How to Make Best Air Fryer Chicken Wings Recipe from my Husband

Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, these air fryer hot wings are healthy and delicious, and only take about 20 minutes to cook. I was a bit skeptical about using the air fryer at first, but these hot wings have made a big exception in my book. Thanks to my husband John for providing this recipe while I am enjoying all the newborn cuddles with our new baby.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may make a small commission on items you buy at no extra cost to you 🙂

Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, these air fryer hot wings are healthy and delicious, and only take about 20 minutes to cook. I was a bit skeptical about using the air fryer at first, but these hot wings have made a big exception in my book. Thanks to my husband John for providing this recipe while I am enjoying all the newborn cuddles with our new baby.

Pin it for Later!

Why We Love This Recipe

In the summertime I like to cook lighter meals that fit perfectly with the out on the patio, maybe next to the fire pit, late-night summer evening kind of scene.

Roasted chicken is a favorite in the fall and winter, but the last thing I want to do in the summer is turn the oven on.

So looking for a new chicken recipe in the summer time, we started making these chicken wings in the air fryer and are totally obsessed.

We just had our first baby here at the homestead last week and we’ve already had this recipe several times. I’m lucky I have a husband who likes to cook and bring me food while I get to enjoy the baby snuggles!

Thoughts on in the Air Fryer (Pros & Cons)

My husband was real excited about this device about a year ago when it came out. I was more skeptical, and really didn’t want another kitchen gadget sitting on the counter.

After about a year of using this air fryer, here’s my evaluation.

Pros of the air fryer:

• Like everyone says, it cooks chicken wings really well. This is because the condensed size allows the heat to penetrate all over the meat, cooking it perfectly evenly. It also gives it a crispy exterior without burning the wings, which is hard to do on the cast iron or BBQ. We also really like salmon filets and fried cauliflower in the air fryer.
• Good for small spaces. If you’re in an apartment without a stove and oven, you could get away with just using an air fryer and be fine.
• Doesn’t emit heat. So, it’s a nice device in the summer time when you don’t want to turn on the oven.
• Pretty easy to clean, but mostly because it’s so small.

Cons of the air fryer:

• It’s really loud. It sounds like a convection oven right on your countertop, and it’s hard to hear or have a whole lot of conversation around it. It’s like a really loud fan.
• Still not convinced that you really need it. Like I said, for a few foods its great, but does it really warrant the counter space? I’m not totally convinced.
• Not sure about the material used on the inside. I am so worried about toxins in cookware, which is why I stick to only cast iron. The air fryer uses something different, which I need to research and find out how safe it is.
• Not good for steaks or thick meats like pork chops. It takes for ever to cook a thick meat, and I personally don’t think it’s any better than a grill or cast iron. And if it doesn’t speed up the cooking time then what’s the point?

Air Fryer Chicken Wings Ingredients

2 1/2 pounds chicken wings (approximately 22 wings total)

1 1/2 C bread crumbs. I like using my own sourdough bread loaf to and mini food processor to make homemade bread crumbs.

half cup shredded cheese

1 tsp paprika

teaspoon garlic powder

pinch salt & pepper

2 eggs

2-3 tablespoons hot sauce

1 1/2 C einkorn flour

How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Wings

Preheat the air fryer to 385 degrees F.

In one small bowl, add the bread crumbs, cheese, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Combine with your hands.

In another small bowl, add the eggs and hot sauce and whisk with a fork.

Then in a third small bowl, add the flour.

Rinse your chicken wings and return to a bowl. Dip the wings first in the flour bowl, then the egg mixture, then coat with bread crumbs.

Place the wings on the air fryer racks, spaced about 1 inch apart.

Set the timer on the air fryer for 20 minutes. About halfway through cooking (so at 10 minutes), switch the trays so the bottom rack goes on top and vice versa.

Your chicken is done when it reaches an internal temp of 165 degrees F.

Serve the wings up with some blue cheese ranch dressing and celery to balance out the spices. Enjoy!

An Easy Gluten-Free Variation of this Recipe

We love the breaded einkorn flour in this recipe, but sometimes you just don’t have the time for the breading, or perhaps you want a gluten-free option.

For a faster, gluten-free version of this recipe, skip the breading and dipping and just marinate the wings in hot sauce before frying. Or pull out your avocado oil, salt, pepper, lemon, and herbs if you’re not a hot sauce fan. It’s as easy as it gets and it still turns out delicious.

Tips for Making Best Air Fryer Hot Wings

Use a good hot sauce. My husband bought this hot sauce off Amazon, which again I was skeptical about until I read the ingredients (I guess I tend to be skeptical about a lot of things…). But if you look on the back its just pure ingredients, nothing I don’t recognize, and you can’t beat the price. Also, I’m not a big spicy food person, but for some reason I really like this hot sauce. So that’s saying something!

A lot of people wonder if you need to flip the chicken wings. The answer is no, but you can if you want. If you have an especially thick wing, or maybe a thigh, you might need to flip it half way through. Just make sure they’re cooked to a temperature of 165 degrees F so you know they’re done.

For a delicious and crispy exterior, follow the breading method in this recipe. But if you don’t have the time or maybe want a gluten-free version, just skip the breading and instead marinate the chicken in hot sauce only before putting in the air fryer. It’ll still come out delicious, just without the breaded exterior.

Serve with a blue cheese sauce to counter balance the hot sauce. You could also do a sour cream, yogurt, or ranch dressing on the side.

While the chicken is in the air fryer, you could whip up some brussels sprouts on the stove to go with it. Chicken and vegetables are our favorite!

FAQ:

How long do wings take in air fryer?

Chicken wings take about 20 minutes at 385 degrees F in the air fryer. Depending on the size of your wings, it may take longer. You may also need to flip the wings at the half way point to ensure they’re cooked all the way.

Do you have to flip wings in air fryer?

No you do not have to, but it can help if you have a thick wing or a thigh piece. As long as you switch the racks from top to bottom, you’ll probably be fine not flipping the wings.

How do you crisp wings in an air fryer?

The air fryer creates a crispy exterior naturally with its small and condensed cooking space and high heat. The beauty of the air fryer is it cooks the meat all the way around at a consistent temperature, which also helps get the crispy outside. For a delicious flavor, make this breaded air fryer chicken recipe that will beat out your local restaurant chicken wings any day!

If you try this recipe, I would love if you would give it a 5 star review. It helps my recipes appear on Google to other people looking to cook farm to table recipes like this one.

Share it on Pinterest!

Thanks so much for stopping by the Homestead!