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    Home ยป Recipes ยป Recipes by Cuisine ยป American Recipes

    Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Wings

    Published by: Adina October 29, 2021 ยท Last modified: February 7, 2025 Leave a comment
    Jump to Recipe

    These perfectly seasoned Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Wings go from frozen to fully cooked in just 30 minutes and they are addictive! This is an easy way of putting dinner on the table without any fuss.

    plate with chicken wings and sauce on a newspaper with two forks beside it.

    Make these super easy and delicious air fryer frozen chicken wings tonight! No worries if you forgot to defrost them or if you decided to cook the wings at a momentโ€™s notice. To make these air fryer frozen chicken wings, there is no need to go shopping or prepare; this is my preferred method for cooking wings.

    No need for messy deep-frying! Juicy chicken wings with crispy skin and tender meat, these hot wings are a personal favorite, a success every single time!

    Learn how to cook Chicken Quarters in the Air Fryer, too.

    Ingredients: 3 + spices

    Working time: 2 minutes

    Cooking time: 30 minutes

    Jump to:
    • Recipe ingredients
    • How to air fry frozen chicken wings?
    • Tips
    • Recipe FAQs
    • How to store and reheat the wings?
    • More air fryer recipes
    • ๐Ÿ“– Recipe
    • ๐Ÿ’ฌ Comments

    They are a perfect appetizer, great for weeknight dinners or guests. Make them for a football game or the Super Bowl, and you will need nothing else. Just some napkinsโ€ฆ And if you love crispy wings, check out these fantastic Honey Lemon Pepper Wings or the Baked Cajun Chicken Wings. To cook wings faster, learn How to Parboil Chicken Wings.

    They go well with many side dishes. Serve them as a main dish with potatoes, fries, rice, Mac and Cheese without Flour, or crispy bread. Then, add a nice big salad, like a green salad or coleslaw, or serve them with roasted vegetables.

    Recipe ingredients

    collage of four pictures of frozen wings, spices, bottle of hot sauce and brown sugar.

    Frozen chicken wings: 1 lb wings, divided into drumettes and wingettes.

    Spices: salt, black pepper, and paprika powder, either sweet, smoked, or hot. Or a combination. Other spices are excellent; you can add garlic powder, dried herbs, cayenne pepper, and so on. You can also use a spice mixture or a dry rub of your choice.

    Sauce: 3 tablespoons of hot sauce and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar. You can use your favorite sauce (for example, BBQ sauce, sweet and sour, teriyaki sauce, or buffalo sauce), but if itโ€™s a sweet one, reduce the sugar amount or leave it out altogether.

    How to air fry frozen chicken wings?

    two pictures of raw and half-cooked wings in an air fryer.
    • Step #1: Place wings into the air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook for another 10 minutes, shaking once in between.
    • Step #2: Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and paprika and toss well. Cook for 15 minutes.
    collage of two pictures of chicken wings in an air fryer before and after coating with sauce.
    • Step #3: That's how they look before adding the sauce.
    • Step #4: Pour the sauce over the wings, toss well, and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes until the wings are fully cooked and the sauce is glossy and slightly sticky

    Check the internal temperature of the meat; it should be 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius). If you donโ€™t have a meat thermometer, tear the meat off one wing; the inside should be completely white, not pink.

    Use this kitchen gadget to make more wings: Air-Fried Garlic Parmesan Wings and Air-Fried Lemon Pepper Wings.

    Tips

    Arrange the raw wings in the basket in a single layer. Although they might touch or slightly overlap each other initially, once they are defrosted, they will lose some volume and wonโ€™t overlap anymore. Donโ€™t stack them on top of each other.

    Add the seasoning after the first 15 minutes of the cooking time. The spices will not stick to the frozen pieces.

    Recipe FAQs

    What if the wings are frozen in a clump?

    Place them in the preheated machine and cook them for about 5 minutes. Try to take them apart now; if theyโ€™re not there yet, give them a couple more minutes and try again. Once you can take them apart, arrange them in the basket in a single layer.

    Can I use pre-cooked or pre-breaded frozen wings?

    Yes, the cooking time will be slightly shorter, about 15-18 minutes. They will be cooked through from the beginning, but ensure they are properly heated through before serving. As they are already seasoned or coated with sauce, you can skip those steps when air-frying them.

    What if there is water in the basket?

    It can happen depending on the machine you are using. Check the bottom of the basket after 10 minutes; if there is any liquid in it, discard it.

    How to store and reheat the wings?

    Fridge: Keep the leftover chicken wings in an airtight container. They will keep well for 2-3 days.

    Freezer: Once fully cooked, you can freeze the wings again. Let them cool completely, place them in airtight containers, and freeze for up to 3 months. Then, defrost in the fridge and reheat before serving.

    Reheat them in the air fryer: Reheat for 5-6 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius).

    Reheat them in the oven: Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and reheat at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius) for about 10 minutes or until heated through.

    close up many chicken wings coated with hot sauce.

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    ๐Ÿ“– Recipe

    air fryer frozen chicken wings served with a bowl of sauce on a silver plate.

    Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Wings

    Delicious air fryer frozen chicken wings, coated in hot sauce and ready in about 30 minutes. Perfect for Game Day or any other occasion.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Air Fryer Recipes, Appetizer
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 2 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Servings: 2 people
    Calories: 298kcal
    Author: Adina

    Equipment

    • Air fryer
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients  

    • 1 lb frozen chicken wings Note 1
    • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt or Kosher
    • ยผ teaspoon black pepper
    • ยฝ teaspoon paprika sweet, hot, or smoked (Note 2)
    • 3 tablespoons hot sauce Note 3
    • 1 tablespoon brown sugar

    Instructions

    • Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius) according to its instructions. Some donโ€™t need it, but most of them do. Mine needs to be preheated for 3 minutes.
    • Cook: Place the wings into the basket in a single layer (Note 4). Cook for 15 minutes.
      1 lb frozen chicken wings/ 450 g
    • Season: Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and paprika and toss well.
      1 teaspoon fine sea salt or Kosher + ยผ teaspoon black pepper + ยฝ teaspoon paprika
    • Cook for another 10 minutes, shaking halfway through.
    • Sauce: In the meantime, mix the hot sauce and the brown sugar.
      3 tablespoons hot sauce + 1 tablespoon brown sugar
    • Toss: Pour over the wings, toss well. Air fry for 3 to 5 minutes until the wings are fully cooked, and the sauce is glossy and slightly sticky.
    • Check: Tear the meat off one wing; the inside should be completely white, not pink. If using a meat thermometer, the internal temperature should be 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius).

    Notes

    1. If the wings are frozen in a clump, place them in the preheated air fryer and cook them for about 5 minutes. Try to take them apart now; if theyโ€™re not there yet, give them a couple more minutes and try again. Once you can take them apart, arrange them in the basket in a single layer.
    2. Seasoning: You can use other spices, a spice mixture, or a dry rub of your choice.
    3. Sauce: You can use any other sauce you like. If itโ€™s a sweet one, reduce the sugar amount or leave the sugar out.
    4. They might touch or slightly overlap each other initially; once they are defrosted, they will lose some volume and wonโ€™t overlap anymore. Donโ€™t stack them on top of each other.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 298kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 1794mg | Potassium: 234mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 253IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe? Pin it today!Mention @thefastrecipe or tag #thefastrecipe!

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    Adina Beck the recipe writer, creator, and photographer behind The Fast Recipe Food Blog.

    Hi, I'm Adina! I am a foodie, creator, writer, and photographer, creating and photographing recipes for my blogs and clients.

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