Can a mini oven armed with a fan really make a difference when it comes to cooking wings? I certainly had my doubts, which is why I waited two years before finally getting an air fryer. Heres my breakdown and instructions on how to get the most potential out of yours for extra crispy wings.

Baked versus Air Fried

As many of you know, when making wings at home I typically do not deep fry. Why? Simply put, its too much work and extremely messy. Plus, I love wings but they’re not exactly the healthiest food. A little less oil will probably do us some good. This leaves two options on the table, baked or grilled, until now!

When baking wings its challenge to achieve optimal crispiness. Done well, it requires a baking / wired rack and a good hour or more to cook. Its time consuming and clean up is a pain. (Those stick-free wire racks only stay ‘stick-free’ for so long.)

However with an air fryer, after experimenting with different lengths of time, not only can you achieve superior crispiness, but in just 30 minutes!

The texture is very similar to deep-fried wings, minus the oil and complicated cleanup. Win-win.

Air Fryer Size

The most important factor, air fryer is size. Many air fryers on the market only hold a small amount of food and its truly hard to judge without checking out the unit in person.

My personal opinion, look for a unit that holds at least 6 quarts. This will allow you to fit about 15 to 20 wings at a time. The key to crispy wings is to have one layer in the basket and not stacked. If you do stack, you may need to shake more often, but will get to that later.

Wing Prep

Prep, prep, prep! is essential for ultra-crispy wings. Following a similar procedure as we do for baked wings results in the best outcome. Trust me, I tried skipping the prep and it’s not worth it. No one wants rubbery chicken wings.

Pat dry wings well with a paper towel and place in a bowl. Next, add about a tablespoon of baking powder (aluminum-free, check the label) and half teaspoon of salt. If you want to kick it up a notch, now is your chance! Feel free to add onion, garlic powder or any other spices you like. Personally, I always throw in some fresh ground pepper, onion powder, and a little cayenne.

Then, mix well with a spatula or a wooden spoon till all wings are covered in the mixture. Now, let’s get the air fryer ready.

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Pre Heat and Air Fryer Basket

Most air fryers have a ‘Pre Heat’ setting. While this step isn’t required, while you’re preparing your wings, can’t hurt to get your lean, wing, crispy machine nice and hot!

Place wings in the fryer basket so that you have one layer. A few double-stacked isn’t an issue but two layers of wings will NOT come out crispy. Trust me, I’ve tried and failed.

Air Fryer Cook Time and Temperature

Again, following lessons learned from baking wings (it’s really the same strategy) low heat to cook the wing to the bone, high heat to get crispy.

What I found best is 280 degrees for 15 minutes, open and shake basket every 5 or so minutes. Then 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Depending on the number of wings you have, it may only take 10 minutes at 400. Keep an eye on the wings as you open and shake the basket. You’re looking for something like this.

Sauce Those Wings!

Once your final cook time of 400 degrees is done, give the basket a good shake to let any existing oils drain to the bottom. Now its time to add the sauce! I find the best method is to place the wings in a bowl and pour your sauce and mix.

Most Air Fryers have a button that allows you to detach basket part leaving the bottom tray behind. Make sure to do this so when you dump your wings in the bowl, it doesn’t include all the oil and fat. Another option is to use some tongs to grab each wing.

Conclusion

Pros

• Super crispy wings (Very similar to deep-fried)
• Faster cook time than baking (30 mins verse 110 mins)
• Easy clean up compared to both baking and deep-frying
• Not too expensive, about 100 dollars for a large, good quality air fryer or cheaper

Cons

• Limitation on the number of wings you can cook at a time. Dependent on basket size (About 15 to 20 wings for a 6 quart)
• While its only 30 minutes, you do need to stay in the kitchen to shake every 5 minutes
• Possibly getting yelled at by your significant other for having yet ‘another kitchen gadget’. (This can easily be corrected by making them a batch of wings!)

Best Air Fryer

After lots of research, trying out friends and family members, and one returned fryer to Walmart, I finally landed on the COSORI XL 5.8 Quart Air Fryer. Why? Besides having the larget basket size I stressed about, it has over 4,000 reviews at 4.5 stars on Amazon with great customer feedback. I’ve had mine for about 6 months now with no regrets and would buy again. Click on the image below to check it out. ( As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. )

I love my Air Fryer. It’s my go-to way to cook wings. I still grill from time to time for a different flavor but deep frying and baking are a thing of the past. What has your experience been like?

*UPDATE* 11/1/2020

I have had this Air Fryer for about a year and half now. I use it at least once a week, some times twice. The basket has started to wear, leaving it not so ‘non stick’ anymore. However, for about 20 bucks, you can get a replacement basket, totally worth it. Click Image below for details.

Don’t have an Air Fryer yet?

So you don’t have an Air Fryer yet but want crispy wings without the oil? Check out our instructions for extra crispy baked wings!

Crispy Baked Chicken Wings Recipe