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Close-up of crispy air fryer chicken wings showing deeply golden crackly skin — air fryer chicken wings
Abdul Rehman

Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings

Chicken wings cooked in the air fryer with a smoked paprika and baking powder dry rub that produces crackly, deeply browned skin in 32 minutes flat. Serve them straight from the basket or toss in a quick buffalo sauce for a saucy version.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Rest Time 30 minutes
Total Time 32 minutes
Course: Appetizer / Main
Cuisine: American
Calories: 385
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

For the Dry Rub
  • 1 kg chicken wings, split into drumettes and flats 2.2 lbs
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tbsp neutral oil sunflower or vegetable
For the Buffalo Sauce (Optional)
  • 3 tbsp hot sauce
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder

Method
 

  1. Pat wings completely dry with paper towels, pressing firmly on every surface.
  2. Combine baking powder, salt, garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, black pepper, and cayenne in a large bowl. Add wings and toss to coat. Drizzle with oil and toss again.
  3. (Optional) Place seasoned wings on a wire rack over a sheet tray and refrigerate uncovered for 30 minutes.
  4. Preheat air fryer to 200°C (400°F) for 5 minutes.
  5. Arrange wings in a single layer in the basket, skin side up, with space between each piece. Cook for 12 minutes.
  6. Flip each wing using tongs. Cook for 10 more minutes until the skin is deeply golden and an instant-read thermometer reads 75°C (165°F) at the thickest part.
  7. (Optional) Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add hot sauce, honey, and garlic powder. Stir until smooth and remove from heat.
  8. Toss cooked wings in the sauce and serve immediately. For dry rub wings, rest 2 minutes on a wire rack before serving.