Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Wings
Using frozen wings straight from the freezer, these Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Wings come out perfectly crispy and delicious in just a few easy steps using your air fryer or Ninja Foodi!
Cooking frozen food in the air fryer can be a lifesaver! Not only does the air fryer cook food without the need to thaw or defrost, it often cooks in less time while maintaining the perfect texture! And, if you’ve forgotten to defrost raw chicken wings when you need them for dinner or a quick snack or appetizer, you can use this method which will become one of your favorite air fryer recipes!
🐔Why The Air Fryer Is The Best Way To Cook Frozen Chicken Wings
- Instead of the oven, the air fryer uses hot air circulation to cook crispy air fryer chicken wings, resulting in a perfectly crispy exterior and juicy interior without the need for excessive oil or deep frying and still has lots of flavor.
- The air fryer is incredibly versatile and allows for easy customization of seasoning and sauce options to suit individual tastes and preferences.
- Cooking frozen chicken wings in the air fryer is incredibly convenient. It eliminates the need for thawing and defrosting beforehand, making it a great option for last-minute meals or unexpected cravings.
- The air fryer is also much easier to clean than traditional deep fryers, as it eliminates the need for large amounts of oil and messy clean-up. This makes it a great option for those who want to enjoy delicious wings without the hassle of deep frying.
- Instead of the oven, the air fryer uses hot air circulation to cook crispy air fryer chicken wings, resulting in a perfectly crispy exterior and juicy interior without the need for excessive oil or deep frying and still has lots of flavor.
- The air fryer is incredibly versatile and allows for easy customization of seasoning and sauce options to suit individual tastes and preferences.
- Cooking frozen chicken wings in the air fryer is incredibly convenient. It eliminates the need for thawing and defrosting beforehand, making it a great option for last-minute meals or unexpected cravings.
- The air fryer is also much easier to clean than traditional deep fryers, as it eliminates the need for large amounts of oil and messy clean-up. This makes it a great option for those who want to enjoy delicious wings without the hassle of deep frying.
🧂Ingredients and Tools
- Frozen Chicken Wings – These un breaded wings can be found in the frozen chicken section or appetizer section at the grocery store. Popular brands include Tyson, Perdue, Kirkland Signature (Costco), TGI Fridays, and Foster Farms. These bags will contain wingettes, drumettes, and chicken drumsticks.
- Seasonings – To season your wings simply and deliciously, use a blend of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. You can also use any seasoning blend you enjoy.
- Cooking Oil – A light coating of oil will help the seasonings stick and will also help the skin become nice and crispy on the outside while keeping the meat juicy and tender on the inside. For best results use either olive oil or avocado oil.
📖How To Cook Frozen Chicken Wings In Air Fryer
1️⃣Preheat the air fryer: Turn your air fryer to 400°F (200°C) for 3-5 minutes.
2️⃣Partially defrost chicken wings: Place the frozen chicken wings in a single layer in the air fryer basket and cook for 10 minutes to defrost the outside layer.
3️⃣Mix seasoning blend: While the wings are partially defrosting, in a small bowl, mix together the salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.
4️⃣Season the chicken wings: Remove the frozen chicken wings from the air fryer with tongs and place them in a large bowl. Drizzle the vegetable oil over the chicken wings and sprinkle the spice mixture on top. Toss to coat evenly. Place the chicken wings in the air fryer basket, making sure they are not touching or overcrowded.
5️⃣Continue air frying: Cook the chicken wings for additional 15-20 minutes, flipping them halfway through the cooking time until they are golden brown and crispy. Toss in buffalo sauce, honey bbq sauce, and hot sauce, and don’t forget to use your favorite dipping sauce like ranch dressing, blue cheese dressing, or your favorite wing sauce. Don’t forget the carrots and celery sticks!
👩🍳Chef’s Tips
- What if the wings are stuck together? If the wings are stuck together, let them partially defrost in the air fryer for 10 minutes. Once you remove them, you should be able to take them apart in individual pieces.
- When cooking air fryer chicken wings from frozen, it’s important to avoid overcrowding the air fryer basket. Make sure the wings are arranged in a single layer and have enough space around them to allow the hot air to circulate freely. If the bottom of the air fryer basket gets too crowded, cook them in batches.
- To ensure that the wings cook evenly, be sure to flip them halfway through the cooking time. This will help to ensure that both sides are evenly cooked and crispy.
- How long it takes to cook frozen chicken wings in the air fryer will depend on their size. Generally, they will be fully cooked in 30 minutes of cooking time, but you may want to cook them longer to make the skin extra crispy. For best results, use a kitchen thermometer to ensure the chicken wings reach a safe internal temperature of 165F in their thickest part.
🍗More Air Fryer Chicken Recipes
- Air Fryer Chicken Cutlets (No Breading)
- Air Fryer Chicken Wings With Baking Powder
- Air Fryer Chicken Burger
- Air Fryer Chicken Liver
- Air Fryer Chicken Gizzards
Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Wings
Equipment
- Air Fryer or Ninja Foodi
- Tongs
- bowl
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken wings frozen
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (200°C) for 3-5 minutes.
- Place the frozen chicken wings in a single layer in the air fryer basket and cook for 10 minutes to defrost the outside layer.
- While the wings are partially defrosting, in a small bowl, mix together the salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.
- Remove the frozen chicken wings from the air fryer with tongs and place them in a large bowl.
- Drizzle the vegetable oil over the chicken wings and sprinkle the spice mixture on top. Toss to coat evenly.
- Place the chicken wings in the air fryer basket, making sure they are not touching or overcrowded.
- Cook the chicken wings for additional 15-20 minutes, flipping them halfway through the cooking time until they are golden brown and crispy. Toss in your favorite sauce. Enjoy!
