Air Fryer Chicken Wings Recipe – Made From Fresh or Frozen

When it comes to cooking chicken wings it is hard to beat the ease and convenience of cooking them in your Air Fryer. You get all the flavor and crunch of deep-fried wings, but in a fraction of the time.

In addition, they are much healthier than deep fried wings. However they still turn out nice and crispy on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside.

And do you know what the best part is? They are naturally a low-carb food! And by cooking them in your air fryer you get to enjoy the taste of classic chicken wings without the deep-fried guilt that comes with them.

And they couldn’t be easier to make. Whether you have fresh, thawed or frozen chicken wings, you can have them cooked and ready to eat in under 30 minutes!

Frozen Chicken Wings

If you are like me, when I purchase a bag of chicken wings I almost always forget to put them in the refrigerator to thaw a day or two ahead of when I want to cook them. That is typically because I usually make them as a spur of the moment decision.

However, for this recipe, it doesn’t matter if they are fresh or frozen. In fact, you don’t need to thaw them at all! You can cook frozen wings in the air fryer with no issues.

Although you are probably wondering if air fried wings are going to taste or have the same texture as deep-fried wings. Well, the answer is yes!

I have to say, that when cooked in the air fryer chicken wings, whether made from fresh or frozen, have a similar or maybe even a superior taste and texture to regular deep-fried wings.

That is, as long as you know how to cook them right. I have included a few tips and tricks below to get them to turn out perfect every time. Follow these tips and you’ll get the same or even better wings than you ever did with a deep fryer.

The only difference is, the air fryer wings are healthier and easier to make!

The Secret To Perfectly Cooked Chicken Wings

So, what’s the trick to get your air-fried wings tasting better than ever? It’s all about adjusting the temperature just the right way.

Don’t worry. It’s not complicated! In order to get perfectly cooked chicken wings you need to start cooking them at a lower temperature. But before you pull them out of the air fryer, increase the temperature to let them finish cooking.

Why do you need to turn up the heat at the end of the process? This will allow the chicken wings that are almost fully cooked to become nice and crisp on the outside, while staying moist and delicious on the inside.

When you start cooking them at a low temperature this allows the meat to cook. Once the wings are cooked, you turn up the heat to get the crispy texture on the skin that everyone loves.

I know several wing recipes that suggest coating your wings in flour, baking powder, or something similar to make them extra crispy. However, you don’t need that extra step when you cook them using this method.

It’s all about temperature! Now that you know the secret, let’s get to the actual recipe.

Air Fryer Chicken Wings Recipe

*Specific measurements and complete recipe instructions are located in a printable recipe card at the bottom of this article. However, be sure to continue to read the tips and tricks to making this recipe below.

INGREDIENTS

• 2-3 lbs chicken wings and/or drumettes
• Dry rub or wing sauce

INSTRUCTIONS

The first step in cooking the wings is to spray the basket with olive oil and preheat the air fryer if your brand requires you to do so. This will help prevent the skin of the wings from sticking to the surface.

If you are starting with thawed wings and wanting to use a dry rub to flavor them, toss the wings in oil. Then sprinkle the dry rub on the wings.

However, if you are cooking frozen wings, you will add the dry rub a little later during the cooking process.

Now place the wings in the air fryer basket. Although it is best to cook them in a single layer, you can stack the wings on top of each other. However, you will need to shake the basket or rotate the wings part way though the cooking process for even cooking.

Close the basket and cook them for 25 minutes at 380°F. Then flip and/or rotate the wings after they have been cooking for 15 minutes.

How To Cook Frozen Wings

For frozen chicken wings, add an extra five minutes to the total cook time. Therefore, with the time adjustment, instead of flipping them at the 15 minute mark, turn them after 20 minutes of cooking.

If you prefer to use a dry rub on your frozen wings, rather than tossing them in wing sauce after they are cooked, make sure you sprinkle the seasoning on the wings once you go to flip them. The oil released from the skin will make the perfect binding agent for the dry rub to stick to the wings.

The Key To Crispy Skin

Although you could eat the wings once the reach the internal temperature of 165°F, it is best to cook them just a little longer and at a higher temperature.

The reason is two-fold. The extra cook time allows the wings to become fall off the bone tender (with the internal temperature reaching 180°F). In addition, finishing them off at a higher temperature allows the skin to get nice and crispy.

Therefore when the initial cook time is up, increase the air fryer temperature to 400°F. Then continue to cook the wings for an extra 5-10 minutes. Be sure to keep a close eye on the wings so that they turn out nice and crispy without burning.

Carefully remove the wings from the basket and serve warm with your favorite wing or dipping sauce!

How To Flavor Air Fryer Chicken Wings

Just like when you go to a restaurant to order wings, you can choose to have them served plain, coated in your favorite wing sauce, or have a dry rub added to them.

And the same holds true when you cook them in your air fryer. However, the timing of applying the seasoning does matter.

As mentioned above, it is best to add the dry rub seasoning when frozen wings are already partially cooked. Although if you are starting with fresh or thawed wings, it is ideal to add the dry rub before they go into the air fryer.

Wing Sauce

However, if you want to coat them in your favorite wing sauce, it is best to wait until the wings are completely cooked and crisp before adding the sauce.

To coat the wings in the sauce place them in a large bowl. Then drizzle the wing sauce on top of the wings and carefully toss the wings in the sauce. Or if you prefer you can serve the wings plain with the wing sauce on the side.

Although I love this Garlic Parmesan wing sauce, you can never go wrong with a standard Buffalo Sauce. It is easy to make homemade Buffalo wing sauce by combining your favorite hot sauce with melted butter.

Serve the Air Fryer Chicken Wings with celery, ranch or blue cheese dressing.

Enjoy! Mary

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