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Extra Crispy Air Fryer Wings

What is better for game day or any day than extra crispy air fryer chicken wings dipped in your favorite sauce! These air fryer wings are tossed in a little oil, coated in an amazing smokey dry rub, and cooked to crispy perfection in just 15 minutes!

Oh my goodness that crispy skin! You won’t miss the deep fryer at all. We love chicken wings and this is one of our favorite things to make on the weekend. 

crispy dry rub wing close up

Extra crispy chicken wings are such a quick easy recipe to get your wing fix. In 15 minutes you get restaurant-quality chicken wings without the extra oil. It is one of the best air fryer recipes! 

We need to talk about this seasoning mixture for a minute. It has so much flavor and is a versatile pantry We need to talk about this seasoning mixture for a minute. It has so much flavor and is a versatile pantry staple so while you are mixing it up for the wings go ahead and double it! The dry rub will keep in an air tight container for up to a year.

Air frying is a great alternative to deep frying. You get the same juicy inside and crispy exterior without the mess of deep frying. For your next party skip the deep frying for a healthier wing with a lot less mess!

close up of wings in bowl

Ingredients for Extra Crispy Air Fryer Wings

Dry rub: our favorite dry rub is a mixture of paprika, cumin, chili powder, cayenne, onion powder, garlic powder, brown sugar, salt, and pepper.

Baking powder: Baking powder is the secret ingredient to extra crispy air fryer wings! It is my preferred method for getting that perfect crispy exterior on the wings. Unlike flour or baking soda you don’t taste the baking powder at all!

Chicken wings: obviously we need wings…the more the better because no matter how many you make you will be sad when they are gone! We made a pound of chicken wings this time around in an attempt to control ourselves. 

Avocado oil: avocado oil cooking spray is my favorite neutral oil but canola or olive oil work great in this recipe too!

dry rub

Supplies for making Extra Crispy Wings in the Air Fryer:

Air Fryer: No deep fryer needed but you no need an air fryer. I haven’t tried enough air fryers to have a strong opinion on what the best air fryer is but we tested these wings in the Breville Air Fryer and the Beautiful 6 Quart Touchscreen Air Fryer. Both worked great but I will say the stand alone Beautiful air fryer gave us a slightly crispier skin. However it holds a lot less so I had to make several batches. 

Bowls: you need a small bowl to mix the dry rub in and a medium bowl to toss the wings and dry rub together.

Tongs: for handling putting the wings into the air fryer basket. 

How to make Extra Crispy Dry Rub Wings in the Air Fryer:

These wings are so easy to make! You are a few simple steps from the best dry rub wings! Just shake, toss, dump, and flip! Add all your dry rub spices to a small jar or Tupperware and shake to combine.

Preheat your air fryer to 400.

In large bowl toss your wings with avocado oil and about half of the spice mixture.

Dump the wings in a single layer in the preheated air fryer basket and cook for 15-18 minutes. Cook time will vary slightly based on type of air fryer. 

Flip the wings half way through to get a nice crispy exterior all the way around the wings.

Let cool for a few minutes for added crispness and the ability to actually pick the wings up!

Enjoy with a small bowl of your favorite dipping sauce and crisp vegetables!

bowl of chicken wings and veggies

Tips for making Extra Crispy Wings in the Air Fryer

How to make sure chicken wings get crispy:

First, let your wings come to room temperature to help them cook evenly.

Then, pat the wings dry with a paper towel before adding your oil and dry rub.

This will give you the crispiest wings while helping the inside stay juicy.

How do I cook chicken wings in an air fryer:

Make sure your wings are in a single layer inside of the air fryer and not too crowded! They need airflow to get nice and crispy!

For perfect wings start with the most skin heavy skin side down and flip the wings half way through cooking so both sides get crispy.

Keep in mind that larger wings will take longer to cook.

wings in an air fryer

Allow your wings to cool for a few minutes before serving. Not only are they super hot but I found that the wings crisped up even more as they cooled a bit!

What to serve with dry rub wings:

  • Hot sauce
  • Your favorite wing sauce
  • Buttermilk ranch
  • Blue cheese
  • Buffalo sauce

What to serve with wings:

  • cucumber
  • carrot sticks
  • celery sticks
  • fresh broccoli
  • snap peas
  • crackers
  • corn bread

How to reheat chicken wings in the air fryer:

Reheat wings in a single layer at 350 for 5-7 minutes.

Variations on these extra crispy wings in the air fryer:

  • Swap the dry rub for lemon pepper seasoning
  • Skip the spices in the dry rub and toss the wings with your favorite sauce instead
  • Use your favorite asian spice blend instead

Can I make these extra crispy wings in the traditional oven?

Yes! Baked at 425 degrees on a rimmed backing sheet with a metal rack on top to get as much hot air circulating around the chicken wings as possible. Bake for 20 minutes, using tongs flip the wings over and bake for additional 10-15 minutes. 

bowl of wings with sauce and veggies
Yield: 4 servings

Extra Crispy Air Fryer Wings

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Crispy dry rub wings, perfect for game day . Tossed in an amazing smokey dry rub and crisped to perfection in anair fryer in 15 minutes!

Ingredients

  • 1-1.5 pounds chicken wings
  • 1/2 tablespoon avocado oil

Dry Rub

  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 tablespoon cumin
  • 1/2 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1/2 tablespoon black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

Instructions

  1. These wings are so easy to make! You are a few simple steps from the best dry rub wings! Just shake, toss, dump, and flip!
  2. Add all your dry rub spices to a small jar or Tupperware and shake to combine.
  3. Preheat your air fryer to 400.
  4. In large bowl toss your wings with avocado oil and about half of your spice mixture.
  5. Dump your wings in a single layer in the preheated air fryer basket and cook for 15-18 minutes.
  6. Halfway through cooking use tongs to flip the wings to get a nice crispy exterior all the way around the wings.
  7. Let cool for a few minutes for added crispness and enjoy!

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 971Total Fat: 71gSaturated Fat: 25gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 40gCholesterol: 232mgSodium: 2856mgCarbohydrates: 34gFiber: 3gSugar: 2gProtein: 49g

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