Tailgate Crispy Air-Fryer Wings (Print View)
Crispy, juicy chicken wings seasoned with classic spices and air-fried to golden perfection.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 2 pounds chicken wings, split and tips removed
→ Spice Rub
02 - 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
03 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
04 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
05 - ½ teaspoon onion powder
06 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
07 - ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, for heat)
08 - 1 tablespoon aluminum-free baking powder
→ Buffalo Sauce
09 - ¼ cup hot sauce (such as Frank's RedHot)
10 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
# How to Make:
01 - Pat the chicken wings completely dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture, ensuring maximum crispiness during cooking.
02 - Combine kosher salt, garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and baking powder in a large mixing bowl.
03 - Add the prepared wings to the bowl and toss thoroughly until evenly coated with the spice mixture on all sides.
04 - Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for 3 minutes before cooking.
05 - Place wings in a single layer in the air fryer basket without overlapping; cook in batches if necessary to maintain proper air circulation.
06 - Cook for 25 minutes total, flipping halfway through, until wings reach golden brown color and desired crispiness.
07 - While wings cook, whisk together hot sauce and melted butter. Toss cooked wings in sauce immediately after removing from air fryer for even coating.
08 - Serve immediately with celery sticks, carrot sticks, blue cheese or ranch dressing for dipping.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The baking powder trick creates restaurant-level crunch without any deep frying mess
- These wings come out juicy every single time, never dry or tough
- You can feed a crowd in under 40 minutes with almost zero cleanup
02 -
- Moisture is the enemy of crispy skin, so don't skip the thorough drying step
- Crowding the basket creates steamed wings instead of crispy ones
- Letting the spiced wings rest for 30 minutes in the refrigerator makes them even crunchier
03 -
- Room temperature wings cook more evenly than cold ones straight from the refrigerator
- The baking powder trick works on any chicken parts, not just wings