Wondering if you could cook Frozen chicken wings in the air fryer? Then you are in the right place. This is the best way to cook wings from frozen and doesn’t require thawing. They come out delicious and perfectly cooked, with a juicy interior and crispy skin. Serve with honey buffalo sauce, honey sriracha, ranch, blue cheese dressing or what dipping sauce you prefer for this air fryer appetizer.
Air fryers are perfect for cooking frozen foods right out of the freezer! You could get restaurant quality food in minutes by using it. Here are some of our favorites, air fryer frozen chicken breast, frozen breaded fish and frozen French bread pizza.
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Table of Contents
- Yes you can cook frozen wings in the air fryer.
- Why you’ll love these Air fryer frozen chicken wings
- Ingredients needed
- How to cook Frozen chicken wings in the air fryer
- What to serve with it + best dipping sauces
- How long to cook frozen wings in an air fryer
- What is the best air fryer to use?
- FAQ
- Air frying tips
- More air fryer chicken recipes
- Some more frozen foods to cook in the air fryer
- Air fryer frozen chicken wings
Yes you can cook frozen wings in the air fryer.
Cooking frozen chicken wings in the air fryer is way easier than you think. I particularly love that you do not need to thaw.
Fun fact: I learnt how to air fry frozen chicken wings because I needed to make a quick appetizer for game night and I totally forgot to pull out the bag of frozen wings from the freezer.
Air fried frozen wings serve as a blank canvas for any sauce or glaze you’d love to toss them in. Since we love wings and fries, I usually have a big bag of frozen wings in the freezer on hand for quick family meals, and the air fryer makes it so easy to turn these wings into gourmet perfection in minutes.
Why you’ll love these Air fryer frozen chicken wings
- Convenience: Air fryer frozen chicken wings are incredibly quick and convenient when compared to other methods. With the air fryer, you can take them straight from the freezer to the air fryer without thawing, saving time and hassle.
- Less oil needed: Air frying frozen chicken wings reduces the need for excessive oil, making them a great alternative to traditional deep-fried wings. It results in crispy wings with significantly less fat content and you get to enjoy ‘deep fried’ with less oil.
- Crispy wings: Air fryers create a crispy exterior while maintaining a juicy interior, giving you the satisfying crunch of fried wings without the excess oil.
Ingredients needed
- Frozen chicken wings: You can use bone in or boneless wings. I usually use Tyson, Kirkland (Costco brand) or Kirkwood (Aldi brand) however any brand would work.
- Oil
- Seasoning: Salt
- Black Pepper
- Garlic powder
- Honey or a Keto friendly honey substitute.
- Sriracha
How to cook Frozen chicken wings in the air fryer
Now to the part you’ve been waiting for. Air frying frozen chicken wings! This is an overview of the recipe with step by step photos. Scroll down to the end of this post for a printable recipe card with the amount of ingredients and full recipe instructions.
From raw and frozen
Step 1, Defrost: Place frozen wings in the air fryer basket. Set temperature to 400°F / 200°C, air fry for 10 mins.
Step 2, Drain: With a pair of kitchen tongs, transfer wings to a bowl and drain the liquid from the air fryer basket.
Step 3, Season: Add oil to wings, then season with salt, black pepper and garlic powder. Toss to coat then place wings back in the air fryer.
Step 4, Air fry: Cook wings at 400°F (200°C) for another 10 to 15 mins or until internal temperature is 165°F (74°C). Check the thickest wing for doneness
Step 5 Serve: Toss in your chosenh sauce like barbecue sauce, honey sriracha sauce or lemon pepper sauce, then serve.
Fully cooked frozen wings in air fryer (Pre-cooked)
Some wings are frozen and fully cooked. Air frying these from frozen is more like reheating the wings.
Place wings in the air fryer and set time to 400°F (200°C) for 12 to 15 minutes or until warmed through feel free to add more time as needed.
Fully cooked (breaded or sauced)
Some fully cooked chicken wings come breaded or sauced. Follow the same instructions above and cook till warmed through. Internal temp should be 165°F / 74°C.
What to serve with it + best dipping sauces
Chicken wings are very versatile and can be served on its own. This is especially true for sticky wings like bbq wings, Korean wings, or honey sriracha wings. This is so because these wings have already been tossed in sauce.
That not withstanding, wings are still served with some sauce along side carrots celery sticks and some frozen crinkle cut fries, (you can pick your favorite type of fries to serve these with.) We’ve also served with Frozen plantains in air fryer, Air fryer frozen onion rings or Air fryer home fries.
Some of our favorite dipping sauces for wings are Buffalo sauce, bbq sauce, honey buffalo sauce, garlic butter sauce and honey sriracha sauce. You also use the sugar free options to make it low carb.
How long to cook frozen wings in an air fryer
The cooking time for fresh frozen wings in an air fryer typically ranges from 25 to 30 minutes at a temperature of around 400°F (200°C). However, it's important to check and shake the basket during cooking to ensure even cooking and prevent them from sticking together.
Fully cooked frozen wings cook in 12 to 15 mins depending on the size. It’s ok to add more time if needed.
This is a general guideline, the actual time can vary based on the size and thickness of the wings, as well as the specific model of the air fryer.
What is the best air fryer to use?
I used my Cosori air fryer for this recipe. However I have also made delicious bbq wings in my Gourmia air fryer and Instant Pot Vortex Oven style air fryer.
I bet it would cook perfectly in your Ninja foodi or Power XL air fryers if that’s what you’ve got. The most important thing is to keep eye on the chicken and also to use a digital meat thermometer to ensure the internal temp reaches 165°F (74°C)
FAQ
No, you can cook frozen wings directly in the air fryer without defrosting. The air fryer will defrost it for you. However, you might need to add a few extra minutes to the cooking time when compare with thawed wings to ensure they cook through properly.
Yes, you can season the frozen wings before placing them in the air fryer especially if they are not stuck together. However you may run the risk of the seasoning sliding off as they cook. For best results, i recommend you after about 10 mins as stated in the recipe card.
After the first 10 mins in the air fryer, remove the wings and drain the liquid that has collected at the bottom of the air the air fryer. If you don’t do this, you will be steaming the wings.
Additionally, applying a light coating of oil or cooking spray can enhance crispiness. Make sure to avoid overcrowding the air fryer basket to allow proper air circulation for crispier results.
Yes you can. The fresh frozen wings used here were from Costco. The frozen chicken wings from Costco tend to be smaller in size than the Tyson brand so it usually cooks for 20 mins. Be sure that the internal temp is at least 165°F (74°C).
Air frying tips
- Do not overcrowd the basket. Cook in batches if needed.
- To get a chance to season the chicken nicely when cooking from frozen raw, I like to remove the chicken after the first ten minutes and season.
- There will be collection of liquid at the bottom of the air fryer. It’s best to drain it out before you continue cooking. If it’s not drained it may create steam while cooking and this might prevent the chicken from crisping up nicely.
- Do not shake the basket when there is still liquid in the base. You can get a scalded if the hot liquid touches your skin.
- Some brands of wings tend to be larger than others. Bear that in mind and adjust cooking time for accordingly.
More air fryer chicken recipes
Some more frozen foods to cook in the air fryer
Dino nuggets in the air fryer
How to cook frozen bacon in air fryer.
Did you find this recipe helpful? Leave me a comment about it or any recipe idea you would love Air fryer ‘yummed’ and don’t forget to share with family and friends.
Happy Air frying!
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Air fryer frozen chicken wings
Equipment
- Cosori air fryer 5.8 qt
- Kitchen tongs
- Meat thermometer
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Frozen chicken wings
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup Sauce of choice like bbq sauce or Buffalo sauce (see blog post for more suggestions)
- 1 Tablespoon oil
Instructions
- Place frozen wings in the basket of the air fryer. Set temperature to 400°F / 205°C and cook for 10 mins to defrost.
- Transfer thawed wings to a bowl, drain the liquid that accumulated in the bottom of the air fryer basket.
- Add the oil, garlic powder, black pepper and salt to the wings. Toss to coat.
- Return seasoned wings into air fryer basket and air fryer at 400°F / 205°C for 10 -15 mins or until internal temperature reaches 165°F / 74°C. Remember to flip wings half way through cooking time.
- Toss in sauce of choice and enjoy.
Notes
- Cooking time is based on my Cosori air fryer. Air fryer brands cook differently so keep an eye on the chicken wings as it cooks and adjust time accordingly.
- Size of wings may also affect cooking time.
- No need to thaw before cooking.
- Do not overcrowd the basket. Cook in batches if needed.
- You need to drain the liquid that accumulates in the bottom of the air fryer as indicated in the recipe to ensure the chicken crisps up nicely.
The wings came out perfectly! Juicy, plump, crisp skin and a lovely brownish color. I used my homemade cajun seasoning and a blend of soy sauce, hoisin, hot sauce and GochuJang, a Korean fermented hot pepper paste. Very good!
Thank you!
Hey Sarita!
Thank you so much for your feedback! Happy it worked perfectly for you. Hope you enjoy more recipes from the blog 😊
-Chichi
Great recipe! The thaw + cook two-step method took a while as I was using my InstaPot Duo (fairly small basket) and had to work in three batches, but the wings came out super moist and delicious. Thanks!!
Hey Deeds!
Thanks for the feedback. Happy you found this recipe helpful. Enjoy!!
Made these today and i have to say they were MUCH better than i expected them to be!
They were easy, quick, and tasty!
Thanks for sharing a good recipe!
You are welcome Beth! Glad you enjoyed our recipe. Thank you for taking out time to let us know. Enjoy!
Chichi
Did you use the aifry setting or the pre saved frozen setting.
I am thinking to buy the corosi dual blaze.
But cannot find when to use the frozen setting.
Like for frozen chicken or pizza,
Or for prebaked bread you need to finished it off in the oven.
Do you use the bake pre saved setting or airfry.
For what meat use the roast or broil pre setting.
Maybe I am overthinking it. Rarely used ovens.
Hope you can share some tips as not clear to find anywhere.
Hi Patty!
I used the air fry setting for almost everything. Some air fryers don’t come with all those setting while some do. For the air fryers that come with the additional settings, you can stick with just the air fryer setting for everything. Except perhaps when baking a cake or cookies.
I also have the Cosori dual blaze. I share some tips on how to use it here https://www.airfryeryum.com/cosori-dual-blaze-recipes/
For cooking frozen foods I find that the frozen food settings usually doesn’t cook it right so I just use the air fry setting and add more time as needed. If you do use the frozen food setting and your food isn’t fully cooked by the time you are done, just add more time as needed.
Hope this helps. Feel free to reach out if you have more questions. Go ahead and get an air fryer, you won’t regret it.
I tried this recipe in my Ninja Foodi Digital Air Fry Oven and the wings were WAY overcooked. I made sure to space them evenly on the mesh basket, use a drip pan, and follow the recipe carefully. There was almost no liquid to speak of to drain, the wings didn't get very crispy, even with a coating of avocado oil and seasoning after the initial "cook," and the end result was lackluster. I did 10 mins/9 mins and the final temp was close to 185. Needs some re-evaluation.
Hi Josh,
Thank you for your feedback. This recipe was tested several times in my Cosori air fryer 5.8 qt and Gourmia 6qt and the results were always perfect. I’ll try to help you troubleshoot since I don’t have a ninja air fryer yet.
First of all, different brands of air fryers cook differently hence a time range is usually given by most websites.
Preheating will change a recipe time. Did you perhaps preheat your air fryer before putting the chicken in it.
Notice how frozen the wings are in the images above, if yours weren’t that frozen, you may not get liquid in the bottom of the air fryer to discard and you may not need to cook long before it gets defrosted enough to be seasoned.
When seasoning adding a bit of baking powder or cornstarch can help crisp the wings up some more.
I’ve heard the Ninja air fryers cook really hot maybe cook at 380°F next time and keep an eye on it.
Hope this helps you.
how do you drain the air fry basket when it's a mesh mettle basket?
Hi Jeffry,
What Brand of air fryer do you have? It would help me put things in perspective. I would recommend you transfer the wings onto a plate with a pair of tongs they take the basket carefully to the sink and pour the liquid in there. Hope this helps.
This is a great recipe. I used Sugar Free rub and came out tasty.
Hi Marcus!
I love sugar free rubs! Happy you liked the recipe! Thank you for letting me know.
O.M.G. These turned out SO crispy on the outside without being overdone on the inside. Beautiful browning, and so juicy. We did a homemade chili lime sauce on ours, and it was like candy. Couldn't stop eating it. Thank you so much for posting a recipe from frozen. We use the Costco wings too!
Hey Jeanne!
So good to hear that it turned out well for you. Thank you for awesome feedback. I always forget to pull out wings from the freezer so I’m almost always stuck with frozen wings. This recipe is our go to! That chili lime sauce sounds divine.
Happy new year and hope you get to try more air fryer recipes from our website.
Very easy and delicious. I did not use any sauce. They are great with just the little bit of oil and seasoning.
Hi Kat85788,
Thank you for your feedback! Happy you enjoyed it. Hope you get to try more recipes from the blog. Enjoy!
We Have a whirlpool stove that has an air fryer in it. We are new at air fried. Going to try your recipe tonight
Hi Angela,
I don’t have a stove with an Air fryer function but one thing to note is that it may need more time to cook being that it’s an air fryer function of a bigger stove. If that is the case do not worry if it takes longer it will still turn out great. If you have an instant read thermometer, use that to determine when it’s fully cooked. It should read 165°F / 74°C to be considered fully cooked and safe to eat. Let me know how it goes.
This was amazing thank you for the ideas I used Greek seasoning on mine.
Hi Ann!
Yayy! Happy you found it helpful and that it worked for you. Thank you for taking time to leave a feedback!
We loved it. Hit the spot.
Hi Sherry!
Yay!! Happy you loved it. Thank you for letting me know.
It looks like you do NOT preheat the air fryer for this recipe. Is that right? Also, what do you use for a honey/sriracha blend?'
Hi Mmclassics,
You are right, you don’t need to preheat the air fryer. The honey sriracha sauce is linked below
https://www.airfryeryum.com/crispy-honey-sriracha-chicken-wings-air-fryer-oven/
Thank you for the recipe. It was perfect without a sauce. I love naked wings.
Hi Kathy!
Thank you for letting me know!
How much oil??
Hi Roxy,
1 Tablespoon oil. I see it was omitted. Will fix it ASAP. Thank you 😊
Oil is not added to the recipe.....
Hi Ramona,
It’s been updated to include it in the ingredients list. Thank you for letting me know.
What kind of oil?
Hi Tiffany,
Any oil would work here. You can use canola oil or olive oil.
Very helpful tips. Thank you.