Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings – Tender juicy wings are coated in seasoned crispy breadcrumbs and then air fried until golden, crispy, and cooked perfectly every time. Tossed in a spicy honey garlic wing sauce, these are my favorite way to make restaurant-style chicken wings without the need for deep frying or messy grease splatter!
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Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings Recipe can be used for all kinds of flavors of wings, not just this one! This one just happens to be a favorite of mine, but it’s a versatile recipe that can be used with just about any wing sauce.
The air fryer takes up less room than a conventional oven, and they cook faster, so using it is quick and easy but also so convenient. If you’re whipping up a spread for game day or movie night, you’ll have room in the oven for other appetizers like this 8 ingredient nachos recipe or these cheesy potato bites!
With just a few minutes of prep time and a bit of cooking oil spray, you’ll have deliciously crispy wings perfect for all your party platters. They’re just as good as a main meal served with a side of mashed potatoes or french fries and a simple salad.
Make homemade spicy honey garlic and toss the wings to coat for a saucy, finger-licking, sweet, and savory, taste experience that everyone will love!
Ingredients for Crispy Air Fry Wings
- Chicken wings: Use about 1 lb of wings for this recipe. If using frozen wings make sure they are thawed first and separate them into wingettes and drumettes if they are still attached.
- Eggs: Coating the chicken in whisked eggs first helps the breadcrumbs stick.
- Panko Breadcrumbs: I like using Panko rather than regular breadcrumbs because I find they are crispier and they brown more evenly.
- Potato starch: This helps to absorb excess moisture allowing the outside to become ultra crispy. You can also use cornstarch if preferred.
- Seasoning: Salt, pepper, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, and paprika get added to the breadcrumbs giving them extra flavor.
- Cooking spray: Although we are not deep frying, we are spraying the wings with a bit of cooking oil to help get them to a nice golden color. I use avocado spray, but any will do.
For the Wing Sauce
- Butter: Melted butter becomes the base of the sauce helping to coat the wings evenly.
- Chopped garlic: Infusing the butter with chopped garlic adds an aromatic flavor and prepares it for all of the other seasonings that will be added.
- Honey: The sweetness! It also helps add a thicker sticky consistency.
- Seasoning: Cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, and onion powder.
- Lemon juice: To brighten it up! Adds a zesty element to the sweet and savory flavors.
How to Make Crispy Chicken Wings in Air Fryer
Step 1: First, set up 2 separate bowls, one with 2 whisked eggs and the other with breadcrumbs, potato starch, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Set them aside while you preheat the parchment-lined air fryer to 400F.
Step 2: Pat the wings dry with a paper towel as best as you can. Getting rid of the moisture will help the coating stick and help prevent soggy breadcrumbs.
Step 3: Now, take one chicken wing at a time and dip it into the egg mixture first, then into the breadcrumbs. Use tongs to prevent breadcrumbs from clumping onto your fingers. Place it into the air fryer basket and repeat with the remaining wings.
Step 4: Arrange the wings in the basket leaving enough room between each one for the heat to circulate. Spray lightly with avocado cooking spray. Work in batches to not overcrowd the air fryer, if necessary.
Step 5: Next, cook the chicken for 10 minutes and then flip them over to cook for another 7 minutes. Make the sauce while the wings are cooking.
Step 6: Once they are done, remove them from the air fryer and toss them in the warm buttery honey garlic sauce. Continue to air fry for another 3-5 minutes until they are done to your liking and have an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
How to Make Honey Garlic Sauce
I don’t know about you, but my favorite part of making air fryer chicken wings is the sauce they’re coated in! Here’s how to make it:
Step 1: Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-low heat, then add the chopped garlic and saute for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 2: Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the honey, seasoning, and lemon juice.
Step 3: Mix to combine and use it to smother those crispy wings!
Recipe Tips
- Bring wings to room temperature first. Taking them out of the fridge about 30 minutes before cooking helps with even cooking temperatures. If they are too cold, you may need to keep them cooking for a few minutes longer.
- Make sure to pat the chicken dry. Do not skip this! In fact, you can also coat the wings themselves in potato starch rather than just adding it to the breadcrumbs. Either way works.
- Do not overcrowd the basket. Part of what makes the air fryer so amazing is its ability to crisp up the outside, while keeping the inside juicy and moist. It can only do this if there’s room for the heat to circulate around the outside.
- Parchment lining is a bonus. If your air fryer basket is nonstick and you don’t mind a little extra washing, you don’t need it. So don’t worry if you’ve run out.
- Great for all kinds of sauces. Honey garlic sauce is just the beginning! Toss them in your favorite BBQ sauce, Buffalo sauce, or teriyaki sauce next time!
FAQs
How long to cook chicken wings in air fryer?
I find that 20 minutes at 400 degrees is perfect. If you don’t preheat the air fryer you may find you need another 5 minutes or so.
After testing and retesting plenty of wing recipes over the years, I have found that higher temperatures are better for crispy skin.
Do these wings need the honey garlic sauce?
No! Feel free to skip the sauce altogether and enjoy seasoned wings all on their own or with a side of dipping sauce. Ranch, blue cheese, you name it.
What to serve with crispy wings?
You can always go the fun route of serving them in a parchment-lined basket with some carrot or celery sticks and dip. Or if you’re making a meal out of them, I recommend Instant Pot mashed potatoes, french fries, crockpot macaroni and cheese, and a carrot salad or homemade Caesar salad.
Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Equipment
Ingredients
For Air Fryer Chicken Wings
- 1 1/2 lb chicken wings
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup potato starch or corn starch
- sea salt & pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoon paprika
- avocado oil spray
Chicken Sauce
- 5 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon garlic finely chopped
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes or to taste
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
How to Air Fry Chicken Wings
- In one mixing bowl whisk 2 eggs. In a 2nd bowl mix together bread crumbs, potato starch, salt and pepper to taste, garlic powder and smoked paprika.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400F and line air fryer dish with parchment paper. Now, dip each chicken wing into egg mixture, then bread crumb mixture.
- After place chicken wings onto the air fryer dish, try NOT to overcrowd, LIGHTLY spray with avocado oil, air fry for 10 minutes, flip on the other side SPRAY WITH AVOCADO OIL and air fry for 7 minutes.
- After remove from the air fryer, toss it in the Honey Garlic Sauce and AIR FRY for 3-5 minutes, OR UNTIL CHICKEN IS COOKED THRU.
How to Make Honey Garlic Sauce
- In a skillet melt butter over medium/low heat, after it melts add garlic and saute for 2 minutes, stirring few times.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the rest of the ingredients: honey, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, onion powder, red pepper flakes, and lemon juice. Mix until everything is combined.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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