Air Fryer Chicken Wings Recipe (Extra Crispy, Dry Rub)

This air fryer chicken wings recipe delivers extra crispy skin without oily splatter.The skin blisters and shatters, the meat stays juicy, and you can sauce them any way you like.

By the end of this guide, you’ll lock down the crisp formula (with grams, temps, and timing), nail the visual cues, and have three easy sauces on standby. Craving something sweet after? Pair with bright, buttery lemon shortbread cookies for the perfect finish.

Dry Rub + Baking Powder = Extra Crispy Wings

A light dusting of aluminum-free baking powder (or cornstarch) plus a simple dry rub dries the skin and helps it blister in the air fryer.

Dry + lift + blast. Patting wings dry, dusting with a tiny amount of starch or aluminum-free baking powder, and cooking hot with space around each piece renders fat and crisps the skin fast.

Tested ratio (for 1 kg / 2.2 lb wings): 2 tsp (8 g) aluminum-free baking powder or 1 tbsp (8 g) cornstarch, 1½ tsp (6 g) kosher salt, 1 tsp (3 g) garlic powder, ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper. Cook at 200 °C/400 °F for 22–26 minutes, flipping once, to at least 74 °C/165 °F internal (wings are often crisper near 82–88 °C/180–190 °F at the joint).

The step most people get wrong: overcrowding. If pieces touch, steam beats crisp. Cook in batches so air can circulate. When you’re ready to sauce, try a sweet-heat finish like our Honey Buffalo Wings.

Ingredients You’ll Need (with Smart Substitutions)

These basic pantry seasonings let the chicken and crisp texture shine. The cornstarch/baking-powder dust is a proven shortcut to blistered skin—use either, not both.

• Chicken wings, split: 1 kg / 2.2 lb
• Aluminum-free baking powder: 2 tsp / 8 g (or cornstarch: 1 tbsp / 8 g)
• Kosher salt: 1½ tsp / ~6 g
• Garlic powder: 1 tsp / 3 g
• Black pepper: ½ tsp / 1 g
• Neutral oil spray: light mist (optional)

Swaps:

• Salt: Use fine sea salt; reduce to 1 tsp (4–5 g).
• Seasoning: Lemon pepper, Cajun, or ranch powder all work (use 1–1½ tbsp / 8–12 g).
• Gluten-free: Use cornstarch; everything else is naturally GF.

Time & Temp: How Long to Air Fry Chicken Wings

Cook wings in a single layer at 200 °C / 400 °F for 22–26 minutes total, flipping at 12–14 minutes.
Pull when the thickest piece reads ≥74 °C / 165 °F; the crispest texture is around 82–88 °C / 180–190 °F at the joint.

Step-by-Step (Timing, Visual Cues, Pan Size)

Preheat your air fryer to 200 °C/400 °F for 3–5 minutes. A 5–6 L / 5–6 qt basket fits ~500 g (1 lb) wings in a single layer; larger loads = more batches.

1. Dry & Season (3 min): Pat wings very dry. In a bowl, toss with baking powder or cornstarch, salt, garlic powder, and pepper until lightly coated and matte—not pasty.
2. Load (1 min): Lightly mist the basket with oil. Arrange wings not touching.
3. Air Fry #1 (12–14 min): Cook at 200 °C/400 °F. Visual cue: fat beads on the surface; skin looks pale but drying.
4. Flip & Air Fry #2 (10–12 min): Flip; continue until skin is deep golden with blistered spots and the thickest piece reads ≥74 °C/165 °F (crispest around 82–88 °C/180–190 °F).
5. Sauce or Season (1–2 min): Toss hot wings with sauce in a bowl, or dust with extra seasoning. Rest 2 minutes for juices to settle.

Love garlicky butter flavors? Borrow the quick pan-sauce idea from our Hawaiian Garlic Shrimp and drizzle over plain salted wings.

Pro Tips & Troubleshooting

• For ultra-crisp: Refrigerate seasoned wings uncovered 30–60 minutes to dry the skin before cooking.
• Avoid a metallic taste: Use aluminum-free baking powder and don’t overdo it; 2 tsp per kilo is enough.
• Smoke control: If your fryer’s drawer smokes, add 2–3 tbsp water under the basket to catch fat drips.
• Batch smart: Keep cooked wings on a rack in a 90–95 °C/195–205 °F oven while you finish the next batch.
• Soggy after saucing? Toss quickly, then return sauced wings to the fryer 2 minutes to set the glaze.
• Thermometer = insurance: Probe the thickest drumette near the bone for an accurate read.

Variations & Budget-Friendly Ideas

One base, many flavors—use the same cook time and finish with any of these. Each set below seasons 1 kg / 2.2 lb wings.

• Classic Buffalo: Melt 30 g (2 tbsp) butter; whisk in 60 g (¼ cup) hot sauce. Toss and serve.
• Honey-Garlic: Simmer 80 g (¼ cup) honey + 15 ml (1 tbsp) soy sauce + 2 minced cloves garlic 1–2 min; toss.
• Lemon Pepper: Toss hot wings with 1 tbsp (8 g) lemon-pepper seasoning + 1 tbsp (14 g) melted butter.
• Dry Cajun: Add 1 tbsp (8–10 g) Cajun seasoning to the initial toss; finish with a squeeze of lemon.
• Sweet-Heat: For a sticky kick, see our Honey Buffalo Wings.

Storage, Make-Ahead & Reheat

• Room Temp: 2 hours max.
• Fridge: Up to 4 days in an airtight container.
• Freezer: Up to 3 months (freeze on a tray, then bag).
• Reheat & Re-crisp: Air fryer 190 °C/375 °F for 5–8 minutes (from chilled) or 10–14 minutes (from frozen), flipping once.
• Sauce later: Reheat plain, then sauce—stays crisper.

FAQs

How long to cook chicken wings in air fryer at 400°F?

22–26 minutes total; flip at 12–14 minutes. Pull at 165°F+; the crispest texture is around 180–190°F at the joint

Baking powder or cornstarch for crispy air fryer wings?

Either works—use 2 tsp aluminum-free baking powder per kilo (or 1 Tbsp cornstarch)

Can I cook chicken wings from frozen in the air fryer?

Yes—preheat, cook 8 minutes at 180 °C / 360 °F to thaw, drain moisture, season quickly, then finish 16–20 minutes at 200 °C / 400 °F, flipping once.

Sources & Further Reading

• USDA: Safe minimum internal temperatures for poultry—why 74 °C/165 °F matters.
• Serious Eats: The science of crisp chicken skin and why drying + high heat works.
• King Arthur Baking: How to measure flour and starch by weight for consistent results.

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