Oven to Air

Crispy Chicken Wings in the Air Fryer

Four golden-brown air fryer chicken wings in a white bowl

My way of making 500g of whole chicken wings crisp in an air fryer, with a thin coating and a dry-rub seasoning. The amounts are what I eyeball, so taste and adjust.

Settings

Air fryer

200°C

22 to 28 minutes

These settings are a starting point, not a guarantee: air fryers and wings vary. Undercooked chicken can cause food poisoning, so always check the wings are cooked through before eating. How to tell it's done.

Ingredients

  • 500g whole chicken wings
  • 1 tbsp cornflour
  • 1 tbsp plain flour
  • 1½ tsp baking powder (not bicarbonate of soda)
  • 3 tsp paprika
  • 2 tsp onion granules
  • 1½ tsp dried parsley
  • ½ tsp white pepper
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • ½ tsp pink Himalayan salt, to taste
  • A pinch of MSG, about ¼ tsp (optional)
  • A couple of sprays of low-calorie oil spray

Method

  1. Pat the wings very dry with kitchen paper. Dry skin is what makes them crisp.
  2. Mix the cornflour, flour, baking powder and seasoning in a large bowl. Toss the wings through until they have a thin, even dusting, not a batter.
  3. Spray the basket lightly, then add the wings in a single layer with gaps between them.
  4. Air fry at 200°C for 22 to 28 minutes, turning them over halfway. Start checking at 22 minutes, as air fryers vary.
  5. Check they're cooked through (see below), then serve once golden and crisp.

Shaking and turning

Turn the wings over halfway through, with tongs rather than shaking, so the coating stays on and both sides crisp.

How to tell it's done

Golden and crisp, steaming hot all the way through, no pink meat and clear juices. A food thermometer in the thickest part is the surest check: the Food Standards Agency's guide for chicken is 70°C in the centre for 2 minutes, or 75°C for 30 seconds.

What goes wrong

  • Wet skin gives soft wings. Dry them well before coating.
  • Bicarbonate of soda in place of baking powder tastes soapy at this amount.
  • Crowding the basket steams the wings. Cook in two batches if they overlap.
  • Reheating: 180°C for 4 to 6 minutes, until piping hot all the way through. The microwave makes the coating soggy.

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