Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Wings

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Forget to defrost your chicken wings? No problem. You can pull them out of the freezer now and use this air fryer frozen chicken wings recipe to cook them in just 25 minutes. Get ready for delicious, crispy wings.

Jump to:

• Why should you try this recipe?
• Ingredients
• Recipe Variations
• Instructions
• Equipment
• FAQs
• How To Serve
• Similar Recipes
• Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Wings

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Why should you try this recipe?

Here's why you'll love air frying frozen chicken wings.

• You don’t have to remember to thaw your chicken. Life gets busy. Many of us are deciding what to make for dinner at dinner time. Thankfully, with this recipe, you can make chicken wings without planning ahead.
• They're quick and easy. You only need an air fryer, chicken wings, and a few spices to throw together a chicken wing rub. In addition to making the skin crispy, the air fryer cooks the chicken wings in less time than the oven since this method requires time for a bake and a broil.
• They're a healthier alternative to deep-fried restaurant wings. This homemade chicken wing recipe is made with significantly less oil. And, almost more importantly, the oil that is used in the recipe is a healthier variety. Most restaurants use highly refined varieties because they're cheaper. These oils have been linked to inflammation in the body which leads to chronic health problems.  
• They taste as good as pub wings too. The air fryer circulates hot air and churns out perfectly crispy, insanely delicious chicken wings. My husband is a regular at wing nights, and he's given this recipe the stamp of approval. So, that's saying something.

Scroll down to see the printable recipe with nutritional information.

Ingredients

Here's what you'll need for air fryer frozen chicken wings.

• Frozen chicken wings: There are many variations of frozen chicken wings. For this recipe, I use raw, frozen chicken wings. But, you can also use pre-breaded and sauced wings. Tyson frozen chicken wings are a popular choice. If you do go with Tyson or another brand, check out the FAQs for direction on how to cook these in the air fryer.
• Avocado oil spray: You don’t need to use oil in this recipe, but a light coating of olive oil spray or avocado oil spray will result in crispier chicken wings.
• A spice rub: To make my best chicken wing spice rub, you'll need smoked paprika, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, thyme leaves, kosher salt, coriander and cayenne pepper: This spice rub is my favourite and gives the chicken wings all the flavour. That said, if you don't have all of these spices on hand, I've added a simpler spice rub to the recipe card, which you'll only need salt, pepper, smoked paprika and garlic powder for.

Scroll down to find the printable recipe with ingredient measurements.

Recipe Variations

• Customize your spice rub: As with all spice rubs, you can customize the blend to your own taste. My favourite is my chicken wing rub recipe. But, I've also added a simple variation to the recipe card. No matter which rub you use, here are some good guidelines you can use to customize the flavour to your liking.
  • Use or remove cayenne to turn the spice up or down.
  • Add herbs likes basil, parsley, marjoram and sage to give the spice rub a herbal note.
  • Include lemon, lime or orange zest to add citrus notes.
• Use sauce instead of a spice rub: In this case, you'll wait until after the wings are done to apply the flavouring. Remove them from the air fryer and place them in a large bowl. Then add wing sauce and toss to combine. For extra goodness, place them back in the air fryer for 2 minutes and then toss in sauce again. Some sauce suggestions include:
  • Honey Teriyaki Sauce
  • Hot sauce (I like Frank's Buffalo Sauce)

Instructions

Let’s break it down step by step to take any guesswork out of how to air fry frozen wings.

• Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F for 3 minutes.
• Place the frozen mass of chicken wings in the air fryer basket. Air fry for 13 minutes.
• Use tongs to remove the chicken wings from the air fryer basket and place in a large bowl.

• Break up the slightly defrosted chicken wing mass. Use a paper towel to pat the wings dry. This is an important step in achieving the crispiest wings possible.
• Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of my best chicken wing spice rub on the wings and toss to coat. If you don't have the spices on hand to make this mix, an easy alternative is to use garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. I've added both options to the recipe card.
• Drain any liquid from the bottom of your air fryer. This can sometimes collect when the chicken wings are defrosting.

• Add the chicken wings back to the air fryer basket. For the crispiest wings, it's best to spread them in a single layer with no overlap.
• Air fry for 13 more minutes at 400 degrees F.
• When 5 minutes are remaining, open the air fryer basket and spray the wings with avocado oil spray or olive oil spray. Use tongs to flip the wings and lightly coat the other side with oil as well. This will help achieve the crispiest wings.
• Cook for remaining time. Use a meat thermometer to ensure chicken wings are cooked to 165 degrees F.

• Place in a bowl and serve with your favourite dipping sauce.

Recipe Notes

• Do not overfill your air fryer basket. Every air fryer has a different capacity, so I can't tell you how many wings is too many wings. Just ensure they're placed in a single layer after being broken up in step 4. If they are overlapping, the air can’t circulate, and the wings in the middle can't cook evenly or crisp up. If the wings can't fit in a single layer after being broken up, cook for the remaining time in two batches.
• It’s important to flip the wings. You can toss the basket to flip the wings, or use tongs. This step ensures every wing is evenly cooked and your batch turns out extra crispy. 
• Not all frozen wings cook the same. Cooking time will change slightly based on your 1) air fryer model; 2) the size of the chicken wings; 3) whether the wings are raw, precooked, breaded or presauced; and 4) how many wings are in the air fryer. Use my recipe as a guide, but keep an eye on the wings the first time you follow it so you know what works best for you.

How To Store

• Fridge: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
• Freezer: Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to three months.
• Reheat: Set air fryer temperature to 360 degrees F. Place chicken wings in the basket in a single layer and cook for 5 minutes.

For the full ingredient list and step-by-step directions, scroll down to view the recipe card.

Equipment

Here's what you need to make frozen chicken wings in air fryer.

• Air fryer: If you don’t own an Air Fryer yet, I recommend adding one to your kitchen equipment collection. It's incredibly easy to use and helps you eat your favourite fried foods without guilt. If you’re not so sure yet, I wrote a piece comparing the air fryer and the pressure cooker. Feel free to use it as a resource. I own the Ninja AF161 Max XL. I love that it's large enough to cook for two people, but small enough to fit in my apartment-sized kitchen.

FAQs

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about frozen wings in air fryer.

How To Serve

Now that you have extra crispy homemade chicken wings, you'll want to complete the meal. Here are a few suggestions.

• Serve with a side of fries: Try my air fryer sweet potato fries, curly fries or waffle fries. All pair perfectly with chicken wings.
• Serve with your favourite dip: Try my lightened up tartar sauce or vegan chipotle ranch. Or, keep it simple and pair with something store bought.
• Add a side of celery or carrots: It's traditional, and it adds a dose of vitamins and minerals.

Similar Recipes

Still hungry? If you enjoyed this recipe for air fryer frozen chicken wings, I invite you to check out my collection of other easy air fryer recipes or check out the ones below that I hand selected for you.

If you make these air fryer frozen chicken wings, please consider leaving a star rating and a comment. Don't forget to tag @caiteyjay on Instagram or @caiteyjay on Pinterest so I can see your creations.

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