along with baking powder and neutral oil. Mix until the wings are evenly coated.
- In a single layer, place the chicken wings in the air fryer and air fry for 10 minutes at 400F.
- Flip the chicken wings and air fry again for 8-12 minutes at 400F (depending on the size of the wings) or until the skin is golden brown and crispy.
- Serve with your favorite wing sauce or eat dry and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
So crispy and simple to make. Great flavors, thanks for the recipe!
Thanks for sharing! Yum!
Jokay_c
Amazing!
This is a great recipe to make crispy wings every time! So simple and guaranteed way to make perfect wings.
Instagram: evanthomson5
This is my go to for chicken wings, a much healthier alternative than deep frying and it tastes just as good if not better; juice in the inside and crispy outside.
These came out perfect!!! Definitely can’t tell they are air fried
First real success with air fryer.
That’s amazing to hear! I’m so glad it was a success!
Great recipe!! The wings were awesome!!
Thank you Linda!
Ok ok ok ok I’m I’m I’m. These had me dancing. I made these right NOW @ 12:55p.m. 5/20/24 status gone…… I can’t have fried food, but I have been craving some fried chicken wings. I was a little bit doubtful that an air fryer could do the same thing as cooking them in oil but I quickly took them words back when these came out of the damn fryer. I love food. I love to eat. Not a very big person but I’ve always had a love for all different type of food all over the world. All cultures all kind. I am a f****** rainbow. I got to have it and these made me a firm believer we all have been doing fried chicken wrong our whole lives. I called all the fam down for lunch and quickly realized I might not have made enough. Granted I made 2 lbs for 4 folks. Patting myself on the back for finding this one and tipping my hat to the chef while pouring you a drink. Thank you for this recipe. This was a godsend!
Thank you SO much, Lontina! I’m so glad you loved them
You specify “neutral oil”. Do you have any opinion about using animal fats (clarified butter, chicken fat, beef tallow, chicken leaf lard) do not maybe have some flavor advantage? I’ve pretty much abandoned all seed, fruit and nut oils in favor of whatever animal fat seems the best fit for the recipe (pork leaf lard, beef tallow, chicken fat, clarified butter). Even regular pork lard, when a porky note would not be out of place. But I have an open mind. Why would oils be better than fat for crispy wings?