The best ever SUPER CRISPY chicken wings cooked in the air-fryer (NO OIL Required!) 3 ways (Buffalo, Honey BBQ, & Garlic Parmesan) in just 30 Minutes!
Air Frying has made eating healthy and fast possible without compromising flavor or texture. Chicken wings are one of my favorite things (other than fries) to make in the air fryer. Air-frying chicken wings make the most crispy wings with tender juicy meat, with NO OIL required. The result is SUPER crispy wings that are not only incredibly delicious but are so much healthier too! The only ingredients you will need are chicken wings, baking powder, and salt & pepper.
You can eat the wings as is without a sauce toss them in your favorite wing sauce. Today I will be sharing 3 quick wing sauces that you can make while the wings are cooking in the air fryer.
Enjoyed these wings? Check out my crispy air fryer fried chicken or my popular air fryer chicken tenders next or see my full line of air fryer recipes here!
How to Make Chicken Wings in the Air Fryer
Prep: To make chicken wings in the air fryer, get started by cutting and drying the chicken wings. Make sure the wings are completely dry so they yield a crispy texture. Next, toss the wings in baking powder along with a dash of salt and pepper. You can get creative here if you’d like and season the chicken with your favorite spice blend but that’s pretty much it!
Air Fryer: Place in the air fryer (preferably on a rack) and air fryer until crispy (refer to the recipe box below for more details). As you can see, the wings are SUPER crispy and mouth-watering. At this point, you can simply serve the wings as is or toss them in a wing sauce.
Toss in Sauce: Now to the fun part, the sauces! The first is buffalo sauce, the 2nd option is a honey BBQ sauce and the 3rd is a garlic parmesan coating. if making things from scratch is not your thing, simply toss the wings in a store-bought wings sauce!
Tips for Extra Crispy Chicken Wings
Use Baking Powder: I learned this trick years ago and it has been my favorite way to get crispy skin on chicken wings. This Magic Ingredient raises the PH level in the chicken wings and makes them SUPER crispy. Just be sure the baking powder you are using is aluminum-free.
Pat the chicken dry: Be sure the wings are completely dried through. This will help the baking powder stick to the skin and result in a super crispy texture
No Oil Needed: This is my favorite part about air frying chicken wings. That’s right, no oil is needed. The oil from the chicken wings will break down and when combined with the salt and baking powder, will form a crunchy crust that is to die for.
Air-frying Method: The wings are first air-fried on medium heat to cook the interior and then the heat is turned up to 400F+ to crisp up the skin. The result is chicken wings that are soft and tender on the inside and super crispy on the outside.
Don’t over-lap: Spread the wings out so they don’t overlap. Giving the wings enough room will allow them to cook evenly and crispy all around. Using a large air fryer will allow you to achieve the best results in just 1 round. This is our favorite air fryer for large batches.
More Delicious Chicken Wing Recipes
Super Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings (3 Ways!)
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Chicken wings
- 1 tbs baking powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Garlic Parmesan Wings
- ¼ cup butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, freshly grated or pre-grated
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 2 tbsp. freshly chopped parsley leaves
Honey Bbq Wings
- 1 cup bbq sauce
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tbsp melted butter
- 2 tsp sriracha or hot sauce optional
Instructions
- Prep: Remove the tips of chicken wings and split them at the joint. Pat the chicken wings dry with a paper towel. In a large bowl, toss chicken wings with 1 tablespoon baking powder (NOT BAKING SODA!) and a dash of salt and pepper. Transfer to the air-fryer basket and place in the air fryer.
- Air Fry: Cook at 375F for 25 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through cooking time. Increase the temperature to 420F or the highest setting and bake for another 5 minutes or until the skin is crispy and brown. Remove from air fryer and immediately toss in the wing sauce of choice.
- To Make Garlic Parmesan Wings: Cook garlic in butter then turn off the heat and pour it into a large mixing bowl. Add the remaining ingredients along with the wings to the bowl and toss.
- To Make Buffalo Wings: Cook butter with garlic for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and pour into a large bowl. Add hot sauce and salt. Stir in wings.
- To Make Honey BBQ wings: Simmer all ingredients in a small pot or pan. Transfer to a bowl and toss in wings.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Instant Pot XL Air FRyer
My absolute favorite air fryer! This air fryer is well insulated and gets super hot for the perfect texture and doneness.
Storage recommendations
- Storing leftovers: Refrigerate cooled chicken in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- To Reheat: Gently rewarm leftovers in the air fryer at 375F for 5-7 minutes or until the chicken is warmed through and the skin is crispy.
Recipe by Layla Atik // Photography by: Eat Love Eats
Going to try this but I have a paddle in my actifry no rack? Will this still work?
I’ve never used an air fryer with a paddle attachment but it should work. Be sure to shake the air fryer a few times or flip the wings so all sides cook evenly.
These turned out perfectly!! I loved the Buffalo sauce. I ended up with decently large drum sticks and cooked them for 24 min (flipping after 12) at 400 and they were perfect. Definitely would make again!
Baking Powder ……. YAHTZEE !!!!
What if I don’t have a basket air fryer?
I have an air dryer with racks?
That will work!
Does this need to be completed in batches, or will the 2lbs go in all at once?
Depends on your air fryer. If it can fit them all then you should be fine. I had to do mine in batches because I didn’t have enough room.
That would depend on the size of your air fryer but most likely in batches or as long as they are not overlapping.
Baking soda will give you that awful salt like taste.
The recipe says to use baking POWDER.
I just made these and the were fantastic, light and crispy.
Getting ready to cook some wings & follow this recipe. Checked my baking powder & noticed it contained “sodium aluminum sulfate”. What happens if I use the baking powder with sodium aluminum sulfate?
Same for me. So wondering as well.
Forget the baking powder. It is really not needed. And, IMHO, makes the wings taste cruddy.
Great recipe! Wings were delicious! Followed the recipe to the t and got perfect wings! So glad I bought an airfryer and even more glad I found this recipe!!! Definitely a keeper! 👍
I have a question. I am nervous about cooking them for 25 minutes. Nothing irks me more than dry chicken. Does it come out overcooked/ dry or is it nice and juicy? Thanks!
I have a ninja 3.6 quart air fryer and I did about 14 wings. 10 min 375 flipped 10 min 375 and shuffled them and put them back again for 4 min at 400
I also preheated the fryer for 3 min
These were great! I did not need the final 5 min at the higher temp, but I think my fryer runs hot. Made the garlic parm – OMG so good!
Wanted to use this recipe bc I just got an air fryer, but the ads on mobile make this website unusable 🙁
I find them distracting too. My tip is to click on “print” on the recipe to read it without the ads. I know the bloggers have to make money with advertising and I am not knocking them for it, but I can read the recipe a bit easier without the constant flashing and movement on the screen.
My baking POWDER also has the aluminum.
It’s called DAVIS BAKING POWDER. what can I use instead.
Argo baking powder does not have aluminum in it
Why baking soda with no aluminum?? Does it matter?
You would need BAKING POWDER, not baking soda so please don’t make the mistake some others have made! as for the aluminum, it’s because it adds an unwanted metallic taste to the food.
The best crispy chicken I’ve had. Followed the recipe exactly and it turned out perfect. I will be trying the baking powder on pork crackling as well. I also made up the buffalo sauce, it too was spot on. Thanks.
Absolutely delicious! Thank you. I made the garlic wings. My granddaughter said they were the best wings she ever had.!
So glad your granddaughter enjoyed the wings!
8 drummies is not near 2 pounds of chicken !!!
My go-to crispy wings recipe. Fool proof and perfect wings, every time.
The baking powder helps crisp the skin of the chicken. I’m sorry to hear what happened to you but it may not be related to the recipe because we’ve never had an issue with it.
this was great! since getting my air fryer a few months ago, i’ve been trying to get crispy chicken and fish, with only mediocre results. now, i’ve got a tried and true way to go for wings, i’ll be tweaking it a little for catfish.
Worried that you used baking soda instead of baking powder. That would make huge difference, and likely not very good. Sorry about that….
I made the buffalo wings. They were delicious!!! I didn’t see garlic listed in the ingredients list for the sauce, but added a dash of garlic and onion powder to the sauce. The hot sauce wasn’t quite hot enough, so I added sriracha hot sauce and little bit of vinegar (gave it a little more kick and flavor). I inadvertently did not read all the way through the directions and brought the sauce to a low simmer, then dipped the wings in the sauce. I’ll definitely be making them again.
P.S. I loved the fact that the wings were crispy and not dried out.
Yum, thanks for the feedback! crispy wings are the best 😀
Made these for my husband ,first time doing air fryer wings my husband loved them I did BBQ wings .
These were fantastic. I was making 4lbs so I pulled them out in batches & laid them on a cookie sheet. I did the last 5 minutes at the 420 in a large batch! Still very crispy. Also 15 to 20 minutes was enough for mine to cook. The garlic sauce was amazing, but I skipped the red pepper due to Grandkids were eating with us. Granddaughter couldn’t get enough!
Hi. My store had zero wangs the first time I tried this recipe so I had to use young chicken legs. Came out so good! I also used the buffalo sauce as well as the garlic parm sauce. I had keto peeps over so I substituted sugar with monkfruit and it was a hit! I do have a question about the buffalo sauce. The recipe doesn’t call for garlic but the instructions say to cook butter with garlic. I didn’t use garlic the first time around but I’m making some tonight and I just wonder how much garlic was meant to be used for this recipe.
Yum, drumsticks sound delicious! Thanks for the feedback 🙂
We just got an air fryer for christmas and this is the first recipe we tried. Excellent! They came out nice and crispy and the sauces were delicious! Thank you!
Made it twice – Garlic Parm & Honey BBQ, Delicious and easy. May have to buy a bigger air fryer !
OMG this was AMAZING!!!
I served this after everybody ate and said they were too full to eat anything else. It was so good there was NONE left. I don’t usually write food reviews but this was the best chicken wings I have had in a LOOOOOOOOOONG time. Thank you!
Thanks for taking the time to leave a review <3
Fabulous. Don’t need sauce. Loved them. This is a keeper. Will try on chicken legs next. I cannot lie, sprayed with a bit of olive oil.
I used this recipe on legs. It was yummy!
I dont have a rack. Are the results the same
Does your air fryer come with a basket or mesh?
Soooo good!!! Thanks for all of the tips – they really add up to great wings!!
This recipe is a plus, delicious! I made without the sauce and was perfect. I’ll try the sauces next time. Loved it!
Thank you.
These are the bomb! I’ve tried other air fryer wing recipes but these are the best! I only made the honey bbq sauce and it was great! I’ll be trying the others. Thank you!
I’m a tad confused on the buffalo recipe. Ingredients call for hot sauce, butter, and honey or brown sugar. However in the recipe details it says to “heat garlic and butter in a sauce pan and then stir in hot sauce” you’ve added garlic that was not mentioned and then omitted the honey or brown sugar from the recipe details. Could you please update the recipe?
Couldn’t find your response to the person who noted that “the recipe says to “heat garlic and butter in a sauce pan and then stir in hot sauce” you’ve added garlic that was not mentioned and then omitted the honey or brown sugar from the recipe details.” I added garlic and left out honey & brown sugar and the wings were fabulous. Could they be even better with brown guar and honey!!
Ingredients for hot sauce included garlic but the instructions made no mention. Is there garlic in the buffalo sauce?
Layla! These came out perfect! I chose the garlic Parmesan and all 3 lbs got eaten with just 4 people!Thank you for this quick, si,mple to follow recipe!
So happy you enjoyed the wings!
Would have been amazing had I not used BAKING SODA like a nitwit. Trying again tonight – won’t drink as much wine while I prep 🙂
Made the honey bbq wings today. Very good.. My first time air frying wings. Question the recipe calls for 2 lbs of wings. If I only want less than a lb for a snack do I reduce the cooking time. The outside was crispy as I like but the insides were a little over cooked. Sauce was good.
I would just keep an eye out on the wings and remove them when the desired crispness is achieved.
Agree with the poster on the ads. I wanted to delve into these recipes… the ads are over the top. Not worth it.
Sorry about the ads. We have ads in order to pay our employees and keep this content free <3
You didn’t say anything about using garlic for the Buffalo Wings sauce…You said use that for the Garlic Parmesan Wings.
Why aluminum free baking powder?
😅😅😅
I’ve made the garlic parmesan wings three times already! I love them.
Thank you for the tips. I made these and it’s crispy and delish