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Before air fryers, crispy chicken wings could only happen with deep frying. But, this 30-minute Ninja Foodi Air Fryer Fried Chicken Wings recipe uses a drizzle of oil and an easy seasoning mix to make fried chicken wings without covering them in breading or oil. Includes tips to make frozen wings in an air fryer. Recipe can be used to make chicken wings in the oven.
Why Make Wings in the Air Fryer
Cooks Quickly
I love being able to cook chicken wings in 30 minutes or less! Compared to making baked wings, this takes literally half the time. During the week, when I’m tired, an air fryer becomes the perfect tool for getting a quick meal.
Fry without oil
The keto diet is all about getting in a good amount of fat. However, chicken wings already have enough fat naturally. So, there really isn’t a need to cook them in more oil. Since this recipe requires just a drizzle of oil, it has less fat than when deep frying.
Create Less Mess
One of the things that I hate about frying foods is popping grease & having to figure out what to do with the leftover oil. With air fried chicken wings, you eliminate both of those issues.
Ingredients Needed
- Chicken Wings: you can use whole wings or wings that are cut into flats and drums.
- Baking Powder: this is an essential ingredient for getting a fried chicken crunch on these wings. If you opt to omit it, the wings have more of a oven roasted or broiled taste and may take longer to cook
- Spices: air fryer wings require six spices. Most people have all except smoked paprika at home. Smoked paprika has a smoky taste when compared to regular paprika and cannot be substituted.
How to Make These
Prepare the wings for the air fryer
Gather and measure out your spices and mix them in a small bowl (photos 1 – 2). I mix them to make sure they are incorporated evenly.
Sprinkle the spice mix over the wings (photo 3).
Toss the wings in the spice mix so that the wings are completely coated (photo 4). The spice mix adds flavor, so it’s ideal to coat the wings as much as possible and in all crevices.
Place the chicken in the cooking basket
After the wings are seasoned, the next step is to place them in the Ninja Foodi air fryer cooking basket.
You can see how much oil is necessary. I use a drizzle of olive oil.
Top Cooking Tips & FAQs
Best Air Fryer Options
If you enjoy wings, have them for meal prep, or are cooking for more than 1 person, I recommend that you choose an air fryer with at least 5 qt of cooking space. My preferred air fryer is actually a multi-cooker and I’ve used it on the site to make so many Ninja Foodi recipes.
I’ll admit this air fryer is a bit more expensive than some others. But, as I mentioned in my Ninja Foodi review, this machine replaces so many appliances (pressure cooker, broiler, air fryer, slow cooker, etc.) and crisps like no other that it is worth the extra cost.
Can You Make These From Frozen?
If you tend to decide on wings last minute and store your wings in the freezer, then a Ninja Foodi is perfect for making frozen chicken wings in an air fryer.
According to the Foodi manual, you can use the Pressure Cooker function on the Ninja Foodi and 1/2 cup of water to defrost the wings in 5 minutes. After the wings are thawed, you can follow the directions in the recipe.
I personally thaw my wings using the cold water method. This means that I place my frozen wings in a large bowl and cover them in cold water. I change the water every 15 minutes until the wings are thawed. By using this method, I don’t accidentally cook my wings.
How Long to Cook Them
This depends on your air fryer and the amount of space that you give your wings. In the Ninja Foodi, I cook the wings on 390 degrees for 30 minutes total. However, in more traditional air fryers, I’ve cooked the wings at 400 degrees for 40 minutes.
How to Make Your Chicken VERY Crispy
The best way to learn how to make air fryer chicken wings is to watch the post video. You can scroll down to the recipe card and click play. Some tips are below:
- Give the wings space: The chicken wings need space to cook evenly. Place the wings in the cooking basket so that they all can lay flat in the basket.
- Pat the wings dry: Before seasoning the meat, try to remove as much excess water from them as possible. You can do this by simply patting the wings dry with a paper towel.
- Bring the wings to room temperature: I recommend taking the wings out of the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before you’re about to cook them. The wings cook more evenly when they’re not being air-fried from cold.
More Air Fryer Chicken Wing Recipes
Even though I have a collection of keto air fryer recipes with every protein you can imagine, like my Air Fryer Pork Chops and Keto Jalapeno Poppers, there is nothing like having crispy chicken wings. You can also make these chicken wing recipes in your air fryer:
- Dry Rub Chicken Wings
- Keto Sweet Chili Wings
- Air Fryer BBQ Wings
- Keto Honey Siracha Wings (uses a honey substitute)
- Garlic Parmesan Wings
- Air Fryer Buffalo Wings
If you try this recipe, please stop back and leave it a star rating and/or a review in the comments. Stay connected & share photos of your creations with me & others on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest!
Air Fryer Chicken Wings Recipe
Use DRDAVINAHS at checkout to save on some equipment & ingredients!
Equipment
Ingredients
Chicken Wings
- 1.5 lbs Chicken Wings, sectioned into flats and drums
- 1/4 tsp Natural Ancient Sea Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
- 1 tbsp Baking Powder, You cannot swap baking soda in this recipe – I promise that the wings will not taste good if you do
Instructions
- Remove the chicken wing parts from the refrigerator and pat dry (removing as much moisture as possible helps to have a crispy wing skin)
- Mix the sea salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and baking powder in a small dish or ramekin
- Sprinkle the seasoning mixture on the wings and toss to coat
- Place the wings on the cooking basket. In the Ninja Foodi, this is called the “Cook & Crisp” basket.
- Drizzle olive oil on the chicken wings.
- Use the Air Crisp setting on 390 degrees for the Ninja Foodi or 400 degrees on other fryers to cook the wings for 12-15 minutes per side.
- Enjoy the wings alone or add your favorite keto or low-carb dips and sauces.
Nutrition Details
The nutrition facts come from entering the recipe ingredients into Spoonacular API, a database of food ingredients. They may vary for any recipe based on the exact product used. The keto sweeteners I use have 0g net carbs & are not included because sugar alcohols do not impact most people. This is provided as a courtesy, but you can do your own calculations if you wish!
Terri says
Sooo Yummy ? I put your seasonings in a Ziploc baggie and shook my fresh chicken drummettes in it and then into my Ninja Foodi. Came out great and then mixed them into different flavors for the family. Plain, Salt-n-Vinegar, BBQ, Buffalo. I’ve been trying different basic wing seasonings and yours is the winner.
Davinah says
Hi Terri!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed these and mixed them in some different flavors! I’ll have to use your Ziploc idea since that’s a guaranteed way of getting all the wings evenly tossed! Appreciate that you took the time to stop back and comment.
Best,
Davinah
Juli Westgate says
My question is about the 12-15 minutes ‘per side.’
Since the wings are on racks and circulating air is what is cooking them, what is the need of turning them?
Davinah says
Hi Juli!
You can absolutely test this out for yourself, but after owning several brands of air fryers, I find that you still need to flip the food over to ensure even cooking and browning. Plus, even though the air circulates, the heating element is still on top.
Thanks,
Davinah
Kristi says
My husband was convinced these would not turn out good b/c they are “air fried.” But honeyyyyyyyyyyy your recipe and directions are the bomb! He is having me make these again today for the superbowl. Thank you again for the recipe!
Davinah says
Yay! So happy you & your husband enjoyed this one! Really appreciate you for always stopping back to let me & others know how it went! 🙂
Della says
This is the first time I made wings in my Ninja Foodi and lucky me chose this great recipe. Crispy lightly seasoned and tender and juicy inside. They were perfect and so easy to make. My husband and I will always make them this way and forget about the restaurant wings. Thank you Dr. Davinah
Davinah says
Oh wow! That’s a great compliment. I’m so happy that you too enjoyed them!
Tia says
In the nutrition facts, how many wings are considered a serving?
Davinah says
Hi Tia,
It’s 1/2 lb of wings per person. For me, that’s usually 4-5 wings.
Thanks,
Davinah
Karen says
The Ninja Foodie does not have temperatures above 210. What function are you using and how do you select 400 degrees? Thank you.
Davinah says
Hi Karen – it seems like you are measuring in Celsius. All of the temperatures across the site are in Fahrenheit. In your case, you can set your Foodi to about 205 degrees. Thanks!
Mel says
Excellent flavor and tricks to getting the crunchiest wings! I covered all the chicken with the seasoning but worried it was too much — it wasn’t! Husband gave a silent munching thumbs up and asked if there were more. Winner winner air fried chicken dinner!
Davinah says
Ha! Happy that you trusted the process, Mel. Really appreciate you for stopping back and writing a review.
Aiyana says
Your recipe is amazing!! Every piece of advice was spot on! These were the best tasting wings I’ve ever had the mix of spices was perfect! My family devoured them before I even had a chance to have seconds. Definitely a new favorite!
Davinah says
Hi Aiyana,
Thanks a lot for taking the time to stop back and review this recipe. I really appreciate it and am so happy that you found the tips useful & the food delicious! Stay safe.
Best,
Davinah
Jada says
What do you do differently if your wings are frozen…like mentioned up in the article.
Davinah says
Hi Jada,
I just changed the section header so that the directions with frozen wings stand out more. When my wings are frozen, I use the cold water method to thaw them out quickly. It takes about 30 minutes. The Foodi manual recommends using the pressure cooker and 1/2 cup of water for 5 minutes, but I don’t use that one because you can accidentally start to cook the wings. After the wings are thawed, you can follow the rest of the directions.
Hope that helps!
Best,
Davinah
Karen says
Stay tuned there in the oven now and my mouth is watering will let you know
Ty karen
Davinah says
Ha! Sounds great! Looking forward to hearing what you think.
woofie says
I realize I’m a little late to this recipe, but oh my, just made them tonight and they were wonderful! Coated the finished wings with one of the Asian BBQ sauces I’ve been playing with and they were absolutely wonderful! Thanks so much for the cooking recipe. Nice and crispy and yummy!
Davinah says
Woofie!
I’m so glad you found it and took the time to stop back to rate and review this!
Tisha says
This was my first attempt at Ninja Foodi wings and I was not disappointed! Such simple ingredients come together for a truly delicious wing! My husband loved them! So crispy and delicious!
Davinah says
Hi Tisha!
I’m so happy that my recipe was the first batch of Foodi wings for you! Glad that you enjoyed them and appreciate you for taking the time to write a review.
Best,
Davinah
Beryl says
Great dry rub for wings! These are one the menu every week! The family just loves them and they are so easy to make!
Davinah says
Wow! I’m so excited that you enjoy these and took the time to stop back and share. Thanks!
Regina says
Thanks for the assist. Everything was great except for the cooking time. I went with 12 minutes (I have a Ninja Foodie) and they looked pretty done so I did 8 minutes for the second rotation. My wings were still over done. For my 2nd batch I did 10 minutes and then 8 minutes – wings were still a little harder than I would like. Perhaps because I used wingettes? Next time I will go with 8 & maybe 6 to 8 the 2nd rotation.
Davinah says
Hi Regina,
Yes – the cook time will vary based on how large your wings are. I’m using whole chicken wings and cut them into parts or whole wings. In the future (and as you mention), you can just pop open the air fryer and take a look at them to get them as crisp as you like.
Thanks so much for stopping back to provide feedback and a review.
Best,
Davinah
Jen says
These are really tasty and so crispy! My boyfriend now requests these regularly! We like to set up a few different dipping sauces for them,too.
Thank you for this recipe 🙂
Davinah says
This sounds like my kind of plan Jen. I tend to do the same with the dipping sauces to add some variety! Glad you enjoyed these.
Mimi Ocdamia says
Just happened to see your website and excited to try out these recipes on my new air fryer! Problem is I cant find where the video is…Is this just me? Please help… Thanks
Davinah says
Hi Mimi,
The videos are in the recipe card right above the instructions.
Best,
Davinah
Sheila says
Wonderful wings will use this method more!! Question… can i use the same recipe for chicken thighs?
Davinah says
Glad that you enjoyed them Sheila. I haven’t tried to use these for chicken thighs. But, please let me know if you give it a try.
Kelly says
My wings were perfect! Thank you.
So great for the first time.
Davinah says
Awesome, Kelly! Happy that you enjoyed these 🙂
Catharine says
Delicious! Did this recipe in my Ninja Foodi XL Grill on the AirFry Mode~ Super Easy & Yummy 🙂
Davinah says
I’m happy these worked well for you in the Foodi Grill. I don’t have one so it’s nice that you sort of tested it out 🙂 Appreciate you for stopping back to write a review.
Karens says
I started making this recipe about 6 months ago and he became interested and has made your recipe the last 4 or 5 times and we both love it. Only thing I change is I do not add salt. Thanks for the recipe.
Andrea says
Are you kidding me! WOW, I will never cook my wings any other way!!!!! Fantastic! Thank you for such a great recipe.
Joan H. says
Just made these and they were very good. Loved the seasonings and crispness of the wings. Looks like take out is a distant memory…. Thank you for a wonderful dinner!
Davinah says
Thanks so much for taking the time to review this, Joan! It really helps others decide whether to make the recipe. Glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Teena says
Just new to the the foodi can you layer the wings or single layer only? Thanks
Davinah says
Hi Teena,
I only use a single layer. This allows the wings to have enough air fryer to get crispy. Enjoy your new Foodi. It’s one of my favorite appliances.
Jen C says
I just made wings for the first time yesterday in my new Ninja Foodi using your recipe and they turned out amazing, better than any I’ve ever had from a restaurant. Thank you!
Davinah says
Yay! So glad this worked out in your kitchen too! Appreciate you stopping back to write a review.
Kimberly says
So easy and delicious! I highly recommend this recipe.
Davinah says
Glad you enjoyed it, Kim! Thanks for taking the time to write a review 🙂
Ann says
Yummy! Is it possible to do 2 layers of chicken wings in the Ninja Foodi?
Davinah says
Hi Ann,
I haven’t tried to do this. I also wouldn’t recommend it since air flow is really important for getting these crispy. When I’m making a lot of wings, I simply cook them in the oven with my baked chicken wings recipe.
Debbie says
I just got the Foodi XL 9 in 1 cooker for Christmas!😊
Super excited to start using all of its functions (pressure cooked a roast…yumm!] But I have a question….
Can you use the air crisper/fryer rack in the crisper basket (the smaller of the two racks) for a double layer of wings? This product advetized as being large enough for a family (and even says “small crowd”!) I can not feed my family on 12 wings as you show fitting here.
If I do it in batches, keeping first batch in oven to stay hot, I am increasing the time back to what it takes in the oven, and dirtying a second sheet pan (liked the idea of one pot dirty!😊
Davinah says
Hi Debbie,
Congrats on getting a new Foodi. It’s one of my favorite appliances. I haven’t tried to use the rack. Since air flow is important to getting these wings as crispy as pictured, I’ll say that you could try to do a double layer with the rack, but you will likely need to adjust the cooking time. I’d start with 15 minutes, flip the wings, check at 10 minutes, and then check in on them in 5 minute intervals until they are crisp enough for you.
Hope that helps. Please let me know how it turns out.
Best,
Davinah
Jaime says
Hi, I’m excited to try this recipe, but I don’t have smoked Paprika, only regular. Will this work ok?
Thank you!
Davinah says
Hi Jaime,
These two have a very different flavor so I’d just omit the smoked paprika if you’re in a pinch.
Thanks,
Davinah
Ellen says
Just made these last night, and followed your directions, except… I increased the amount of salt, and sprayed one side of the wings with evoo,… They were SO crispy and delicious ! , my husband said…that’s all you made? Lol. I have a ninja foodie digital air fryer, and it was so easy. Thank you Dr. Davinah!
Davinah says
So welcome! Happy that you enjoyed these and was able to adjust the salt to your taste 🙂
Joan says
Thank you for a great recipe, and for making me look like a hero! Seasonings were spot on.
Davinah says
Joan,
I’m so happy that you enjoyed these and appreciate you for stopping back to write a review 🙂
Best,
Davinah
Another Joan says
Great tasting recipe! I followed all the tips and it worked great first time. I used the Ninja Food Grill with Air Crisp basket with the same time and temperature. Will be coming back for more recipes on this keto cooking website!
Davinah says
Thanks for stopping back to write this review, Joan! I’m really happy that you enjoyed these.
Best,
Davinah
Rebecca says
Hi! This recipe looks awesome, but I do not have any baking powder. What effect does it have and will mine still come out well if I omit it?? Thanks!
Davinah says
Hi Rebecca,
Thanks for asking. I was able to update the blog post to answer this question. Essentially, if you don’t use baking powder, the wings have more of a oven roasted/broiled texture similar to my spicy dry rub wings (I didn’t use baking powder in that recipe).
Hope that helps!
Hayley says
Hello- what to do if you don’t have liquid olive oil?? I have spray olive oil or liquid canola oil!! Help!!
Davinah says
Hi Hayley,
Any liquid oil will work! I haven’t tried this with the spray on oil, but imagine that would work too.
Best,
Davinah