Air Fryer Whole Chicken Wings
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Air Fryer Whole Chicken Wings are the perfect appetizers if you like crispy wings with a short cooking time. They're great snacks for Game Day, tailgate parties, and whenever you're craving the best chicken wings ever!
Why Air Fry?
- Air frying is perfect for cooking whole chicken wings! You'll love this easy recipe because it's both sweet and spicy. It will be one of your favorite recipes to make crispy wings every time!
- With just a little bit of oil and the perfect seasoning, you'll be ready to dip fried chicken wings in your favorite sauce in just minutes.
- This air fryer chicken wings recipe is delicious because it uses my Chicken Wing Rub which makes the best wings you've ever tasted!
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Ingredients
- fresh whole chicken wings - or use frozen pieces that have been thawed completely
- avocado oil - or choose another oil that has a high smoke point
- homemade dry rub - try this Chicken Wing Rub recipe made with brown sugar, garlic powder and other warm spices that create a crispy skin and crunchy coating
- blue cheese dip recipe - you'll love this classic dipping sauce made for cooked wings
How to Cut and Make Whole Chicken Wings
1 - To make crispy air fryer chicken wings, start by drizzling a little oil in your air fryer basket, then prep the chicken.
2 - Cut whole wings into pieces, or use chicken that has already been cut. Use paper towels to pat the chicken dry.
3 - Stretch the whole chicken wing into a long piece and cut the wing tip off at the joint with a sharp knife. Discard tips.
4 - Cut through the joint between the wing and the drummette.
5 - Place pieces in a large bowl and drizzle with oil. Sprinkle meat with dry rub. Use your hands to rub it into the meat on both sides.
6 - Arrange meat in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Don't allow pieces to touch. Set air fryer to 390 degrees for 16 minutes.
7 - Cook for 8 minutes, then turn over and cook for 8 minutes longer for crispy skin. Watch carefully to make sure they don't scorch.
The Best Dry Rub for Wings
What's the secret to making crispy chicken wings? Use a simple spice rub containing brown sugar that gets crunchy when cooked in your favorite air fryer.
Try my Homemade Dry Rub that's perfect for air frying, baking, grilling or pan-frying!
Cooking Method Variations
Conventional Oven - line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place a wire rack on top. Arrange poultry on rack. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes until crispy.
Grill - slather poultry with dry rub and place on a 350 degree grill for 20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes.
Pan Fried or Deep Fryer - bring oil to medium heat in a frying pan or deep fryer. Cook for 15 minutes or until golden brown. This recipe makes delicious Pan Fried Chicken Wings.
Smoked on a Pellet Grill - heat the smoker to 225ºF and cook wings for 30 minutes. Then, crank up the heat to 450ºF until you get Crispy Smoked Chicken Wings!
Recipe FAQS
It depends on the model of your unit. For an average 4 quart model, you can get about 3 whole wings or 6 pieces of chicken in the air fryer basket at a time. It's important not to let the chicken pieces touch or overlap for uniform cooking.
Yes, you'll need to flip the chicken pieces half way through cooking time to ensure they're cooked properly. Shaking the wings will break up the crispy coating, so it's recommended to flip them instead.
Favorite Sauces
What's the best wing sauce to use?
If you don't want to use a dry rub and would rather add sauce, just pop pieces into a bowl after they're done cooking and toss with your favorite sauce. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Homemade Blue Cheese Dip - dip your delicious wings in this creamy dip!
- Hot Sauce - tabasco, sriracha, ghost pepper
- Buffalo Sauce - Frank's Red hot sauce
- Carolina Gold BBQ sauce - a mustard-based bbq sauce with honey
- Teriyaki Sauce - Soy Vay Veri Veri Teriyaki Sauce
- Lemon Pepper - Buffalo Wild Wings
- Blueberry BBQ Sauce - a zesty blueberry sauce with chipotle
- Basil Pesto Sauce with Walnuts - fresh basil and walnuts make this flavorful sauce
- Smoked Queso Dip Recipe - a cheesy and creamy blend of smoked cheeses
Looking for another great wing to try? Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Wings are a flavor explosion! Or, switch things up and make Air Fryer Shrimp that taste like a restaurant quality meal.
What to Serve with Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Planning a cookout or a big buffet meal? These recipes make the perfect pairing with Air Fryer Whole Chicken Wings...
Storage and Freezing
The best way to store leftovers is in an airtight container. Keep them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To reheat, place in the air fryer at 390 degrees for 3 to 5 minutes until heated throughout.
Freeze wings for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat in the air fryer at 390 degrees until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF.
Recipe Card
Air Fryer Whole Chicken Wings
*See notes in blog post for detailed tips, photos and instructions.
Equipment
- large bowl and spoon
Ingredients
- 2.5 pounds fresh whole chicken wings (can use frozen if thawed completely)
- 2 Tablespoons avocado or olive oil
- 1 recipe Dry Rub for Chicken Wings
Instructions
- Start by drizzling a little oil in air fryer basket.
- Cut whole wings into pieces, or use chicken that has already been cut. Use paper towels to pat the chicken dry.2.5 pounds fresh whole chicken wings
- Stretch the chicken wing into a long piece and cut the wing tip off at the joint with a sharp knife. Discard tips.
- Cut through the joint between the wing and the drummette.
- Place chicken pieces in a large bowl and drizzle with oil. Sprinkle chicken with dry rub. Use your hands to rub it into the meat on both sides.2 Tablespoons avocado or olive oil, 1 recipe Dry Rub for Chicken Wings
- Arrange wings in a single layer in the air fryer basket. They should not be touching.
- Set air fryer to 390 degrees for 16 minutes. Cook for 8 minutes, then turn over wings and cook for 8 minutes longer for crispy skin. May need additional time depending on air fryer model.
- Watch carefully to make sure wings don't scorch. Lower the temperature if necessary for the last 5 minutes of cooking.
Notes
- All air fryers are various sizes and cook differently. Watch wings carefully to avoid scorching. Lower temperature if necessary to avoid burning.
- Frozen chicken wings can be used if thawed completely before cooking.
- Cook in batches to avoid over lapping chicken in the air fryer basket.
- Serve crispy chicken wings with Homemade Blue Cheese Dip and celery sticks!
- View the Google Web Story for Air Fryer Chicken Wings!
Nutrition
Nutrition info is an auto generated estimate.
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I've made wings in my air fryer but never using a dry rub. Can I leave out the spice if it's too hot for me?
Hi Delores. Yes, you can leave off the Texas Pete Dust if you don't like too much spice. It will still taste delicious, but will be more sweet. Nothing wrong with that though! 🙂