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Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings: Best Game Day Recipe

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These crispy air fryer chicken wings are the ultimate game day snack, featuring shatteringly crisp skin and juicy meat, ready in under 30 minutes with no deep frying required.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 pounds (about 900g) chicken wings, separated into drumettes and flats
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
  • For Classic Buffalo Sauce: ⅓ cup hot sauce (Frank’s RedHot), 2 tablespoons melted butter, 1 teaspoon honey
  • For Honey Garlic Sauce: ¼ cup honey, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • For Lemon Pepper Sauce: 2 tablespoons melted butter, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
  • For BBQ Sauce: ⅓ cup barbecue sauce, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika

Instructions

  1. Prep the wings: Pat the chicken wings completely dry with paper towels. Let them sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes to air-dry slightly.
  2. Season the wings: In a large bowl, combine the baking powder, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne (if using). Whisk together. Add the dried wings and toss well with your hands, making sure every piece is coated.
  3. Preheat the air fryer: Set your air fryer to 400°F (200°C) and let it preheat for 3-5 minutes.
  4. Arrange the wings: Place the seasoned wings in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Do not overcrowd. Cook in batches if necessary.
  5. Cook the wings: Air fry at 400°F for 12 minutes. Flip each wing using tongs, then continue cooking for another 10-12 minutes, or until the skin is golden brown and crispy. Internal temperature should reach 165°F (74°C).
  6. Make the sauce: While the wings are cooking, prepare your sauce. For classic buffalo, melt the butter in a small bowl, then whisk in the hot sauce and honey until smooth. For honey garlic, combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and warm over low heat for 2-3 minutes.
  7. Sauce the wings: Once the wings are done, transfer them to a clean bowl. Pour the sauce over the wings and toss gently to coat. Alternatively, brush the sauce on for extra crispy skin.
  8. Rest and serve: Let the sauced wings rest on a wire rack for 2-3 minutes before serving. Serve immediately with celery sticks, carrot sticks, and your favorite dipping sauce.

Notes

Dry the wings thoroughly for maximum crispiness. Do not skip the baking powder. Do not overcrowd the air fryer basket. Flip halfway through cooking. Let wings rest after saucing to maintain crispiness. Use a meat thermometer to ensure internal temperature reaches 165°F.

Nutrition

Keywords: air fryer chicken wings, crispy chicken wings, game day wings, buffalo wings, air fryer wings

Find it online: https://crispcraving.com/crispy-air-fryer-chicken-wings-best-game-day-recipe/