If you’ve been wondering how to cook frozen chicken wings in air fryer, come closer! This is my absolute favorite way to cook wings from fresh or frozen. Air fried frozen chicken wings are much more healthier than deep fried and gives you just about the same feel, so why not?
Whether you are making this for family game night, a back yard party or even for the big game, you won’t be disappointed and your guests would keep asking for more. And just in case you are looking for what to serve with chicken wings, we’ve got you covered.
This recipe post contains helpful tips, tricks and answers to FAQs. Please read through to ensure you get the recipe right when you try it.
Table of Contents
- Easy air fryer frozen chicken wings recipe
- Can you cook frozen chicken wings in air fryer?
- Why you’ll love this recipe
- Ingredients
- Tools used for this recipe
- How long to cook frozen chicken wings in the air fryer
- How to cook frozen chicken wings in air fryer
- Fully cooked frozen wings in air fryer
- What to serve with chicken wings
- Storing leftovers
- How to reheat wings in the air fryer
- Pro Tips
- FAQs
- More Recipes like this
- Air fryer frozen chicken wings
Easy air fryer frozen chicken wings recipe
Wings are versatile when it comes to seasoning and saucing up, cooking frozen wings in air fryer super easy and quick. It’s also a more convenient option if you ask me.
You literally don’t need to thaw these to make the best wings ever. Once you try this, you’re never making it any other way. Talk about freezer to oven meals.
Air fryer frozen wings have become super popular because these are a great appetizer that can be made all year round. Why turn on your oven in the summer when you can easily whip this up in less than 30 mins in the air fryer?
Can you cook frozen chicken wings in air fryer?
Yes! In fact I’m always one to forget to pull out the bag of frozen chicken wings from the freezer to thaw that’s why I love this recipe so much. It guarantees tasty crispy chicken wings with juicy meat.
Serve these with this buffalo chicken dip. These wings can be served naked or tossed in your favorite sauce such as honey Buffalo sauce, honey sriracha, bbq sauce or your favorite sauce.
Why you’ll love this recipe
Quick and convenient: Air fryers are known for their rapid cooking times, When cooking frozen chicken wings, the air fryer can still achieve crispy and evenly cooked results in a fraction of the time it would take in an oven or on the stovetop.
Crispy and delicious wings every time: Air fryers use hot air circulation to cook food, creating a crispy outer layer while retaining moisture inside. This cooking process helps achieve a satisfying texture similar to deep-frying without the excess oil, resulting in delicious and enjoyable chicken wings.
No thaw and time saving: When cooking frozen chicken wings in the air fryer, there's no need to thaw them in advance, unlike other cooking methods that may require defrosting. This allows you to prepare a quick and tasty meal without that extra step in time to feed a crowd.
Ingredients
If cooking from scratch you’ll need
- Frozen chicken wings
- Garlic powder
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Oil
For precooked wings: all you need is your favorite brand of frozen wings. You can choose from Tyson, Foster farms, Costco chicken wings, Aldi’s etc.
Tools used for this recipe
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- Air fryer
- Perforated parchment paper (optional)
- Kitchen tongs
How long to cook frozen chicken wings in the air fryer
For raw frozen chicken wings: Cook them in the air fryer for about 20 to 25 minutes depending on size, at 400°F (200°C), flipping them halfway through for even cooking. (You may need to drain the basket after the first 10 mins if a lot of liquid collects). Do this before seasoning the wings. See recipe instructions below for more details.
For fully cooked frozen chicken wings: reduce the cooking time to around 12 to 15 minutes at the same temperature. Depending on the size of the wings or how crispy you want it, you can cook for up to 18 mins.
Whether you are cooking wings that are raw and frozen or fully cooked frozen wings, always ensure the internal temperature of the wings reach 165°F (74°C) for safe consumption.
How to cook frozen chicken wings in air fryer
See printable recipe card at the end of this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions!
Frozen raw chicken wings
Place frozen wings in air fryer without thawing. Let it cook for about 10 mins at 400°F (200°C)
When the 10 mins is up, transfer chicken pieces to bowl and season with the salt, black pepper and paprika. Toss to coat.
In the mean time check to see if your have a collection of chicken liquid in the outer basket of the air fryer and if you do, pour it out into the sink. This step will ensure your are not ‘steaming’ the chicken as it cooks.
Return the seasoned wings back to the air fryer basket and continue cooking for another 10 to 15 mins or until internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C)
Fully cooked frozen wings in air fryer
Place fully cooked frozen chicken wings in the air fryer basket. Air fry at 400°F (200°C) for 12 to 15 mins. Feel free to add more time as needed.
What to serve with chicken wings
Chicken wings can be served as is with a variety of dipping sauces such as Mayocue, Buffalo ranch sauce, good ol’ Ketchup or Bbq sauce. Besides dips, some side dishes that go well with wings include:
Fries: Different types of fries work for chicken wings.
Vegetables such as carrots, celery, corn on the cob, roasted veggies and more.
Fruits:
Storing leftovers
Allow the cooked chicken wings to cool down to room temperature before storing them. This helps prevent condensation and moisture buildup in the container. Store in the refrigerator in an air tight container for 3 to 5 days.
How to reheat wings in the air fryer
When you're ready to reheat the leftovers, place wings in the air fryer basket or trays ( for oven style counter top air fryer) reheat at 360°F (180°C) for about 5 mins or until heated through.
Pro Tips
- No need to preheat the air fryer.
- Cook from frozen, no need to thaw.
- If the raw and frozen wings are rock cook in the air fryer for about 10 mins. Check the base of the air fryer to see if there’s liquid drained from the chicken, discard the liquid. Season the wings and finish up air frying as per recipe.
- Shake the basket or flip the wings halfway through the cooking time to ensure they cook evenly on all sides.
- If you prefer extra crispy wings, you can increase the cooking time slightly, but keep an eye on them to prevent overcooking.
- Season the wings with your favorite spices or sauces before cooking. You can add more after cooking for added flavor.
FAQs
Yes you can cook whole chicken wings from frozen in an air fryer. Follow the recommended temperature and cooking time guidelines for frozen chicken wings, and ensure that the internal temperature of the wings reaches 165°F (74°C) for safe consumption.
It’s highly recommended that you flip or shake the wings halfway through the cooking time to ensure even cooking.
Additionally, you may want to lightly coat the wings with cooking oil or use a non-stick cooking spray before air frying to enhance crispiness and prevent sticking.
No, you can cook frozen wings directly in the air fryer. Defrosting is not necessary.
Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the wings, which should reach 165°F (74°C) to be considered fully cooked and safe to eat.
Yes, flipping the wings or giving the basket a shake halfway through the cooking time helps ensure even cooking
It's better to avoid overcrowding the air fryer basket, so cook larger batches in multiple rounds for the best results.
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Air fryer frozen chicken wings
Ingredients
Frozen and raw
- 2 lbs chicken wings
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon oil
- ¾ Cup bbq sauce
Frozen and fully cooked
- 1 Bag fully cooked frozen chicken wings
Instructions
For frozen and raw chicken wings
- Place the frozen wings in the air fryer basket and set the temperature to 400°F (200°C)Air fry for 10 minutes.
- Use kitchen tongs to transfer the wings to a bowl and drain any liquid from the air fryer basket.
- Add oil to the wings and season with salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Toss the wings to coat them evenly, then return them to the air fryer.
- Bake at 400°F (200°C) for another 10 to 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) Check the thickest wing for doneness.
- Once the wings are cooked, toss them in your preferred sauce, such as barbecue sauce, honey sriracha sauce, or lemon pepper sauce. Enjoy!
Fully cooked and frozen
- Place wings in the air fryer and set time to 400°F (200°C) for 12 to 15 minutes or until warmed through.
So what do you think?