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
- 1/2 teaspoon each garlic powder, red pepper flakes, or more if desired
- 1/4 teaspoon each salt, black pepper
- 2 tbsp. freshly chopped parsley leaves
Buffalo Wings
- ¼ cup butter
- 1/2 cup hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey or brown sugar
- Salt
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
Thank you for sharing this recipe! Wings came out amazing and simple too.
3 TBS Ranch and 2 TBS Ranch…Yum