Air Fryer Chicken Wings

Today we’re talking Air Fryer Chicken Wings, aka the most irresistible game-day snack you can get your hands on. I actually had no idea you could cook chicken wings in an Air Fryer until Ben started “frying” these bad boys up last month. One bite and I was hooked.

Impossibly crispy, juicy, and no deep fat frying required – nor do you need to toss the wings in baking soda or cornstarch or whatever you supposedly have to do when making baked wings. All you need is chicken wings, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of salt, and lemon pepper seasoning. Yes!

How Long do Wings Take to Cook in the Air Fryer?

2lbs of chicken wings will take 23-24 minutes to cook in a large Air Fryer. I start cooking them at 360 degrees then finish at 390 degrees to ensure the wings are tender on the inside and crispy and sizzling on the outside.

Can You Put Raw Chicken in an Air Fryer?

Yes! Although we usually use our Air Fryer to heat pre-cooked foods like chicken nuggets and tater tots, or cook vegetables, you absolutely can cook raw chicken in an Air Fryer. Chicken breasts also cook fabulously in an Air Fryer. Just think of it as a mini oven or grill.

Cooking Tips

1. I recommend using chicken wings that are already broken down into drumettes and wingettes (see photo below). However, you can use whole chicken wings, which are a little less expensive, and break them down yourself.
2. Chicken wings come in various sizes so if your 2lbs of chicken wings contains less than 20 wings (meaning they’re quite large,) you might need to increase cooking time at 360 degrees to render the fat and cook the wings all the way through.
3. To ensure your chicken wings turn out sizzling and crispy, don’t overcrowd your Air Fryer basket. Cook the chicken wings in batches if needed for optimal crispiness.

Step 1: Prep the Chicken Wings

Start with 2lbs chicken wings that have been broken down into drumettes and wingettes. Or, as I mentioned, you can buy whole wings and break them down yourself.

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Add the chicken wings to a gallon-sized Ziplock bag or a large bowl then add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil plus a pinch of salt, and 2 scant Tablespoons lemon pepper seasoning. I prefer Tone’s Lemon Pepper Seasoning Blend.

Seal the bag keeping the air trapped inside then shake to coat, or stir to coat if you’re using a bowl. You can now either use the wings right away, or press the air out of the bag and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.

Step 2: Air Fry the Chicken Wings

Preheat your Air Fryer to 360 degrees then add the chicken wings to the basket (NOTE: the batch in these photos was 1-1/3lb, so the full 2lbs will overlap each other slightly. You don’t want them layered on top of each other but a little overlap is fine.)

Cook for 18 minutes, shaking the basket 3 times, then turn the heat up to 390 degrees and cook for another 6 minutes, shaking the basket every 2 minutes, until the wings are brown and crisp.

Toss the wings with your favorite sauce or pour onto a platter with dipping sauces and get to WORK! No matter what team you’re cheering for, everyone will root for more Air Fryer Chicken Wings – enjoy!