Chicken Wings in the Air Fryer

5 from 2 votes

Air Fryer Chicken Wings are super crispy without cooking in oil. Easy to make in minutes, healthy fried chicken is the perfect finger food that won't make a mess!

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Total Time35

Course: Appetizer, Dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 111kcal

Author: Jennifer Fishkind

Ingredients

2 pounds chicken wings (frozen wings need to be completely thawed)
1½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons onion powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground chipotle powder - or - cayenne pepper (optional)

Instructions

Use a sharp knife to remove the small wing tip. Then carefully separate the drumette and wingette (the flat part of the wing).
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels.
Place the chicken in a large mixing bowl or a gallon-size ziplock bag.
Drizzle the extra virgin olive oil over the chicken. Sprinkle the onion powder, paprika, salt, pepper, and chipotle powder over the chicken.
Use tongs or your hands to mix the chicken, oil, and spices. If you are using a ziplock bag, seal the bag and either gently shake or squish the chicken until well coated.
Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. (Depending on which brand/model air fryer you have, 5 - 7 minutes is sufficient enough time for preheating)
You can lightly spray the inner basket, but most baskets are nonstick, so it is up to you. Place the drumettes into the basket. Cook for 8-10 minutes, turn and cook for another 8-10 minutes. (Again, different models cook differently. 9 minutes per side was the perfect amount of time)
Cook the wingettes for 8-9 minutes, turn and cook for another 8-9 minutes. Serve while warm.

Notes

Servings: 6 - drumettes and 6 - wingettes (Depending on how large or small the wings you buy are, you may have more or less)

Storage:

To Store: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To Freeze: You can freeze the cooked wings in a freezer safe container for up to 1 month.
To Reheat: Allow the wings to thaw overnight before reheating in the air fryer for 3-5 minutes to re-crisp the wings.

Tips:

For the crispiest possible wings, pat your chicken completely dry with paper towels before seasoning.
If you are using your hands to coat the wings, I recommend wearing disposable gloves while handling the raw meat. I always keep 3 different thicknesses of nitrile gloves on hand for food prep.
You can lightly spray the inner basket with nonstick cooking spray, but most baskets are already nonstick.
Wings will cook best and crispiest when cooked in a single layer. You may need to cook your wings in batches depending on the size of your basket.
You can coat the wings in BBQ sauce or a buffalo wing sauce for the last 2 minutes of cooking.

Nutrition