Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings

Name: Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 lb (900 g) chicken wings, split into drumettes and flats (about 16 pieces), wing tips removed, patted very dry; 2 tsp (9 g) aluminum-free baking powder; 1 tsp (6 g) fine sea salt; 1 tsp (3 g) garlic powder; 1½ tsp (4 g) smoked paprika; ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 3 tbsp (43 g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces (optional); ¼ cup (60 ml) Louisiana-style hot sauce (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Shatteringly crisp wings with no deep frying. A simple baking powder and smoked paprika coating dries out the skin so it blisters in the air fryer. Serve them dry-rubbed or tossed in a quick buffalo-style glaze.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 50 min
Wait: 1 hr 2 min
Total: 2 hr 17 min
Makes: 16 wing pieces (about 4 appetizer servings)

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Steps

Before you start

Plan for a 1-hour uncovered chill in the fridge after coating. It is the key to crackly skin, and you can extend it to overnight.
Use baking powder, not baking soda, and check that it is fresh. Aluminum-free baking powder avoids any metallic taste.
These quantities are for a 5- to 6-quart (4.7 to 5.7 L) basket-style air fryer, which holds about 8 wing pieces in a single layer. The wings cook in two batches.
If you will hold the first batch, set a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet and preheat your oven to 200°F (95°C) when you start cooking.

1
Trim and dry wings
- If your wings are whole, cut each one through the two joints to separate the drumette, flat and tip.
- Discard the tips or save them for stock.
- Spread the pieces on a double layer of paper towels and pat the tops and bottoms until no moisture shows on the skin.
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Ready when: The skin looks matte and feels tacky, not slick or wet.
Tip: Wet skin steams instead of crisping. Change the paper towels if they soak through.
2
Mix the coating
- In a large bowl, whisk together the baking powder, fine sea salt, garlic powder, smoked paprika and black pepper until the mixture is one even color with no clumps of baking powder.
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Ready when: The mix is uniformly orange-red with no white streaks.
3
Coat the wings
- Add the dried wings to the bowl and toss with your hands or tongs for about 1 minute.
- Every piece should wear a thin, even dusting with no pasty clumps or bare patches.
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Ready when: All wings are evenly speckled with the coating and look dry, not wet.
Tip: Use only the amount listed. Too much baking powder leaves a bitter, chalky taste.
4
Chill uncovered
- Arrange the wings in a single layer on the wire rack set over the rimmed baking sheet, with space between them.
- Refrigerate uncovered for 1 hour, or up to 12 hours.
- The cold, dry air pulls moisture from the skin.
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Ready when: The skin looks dry and slightly translucent, and the coating has turned from powdery to a thin film.
Tip: Do not cover the wings with plastic wrap. It traps moisture.
5
Cook first sideOven 360°F / 180°C
- Preheat the air fryer to 360°F (180°C) for 3 minutes.
- If you plan to hold the first batch, also preheat your oven to 200°F (95°C).
- Place 8 wings in the basket in a single layer with small gaps, with no overlapping.
- Air fry for 12 minutes.
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Ready when: The wings look pale gold, and the fat has started to render and bubble in the basket.
Tip: Crowding makes patchy, soft skin. Cook in two batches rather than piling them in.
6
Flip and crispOven 400°F / 205°C
- Turn the wings over with tongs, using a gentle tug if any skin sticks.
- Raise the air fryer to 400°F (200°C) and cook for 10 to 12 more minutes.
- Check the thickest part of a drumette near the bone with a thermometer.
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Ready when: The skin is deep golden brown and blistered, and the thickest part reads at least 175°F (80°C). Wings are safe at 165°F (74°C), but 175°F gives more tender meat.
Tip: Drain any pooled fat from the basket drawer between batches to limit smoking.
7
Hold and cook batch twoOven 200°F / 95°C
- Move the finished wings to the wire rack on the baking sheet and keep them in the 200°F (95°C) oven so they stay hot and crisp.
- Return the air fryer to 360°F (180°C), load the remaining 8 wings, and repeat the 12-minute first side, flip, then 10 to 12 minutes at 400°F (200°C).
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Ready when: The second batch has the same deep golden, blistered skin and reads at least 175°F (80°C).
Tip: The air fryer is already hot, so you can skip the 3-minute preheat for this batch.
8
Make the glaze
- While batch two cooks, combine the butter and hot sauce in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Stir for about 2 minutes until the butter melts and the sauce looks smooth and slightly thickened.
- Remove from the heat.
- Skip this step for dry-rub wings.
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Ready when: The butter is fully melted and the sauce is glossy and emulsified, with no oily pools.
Tip: Do not boil the glaze, or it can separate.
9
Toss and serve
- Put all the hot wings in a large bowl.
- Pour over the glaze, if using, and toss with tongs for 30 seconds until each wing is coated.
- Let them sit for 2 minutes so the glaze clings, then serve right away.
- If you skipped the glaze, serve the wings straight from the rack.
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Ready when: The wings are evenly glossy and the skin is still crisp when tapped.
Tip: Toss just before serving. Wings left sitting in sauce lose their crunch.

Good to know

Tips

Pat the wings dry, season them with baking powder and chill them uncovered. This is what makes the skin crisp without oil.
Cook in a single layer. Air needs room to circulate around each piece.
Always check the temperature near the bone. Cooking times vary by air fryer model and wing size.
For the crispest results, toss with sauce only at the last minute.

Make ahead

"Coat the wings and chill them uncovered on the rack for up to 12 hours before air frying. You can also make the glaze up to 3 days ahead, then rewarm it gently over low heat and whisk before tossing."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Fridge: store cooked wings in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Freezer: freeze unglazed cooked wings on a tray, then bag them for up to 2 months. Reheat from the fridge or freezer in the air fryer at 375°F (190°C) for 5 to 8 minutes (10 to 12 minutes from frozen) until hot and crisp and 165°F (74°C) inside. Microwaving makes the skin soft."

Substitutions

Louisiana-style hot sauce → Barbecue sauce or honey mixed with a splash of soy sauce. Warm it with the butter, or skip the butter for a stickier glaze.
smoked paprika → Sweet paprika plus a pinch of cayenne. You lose the smoky flavor, but the color and a little heat remain.
unsalted butter → Ghee or olive oil. Ghee behaves the same. Oil gives a thinner glaze.
chicken wings → Whole chicken wings, cut into pieces, or small drumsticks. Drumsticks need 30 to 35 minutes total and must reach 175°F (80°C).