This recipe for Air Fryer Chicken Wings produces juicy, crispy, tender, and delicious chicken wings there are significantly lower in fat and calories than deep-fried wings!
Pair Air Fried Chicken Wings with a side of Chip Dip and Jalapeno Poppers for the ultimate game-day spread!
According to my husband and son, chicken wings are a must when watching football. And my boys watch A LOT of football. Therefore, they eat A LOT of wings and have tried them just about every which way you can have them.
They love smoked wings, deep-fried wings, and Instant Pot Chicken Wings, but their new obsession is Air Fryer Chicken Wings and after trying them, I think it is easy to see why!
why you will love air fryer chicken wings
- Just as Good as Deep-Fried! These chicken wings, just like Air Fryer Chicken Tenders and Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan, turn out as though they were fried. Their skin is crispy, and the meat is moist and tender.
- Incredibly Flavorful. The homemade dry rub used in this Chicken Wings recipe is a little spicy, a little sweet, and perfectly savory, and gives the chicken so much flavor, they don't need to even be tossed in a sauce.
- Super Easy Recipe. Air Fryer Chicken Wings uses simple ingredients to create a delicious, party-perfect appetizer in under 30 minutes.
- Less Greasy. Air Fryer Chicken Wings are significantly lower in fat than deep-fried chicken wings and not at all greasy, but just as delicious.
Ingredients Needed
- Chicken Wings: If your wings are not already separated when purchased, you will want to separate drumettes and flats to keep the cooking time even.
- Oil: Only ½ teaspoon is needed for these Air Fryer Chicken Wings. I recommend using canola, avocado, or vegetable oil, as they all have a high smoking point.
- Dry Rub: I use my homemade dry rub recipe with is made with dried spices, salt, and a bit of brown sugar.
- Smoked Paprika: The smoked paprika adds a bit more depth of flavor to the spice rub and adds a smokey taste to the chicken wings but feel free to use regular paprika.
- Cayenne Pepper: Just a tiny bit is added to wake up the palate. Feel free to omit to control the spice level.
- Brown Sugar: Feel free to omit the brown sugar from the rub if you need a keto-friendly or low-carb chicken leg recipe, but a bit of brown sugar helps to balance out the savoriness in the spice rub and helps the skin on the wings to caramelize as they cook.
Kristen's Tip
If you can, I highly recommend using organic, dry chilled chicken wings. They are less fatty and just taste better.
How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Wings
- Prepare the dry rub by mixing together the salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, and brown sugar together.
- Lightly pat dry chicken wings with a paper towel and place the wings into a large mixing bowl.
- Add about 1 teaspoon of oil and 2 tablespoons of the rub over the chicken. Toss to liberally coat well, adding more rub if needed.
- At this point, you can cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours OR you can air fry immediately.
- To air fry, spread the wings out onto the basket or tray of your air-fryer. Be sure to not overlap the wings so that each side gets crispy! You can work in batches if needed.
- Set to cook for 10 minutes at 400 degrees F.
- After the time has passed, remove the basket, flip the wings, and air fry for another 8 minutes at 400 degrees F.
Serving Suggestions
These dry-rubbed chicken wings are perfectly flavorful and delicious on served without any additional sauce. However, you can also toss the air-fried wings with ½ cup of Buffalo Sauce or Homemade BBQ Sauce if desired. And don't forget a side of Homemade Ranch Dressing.
Storing & Reheating Instructions
Leftover air-fried wings can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Reheat in a 400-degree F air fryer for 3-4 minutes just until warmed through. I don't recommend reheating the leftover wings in the microwave, as the skin may become soggy.
Recipe FAQs
No. I do not recommend using frozen wings for this recipe. They do not cook evenly and the rub will not adhere to frozen wings.
No. You really want to space your wings out in a single layer so that they evenly cook and crisp up. If needed, work in batches to air fry your wings.
Yes! Just keep in mind you will need to work in batches so as not to overcrowd the air fryer. Season the chicken as directed. Spread out the chicken wings in a single layer in the basket or tray of the air fryer and air fry as directed. While the first batch of chicken is cooking, keep the remaining wings in the refrigerator until ready to air-fry. Once the first batch is done cooking, keep it warm a 200-degree F while the other batch cooks up.
More Air Fryer Chicken Recipes
- Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan
- Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
- Air Fryer Chicken Breast
- Air Fryer Chicken Legs
If you enjoyed these Air Fried Chicken Wings, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.
Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 1.5-2 pounds chicken wings
- ½ teaspoon olive oil
Dry Rub
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- If your air fryer requires preheating, preheat to 400 degrees F.
- In a small bowl, mix together the salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, and brown sugar together.
- Trim any excess fat or skin from the chicken wings if needed. Lightly pat dry chicken wings with a paper towel and place the wings into a large mixing bowl.
- In a large mixing bowl, toss the chicken wings with the oil and 2 tablespoons of the rub. Toss to liberally coat well, adding more rub if needed.
- Evenly spread the wings out onto the basket or tray of your air-fryer, being sure to not overlap the wings. Cook for 10 minutes at 400 degrees F. Remove the basket or tray, flip the chicken wings, and air fry for another 8 minutes at 400 degrees F.
- Serve immediately or toss with sauce if desired before serving.
RUTHANN
So delicious. These were a big ! Also so easy. Another great recipe
Addie
Haven't tried these yet but I certainly will: if you want the sweetness of the sugar but have to watch it like I do, you can use a brown sugar substitute such as Lakanto Golden, or Swerve Brown. I'd be surprised if you notice the difference between this and regular cane sugar, especially in a recipe like this where you don't need much of it.
Kristen Chidsey
Thanks for sharing, I know others will appreciate that tip. You can also omit the sugar here for great results if you don't want to use a substitute 🙂
Beth
So much to love about this recipe! Quick, easy and made with smoked paprika-delish!!
Adrienne Foster
If you were to add approximately 1/2 tsp of baking powder to the dry rub the banking soda causes what's known as the Maillard reaction. The Ares guaranteed to be crispy. Only add sauces after they have finished cooking and crisping.
Kristen Chidsey
Thank you for sharing your tips Adrienne.
Taryn
This recipe was easy to follow and our wings came out moist with crispy skin. Thanks so much!
VÃctor
I just got to do this Yummy 😋 chicken wings, it seems so easy...
Cor
Sounds like a great recipe, I was thinking of getting an air fryer. Which one do you suggest? Love the content, good job!
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Cor! I link to the exact model I have in the recipe card. It is a GoWise 5.8 quart and pretty basic but has worked great for 2 years now.