Air Fryer Chicken Wings

Article by Emily Saladino

Making chicken wings in the air fryer means there’s no hot oil splattering on your stove. With Food Network Kitchen’s tried-and-true tips, you’ll air fry chicken wings perfectly every time — no mess, no stress.

Make Chicken Wings in an Air Fryer Like a Pro

Split the wings. Buy chicken wings that are already split into flats and drumettes or do it yourself by using a sharp knife to cut between the chicken wing tip and the flat, then between the flat and drumette. Discard the tips or save for your next batch of homemade chicken stock

Salt generously. Before you put the raw chicken wings in the air fryer, season generously with salt so they cook up crispy and flavorful.

Leave space between the wings. Air needs to be able to circulate around each wing to crisp up the skin, so don’t stack or overlap the wings. If necessary, air fry them in multiple batches. Keep the wings warm in an oven preheated to 160 degrees F and add the sauce right before serving.

Add sauce after you air fry. While your air fryer chicken wings cook, melt the butter in a large microwave-safe bowl, then stir in the hot sauce. When the wings come out of the air fryer, toss in the bowl to coat. This creates crispy chicken wings — and makes the basket much easier to clean.

Other Recipes for Air Fryer Chicken Wings

Use this air fryer Buffalo wings recipe as a jumping-off point to experiment with your favorite sauces and spices or try some of Food Network Kitchen’s other expertly tested recipes.

Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Wings: Make the wings as directed below, but instead of coating them in melted butter and hot sauce, make a lemon pepper sauce: combine 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons oregano,1 teaspoon grated lemon zest, 2 finely chopped garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon salt and several grinds of black pepper in a bowl. Toss with the air fryer chicken wings and serve immediately.

Air Fryer Hoisin Wings: Toasted sesame seeds, ginger, garlic, hoisin, sriracha and more combine in the irresistibly sticky glaze for these air fryer chicken wings.

Air Fryer Gochujang Chicken Wings: The Korean chili paste creates layers of sweet and spicy flavors in these crowd-pleasing gochujang wings.

Air Fryer Buffalo Mushroom Wings: This meat-free recipe for Buffalo-style air fried mushrooms have all the fiery flavor of traditional hot wings.