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    Home » Course » Main Course

    Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Wings

    Published: Nov 21, 2020 · Modified: Feb 20, 2023 by Erin Carter · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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    Making air fryer frozen chicken wings is so easy! They turn out perfectly crisp on the outside and melt off the bone tender on the inside. They're ready in under 30 minutes and the clean up is so simple. You can choose whatever flavour you like including salt and pepper, buffalo, teriyaki or bbq!

    A plate full of cooked chicken wings coated in buffalo sauce.

    Why you will love this recipe:

    • These frozen chicken wings cooked in the air fryer are so easy to make since you don't need to thaw the chicken wings ahead of time. They're ready in under 30 minutes.
    • Air fried chicken wings turn out perfectly crisp on the outside yet nice and tender on the inside. Just how chicken wings should be! I think they turn out even better than grilling them or cooking them on the barbecue.
    • You can make them into whatever flavour you like: you can leave them as salt and pepper chicken wings or add a sauce to turn them into buffalo, teriyaki or bbq chicken wings.
    • These chicken wings are healthy and are also keto, gluten free, low carb, carnivore, paleo and Whole30!

    Taste and texture:

    These chicken wings have the perfect crispy skin, yet are moist, juicy and fall off the bone tender. You can flavour them however you like including leaving them as salt and pepper chicken wings or adding a sauce to turn them into bbq chicken wings, teriyaki chicken wings, buffalo chicken wings etc.

    Key ingredients and substitutions:

    • Frozen chicken wings - any brand of frozen, cut chicken wings will do including Tyson frozen wings. I personally use free range frozen chicken wings that are plain and unseasoned. 
    • Avocado oil - to help get that perfect crispy skin. You could easily swap this for olive oil. 
    • Salt and pepper - the only seasonings you need! 
    • Optional: sauce of choice for topping the wings such as buffalo sauce, bbq sauce or teriyaki sauce.

    How to make this recipe:

    Step one:

    First, place the frozen chicken wings on the rack or in the basket of your air fryer and cook them at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes.

    Frozen chicken wings on an air fryer rack.

    Step two:

    Next, separate the chicken wings and coat both sides of the wings with avocado oil, salt and pepper. Bake them for another 15 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. If you are using a basket style air fryer, be sure to either shake the basket or flip the chicken wings half way through.

    Chicken wings on an air fryer tray being brushed with oil.

    Step three:

    Note that this step is optional. If you like salt and pepper wings, simply stop here, but if you like sauce covered wings, complete this final step. Finally, coat the wings with a sauce of your choice such as buffalo sauce, bbq sauce or teriyaki sauce before serving.

    Chef's tips:

    • Depending on the model of air fryer that you have you may need to adjust the cooking times.
    • I recommend cooking these chicken wings on the top rack of your air fryer.
    • Feel free to double or triple this recipe if you are feeding more people.

    Variations and add ins:

    • To turn these into buffalo wings: after the wings are finished cooking coat them in your favourite buffalo sauce.
    • To turn these into bbq chicken wings: coat them with bbq sauce after they have finished cooking.
    • To turn them into teriyaki chicken wings: coat them in teriyaki sauce after they are done cooking.

    How to serve:

    Chicken wings are delicious served as is, and they make a great appetizer, snack or meal. They are also perfect for Super Bowl parties, tailgates and picnics. If you want to pair them with a side dish, these are some of my favourites:

    • French Fries
    • Sweet potato fries
    • Waffle fries
    • Potato wedges
    • Asian Coleslaw
    • Easy Potato Salad
    • Simple Broccoli Salad

    You can also serve chicken wings with chopped, fresh vegetables such as carrots and celery or add your favourite dipping sauce such as ranch dressing.

    How to store:

    Store any leftover cooked chicken wings in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

    How to reheat:

    To reheat chicken wings in an air fryer, simply cook them for 2-3 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. 

    A plate full of cooked chicken wings covered in buffalo sauce and garnished with parsley.

    Frequently asked questions:

    How long do you cook frozen wings in air fryer?

    I found that frozen chicken wings take 28-30 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit to cook in an air fryer. But cooking times will vary slightly depending on the type of air fryer that you use and the size of the chicken wings.

    Can I layer frozen chicken wings in air fryer?

    I don't recommend it. I find they cook the best if you put them in a single layer.

    Do you have to thaw wings before air frying?

    No! You can cook wings from frozen in the air fryer, no need to thaw them ahead of time. 

    Are air fried chicken wings healthy?

    Yes! It is so much healthier to cook chicken wings in an air fryer rather than deep frying them. You will use much less oil. Plus, chicken wings are full of protein and are gluten free, paleo, keto and dairy free too! 

    Do I need to preheat my air fryer?

    For this recipe you do not need to preheat your air fryer. If you do preheat it, subtract a few minutes of cooking time from the recipe.

    Other air fryer recipes you will love:

    • Air Fryer Frozen Hamburgers
    • Air Fryer Pork Belly
    • Air fryer salmon cakes with lemon dill aioli
    • Air fryer BBQ ribs
    • Air fryer frozen shrimp with lemon garlic butter
    • Air fryer carrots
    • Air fryer broccoli

    Since you made it this far we are basically best friends so be sure to follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok and Facebook where I share even more recipes and healthy living tips! And don’t forget to leave this recipe a star review before you go!

    Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Wings

    You will love these air fryer frozen chicken wings. They are so easy to make and turn out perfectly crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizer, Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Meat, Snack
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Diabetic, Gluten Free
    Prep Time: 1 minute
    Cook Time: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 31 minutes
    Servings: 2
    Calories: 458kcal
    Author: Dr. Erin Carter

    Equipment

    • Air Fryer

    Ingredients

    • 1 lb frozen chicken wings
    • 3 tablespoon avocado oil
    • salt (to taste)
    • ground black pepper (to taste)

    Optional

    • sauce for coating the wings

    Instructions

    • Place the frozen chicken wings on the rack of your air fryer and cook at 400F for 15 minutes.
    • Pull the chicken wings apart and coat both sides of the wings with avocado oil, salt and pepper and bake for another 15 minutes at 400F. If using a basket style air fryer be sure to either shake the basket or flip the chicken wings half way through.
    • Optional: coat the wings with a sauce of your choice such as buffalo sauce, bbq sauce, or teriyaki sauce before serving.

    Notes

    1. You can serve these as salt and pepper chicken wings or add a sauce to these wings such as buffalo sauce, teriyaki sauce or bbq sauce once they have finished cooking.
    2. Feel free to double or triple this recipe depending on how many people you are feeding.
    3. Store these chicken wings in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 458kcal | Protein: 22g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 89mg | Potassium: 191mg | Vitamin A: 180IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @pureandsimpleno or tag #pureandsimpleno!

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    Hi everyone! My name is Dr. Erin Carter and I am so thrilled you are here. I am a physician with specialities in both internal medicine and rheumatology, and I believe that food and healthy living are forms of medicine. In my spare time I share health information and delicious, healthy recipes here on Pure and Simple Nourishment.

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