Last Updated on September 18, 2023 by Harry & Johan. This post may contain affliate links, see privacy policy
Make frozen chicken wings in the air fryer in just 25 minutes! Defrost and cook the chicken wings in the air fryer for easy clean-up. This recipe makes perfect wings every time!
I LOVE making chicken recipes in the air fryer. The air fryer is the perfect method for cooking any cut of chicken - crispy, flavorful skin and juicy meat every time!
These air fryer chicken wings:
- don't need to thaw,
- no marinating required,
- there is no preheating of the air fryer needed,
- and they cook fast!
For more chicken recipes in the air fryer, you have to try my Air Fryer Chicken Thighs and Potatoes recipe - a healthy and delicious dinner ready fast! I also love making my Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks recipe, they come out so tasty and juicy!
If you have any leftover chicken then why not shred it and use it in my Easy Air Fryer Chicken Taquitos recipe? It's the best way to use leftover chicken ever!
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🍗 Ingredients
You'll need only 6-8 frozen chicken wings and some seasonings to make this tasty snack, lunch, or dinner. You probably have most of them on hand already!
You can also easily substitute a couple of these ingredients to suit what you have in your pantry.
To prepare frozen chicken wings in the air fryer, you'll need:
- Frozen chicken wings
- Olive oil (or any neutral vegetable oil)
- Garlic powder
- Paprika (sweet or smoked paprika work for this recipe)
- Cayenne pepper or chili powder (adjust to your preferred level of spice!)
- Salt & pepper
- Barbecue sauce
See the recipe card for precise quantities and instructions.
📖 Instructions
It takes only 10 minutes to defrost the chicken wings in the air fryer, then they get seasoned and air fried for another 15 minutes in total. Perfectly cooked, crispy, and juicy chicken wings - ready in just 25 minutes!
Place the frozen chicken wings into the air fryer and air fry for 10 minutes at 400 °F (200 °C) to defrost them.
Separate the chicken wings and remove them from the air fryer.
Remove the chicken wings and place them in a mixing bowl. Toss the chicken wings with olive oil and all the dry seasonings.
Remove the chicken wings from the air fryer and brush with the barbecue sauce on both sides until covered in sauce.
Air fry the wings at 400 °F (200 °C) for 10 minutes. Flip the wings and air fry for another 5 minutes until the wings reach 165 °F (75 °C) inside.
Serve the wings with a dipping sauce or vegetable side dishes.
Hint: If you prefer to have smaller pieces of chicken wings, you can separate your wings into the tip, flat, and drumette sections after the wings have defrosted in the air fryer. You can discard the tips as they don't have much meat on them or save them for the next time you make chicken stock.
🥣 Substitutions
Here are some substitutions you can make depending on what you have on hand in your pantry or based on dietary preferences:
- Oils you can substitute - Any vegetable oil should work for this recipe - my favorites to use are canola oil, avocado oil, and olive oil. These oils have high smoking points, making them perfect for the air fryer.
- Different types of wings and brands - You can use any brand of frozen chicken wings for this recipe, including Tyson's frozen chicken wings. If your wings are on the thicker side, increase the air frying time by 3-5 minutes.
- Low-carb - This recipe is already very low in carbohydrates but you can make it keto-friendly and diabetes-friendly by swapping out the barbecue sauce with a sugar-free alternative or a homemade low-carb bbq sauce.
If you have fresh chicken wings that you want to make in the air fryer, you can still use this recipe, just skip the defrosting in the air fryer! Otherwise, you can check out this fantastic recipe from Natasha's Kitchen!
❓FAQ
400 °F (200 °C) is the best temperature for air fryer chicken wings. The hot circulation of air in the air fryer crisps up the skin while the chicken wings stays juicy!
15 minutes was the perfect amount of time to air fryer chicken wings at 400 °F (200 °C). I also defrosted the chicken wings at 400 °F (200 °C) for 10 minutes for this recipe.
Yes, air fryer chicken wings are healthy! Making chicken wings in the air fryer uses less oil to make them crispy and delicious - definitely healthier than oven baking them. And quicker too!
Yes, you can! Frozen chicken is great in the air fryer, it always comes out crispy on the outside and juicy and flavorful on the inside. You can defrost chicken in the air fryer like in this recipe or cook the chicken straight from frozen!
Yes, you can cook frozen chicken wings in the air fryer. In fact, it might be one of the best ways to make crispy chicken wings! The hot air circulation in the air fryer makes the chicken juicy on the inside but crispy on the outside every time!
🥘 Variations
Here are some ideas for extra flavor to make these air fryer chicken wings interesting every time you try them!
- Super Crispy - If you want super crispy chicken wings, preheat your air fryer for 5 minutes at 400 °F (200 °C). Also, cook the wings for an extra 3-5 minutes for extra crispy skin.
- Glazing sauces - I used barbecue sauce as a glaze for these chicken wings. You can also use honey mustard sauce, sweet chilli sauce or a honey soy sauce to glaze these wings for extra flavor! Any sauce that has some sweetness to it will work!
- Kid-friendly - Cut the wings into smaller pieces after defrosting to make them easier to eat than the larger whole wings.
- Dipping Sauces - I love dipping my crispy chicken wings in ranch dressing. You can also serve the chicken wings with honey mustard sauce, ketchup, or garlic aioli for more flavor.
⏲ Equipment
This air fryer corn dogs recipe was developed and tested using my favorite air fryer - the Cosori Max XL Large Cooker! It has a capacity of 5.8 quarts so it can make a lot of food at one time.
I love using my air fryer to make crispy and delicious chicken recipes. An air fryer uses a very tiny amount of oil and the food comes out crispy and perfect every time! They use very little energy and are super cheap to run!
Another piece of equipment I find useful for air fryer cooking is an oven thermometer. It can be placed inside the air fryer to measure the temperature accurately.
Air fryer temperatures vary from model to model so this is a great way to make sure your air fryer is at the correct temperature. If you find your air fryer foods are often undercooked or burnt, get one of these thermometers to test your air fryer temperature.
🍶 Storage, Making Ahead and Doubling the Recipe
Storage: Store leftover wings in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Reheat in the air fryer, microwave, or oven for a couple of minutes for a quick snack!
These wings are not suitable for refreezing.
Making Ahead: You can easily make these wings ahead of time. When you need to have them ready, simply reheat them in the air fryer at 400 °F (200 °C) for 2-3 minutes! Then brush with the barbecue sauce and serve.
Can I double this recipe?: Yes you can! It does depend on the size of your air fryer, but you can make two batches of wings at a time. Don't overcrowd the air fryer as this will increase the cooking time and the wings won't be as crispy.
❗️ Top tips
- Discarding wing tips: If you don't like the wing tips, cut them off after they have defrosted in the air fryer and use them in your next batch of chicken stock.
- Overcrowding the air fryer: Don't overcrowd the air fryer when cooking the chicken wings, place the wings in a single layer for best results.
- Sauces: Brush the chicken wings with a variety of sauces after air frying for extra flavor!
- Preheating: No need to preheat your air fryer for this recipe.
- Thawing the chicken: No need to thaw the frozen chicken before starting this recipe, the air fryer can defrost the chicken quickly!
🍽 Recipe Card
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Frozen Chicken Wings in Air Fryer Recipe
Equipment
- Air Fryer or Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid
Ingredients
- 6 - 8 Whole frozen chicken wings
- 2 Tbsp. Olive oil
- 1 Tsp. Garlic powder
- ½ tsp. Paprika Sweet or smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp. Cayenne pepper or chilli powder
- 1 tsp. Sea salt
- 1 tsp. Black pepper
- ¼ cup Barbecue sauce for glazing
Instructions
- Place the frozen chicken wings into the air fryer and air fry for 10 minutes at 400 °F (200 °C) to defrost them.6 - 8 Whole frozen chicken wings
- Once defrosted, remove the chicken wings and place them in a mixing bowl. Toss the chicken wings with the olive oil and all the seasonings, apart from the barbecue sauce. Drain any excess liquid in the air fryer and add the seasoned wings back in a single layer.2 Tbsp. Olive oil, 1 Tsp. Garlic powder, ½ tsp. Paprika, ¼ tsp. Cayenne pepper or chilli powder, 1 tsp. Sea salt, 1 tsp. Black pepper
- Air fry the wings at 400 °F (200 °C) for 10 minutes. Flip the wings and air fry for another 5 minutes until the wings reach 165 °F (75 °C) inside.
- Remove the chicken wings from the air fryer and brush with the barbecue sauce on both sides until covered in sauce. Serve the wings with a dipping sauce or vegetable side dishes.¼ cup Barbecue sauce for glazing
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe was tested with these air fryers:
🍳 Related Recipes
- Air Fryer Chicken Thighs and Potatoes
- Perfect Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks Recipe
- Easy Air Fryer Chicken Taquitos Recipe
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