You may want to cook frozen chicken wings in air fryer…nothing wrong with that. In fact, it’s a convenient solution for many…simple, quick, but importantly…tasty!
So, what is it about the humble chicken wing that makes it so damn addictive? Experts call it the ‘mouth feel which is the sensation of eating food versus the flavor of it. Chicken wings give you the perfect combination of flavor and crispiness…they have both. That is why people love them.
Air fryer chicken wings give you both is spades…a lovely crispy skin with lashings of flavor.
In todays post, I’m going to tell you how to cook perfect frozen chicken wings in air fryer. I will give you two methods…the simple way and the extended version…but don’t worry, you will soon have plate of delicious air fryer chicken wings in front of you in no time at all. Let’s be honest…they are worth the wait.
Method 1
The chicken wings air fryer & pressure cooker method
With this method, it involves cooking chicken wings in air fryer and your pressure cooker. I realize that not all of you will have a pressure cooker…if that is the case, follow method 2 instead.
However, some of you will…especially those of you that have a Ninja air fryer where the pressure cooker is one feature of it. If you do have one, this method and chicken wing recipe will be straightforward.
Summary of the steps you need to take to make air fryer chicken wings;
- Pressure cook your wings on high pressure for 10 minutes
- Remove and season/bread them
- Put into the air fryer at 400F for 10 minutes, check after 5
- Put them back in for an extra 5 minutes if you want them really well done
This method takes a little bit longer than the second method…but trust me when I say it will be worth it. Your frozen chicken wings will be transformed into glorious crispy treats…a meal fit for a king.
In this chicken wing recipe, I’m going to cook a large portion of frozen chicken wings…about 16 chicken wings.
Now, you can flavor and season them whatever way you like. If you want them to replicate a fried chicken wing, you are going to have to coat them in a flour or breadcrumbs. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t. If you do, it’s better to pressure cook it first, then coat them before they go into the air fryer phase.
Top tip; consider adding a little baking powder to your flour for extra crispiness.
The first step will involve pressure cooking the chicken wings. Since I have access to a Ninja air fryer, I am going to make use of it, since it has a pressure cooker integrated into it. However, you can do this in any pressure cooker.
I will pressure cook the frozen chicken wings for 10 minutes using the poultry preset. This is enough to cook them all the way but we have more to do. The reason I do this is to thaw the chicken and cooking it, whilst retaining the moisture within them. It will also remove some of the excess water, which you need to do if you use the second method.
After putting a cup of water into the Ninja air fryer, I cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Bear in mind that it needs to come up to pressure so factor that into the time. They will look incredibly pale when they come out but don’t worry about it…that will change.
Time to add your breading or seasoning…mix it in well. Time for it to go back into the air fryer. At this point you need to add your oil or cooking spray. A table spoon of oil is more than enough or a healthy spray.
You now need to air fry them at 400F for approximately 10 minutes. If you want them really brown and crispy, add another 5 minutes on top…so 15 minutes in total.
After 5 minutes, it is worth opening it to check the progress and give them a little shake. The chicken wings will be a little darker but they still have a way to go yet. Put them back in and continue at 400F.
In 10 minutes, they will be brown perfectly acceptable to eat. However, if you want them really crispy, I suggest adding another 5 minutes to the cooking time. If you do take the extra few minutes, they will come out a stunning color.
They have been pressure cooked then air fried…and they are quite simply beautifully crispy and utterly delicious.
So, to conclude this method, the total time it took for this pressure cooker and air fryer chicken wings was 40 minutes in total…a long time for some…but totally worth the wait.
Method 2
The air fryer chicken wings method
This is the method to use if you don’t have a pressure cooker. I would always recommend you have a pressure cooker anyway as it can totally transform your cooking…but anyway. If you don’t have one, this air fryer chicken wings method is for you.
Since these are being cooked from frozen, you have the option of thawing them out by taking them out of the freezer a few hours earlier. However, you don’t need to do this, cooking frozen chicken wings in air fryer will work just as well.
Summary of the steps you need to take to make air fryer chicken wings;
- Put into air fryer at 350F for 5 minutes…then drain the water. Season the chicken as desired.
- Back into the Air fryer at 380F for 10 minutes…remove the liquid
- Flip the chicken wings in the basket and put back in at 380F for another 10 minutes
- Leave them longer if you want them crispier
With this method, you end up with some really well-cooked chicken wings from frozen.
The difference is that with this method you need to remove the water, Pressure cooking them essentially does that for you. Therefore, with this method, you need to essentially watch over them.
Luckily, the process is very simple. The first step is to thaw out the frozen chicken. Obviously, if your chicken is already thawed, you can ignore this step.
To thaw the chicken, we use the air fryer at 350F for 5 minutes. When this is done, you will have a lot of liquid at the bottom of the pan. This needs to be removed.
Now is the time to season the chicken. Whether you use ready made seasoning, breadcrumbs or flour…it is your preference.
The next step is to put the chicken wings back into the fryer. This time, we will turn the temperature up to around 380F and cook for 10 minutes.
Once this is done, remove the basket from the air fryer and drain the liquid again. We will also turn over the chicken wings so that they cook evenly.
Time to put them back into the air fryer. With this step, this is heading towards the finish line. Leave them at least 10 minutes but you can add as much time as you want depending on the levels of crispiness you want.
Remember, always check them towards the end. It’s amazing how fast an air fryer can cook so keep an eye on them.
Most people get to know their air fryers very well so it becomes second nature to them. If the air fryer is new to you, get to know it. It makes your life a little simpler.
Summary…chicken wings…air fryer…perfect!
So, there we have it…two methods on how to cook frozen chicken wings in air fryer. Many people ask me what my preferred method is and what are the better chicken wings. My answer is simple…the best chicken wings are the ones on the plate in front of you!
On a serious note, they are both great methods and the end results are very similar. I can’t say that I have a preference based on the quality of the cooking, they are both great.
The method I use is the pressure cooker one…method 1. The reason is that it means I can walk away and come back when I’m ready for the next stage.
Either way, don’t worry too much about which method is best…they are both great. If you have access to a pressure cooker, I suggest you give it a whirl…but at the end of the day, the best method is whichever one suits you best and are more comfortable with.
FAQ’s on air fryer chicken wings
Seasoning: before or after I have cooked chicken wings in air fryer
You should only ever apply seasoning to thawed out chicken wings. You cannot apply seasoning to frozen chicken wings. Therefore, if you are pressure cooking them first, do that and apply the seasoning after they come out of the pressure cooker and before they go into the air fryer. If you are just using an air fryer, apply the seasoning once you have thawed out the chicken wings at 350F for five minutes.
How do I get crispy and crunchy chicken wings in air fryer?
To get really crispy chicken wings, you don’t necessarily need to add anything. You can simply cook them for longer. However, I always find that adding flour or breadcrumbs really gives it that fried chicken crunch.
What is the temperature of air fried chicken wings?
Refer to the methods above but essentially, you are cooking the chicken wings at 400F.
How many in a servings of frozen chicken wings can I make in an air fryer?
It really depends on how many chicken wings you class as a serving. How many you can make in an air fryer really depends on the size of the air fryer. If you have a large air fryer, you can probably make around 18 if they are small. If you have an air fryer oven, you can make a lot more. Regardless, you always need to make sure that you have plenty of room for the hot air to circulate around the chicken wings
Do frozen chicken wings in air fryers take the same time to cook?
Not always. Some air fryers are more efficient than others so will cook your food quicker. There may also be a difference in temperature slightly. Each air fryer is different so get to know your appliance.
Do I need to thaw out frozen chicken wings in air fryer?
You don’t need to thaw out frozen chicken wings but if you do, it can save you some time later. In terms of the taste, it doesn’t taste any different. However, taking a minute to take them out of the freezer means that you use less power cooking them…which is always a good thing.
Since you are here, why not read the following air fried methods and recipes;
- How to cook a frozen hamburger in an air fryer…ultimate guide
- Air fryer hot dogs done the right way
- How to cook perfect air fryer frozen french fries
- How to cook perfect frozen chicken strips in air fryer
- The Perfect Frozen Mozzarella Sticks in Air Fryer
- Lovely Frozen Chicken Nuggets in Air Fryer… I Show You How
- The ultimate air fryer cooking chart…cooking times with PDF
I hope this answers your questions on air fryer chicken wings and how to cook them from frozen. I hope you enjoy them…but please make sure they are cooked properly. Chicken wings are really simple…so enjoy.
Let me know what you think…is there anything you do that makes your chicken wings different? How do you cook the perfect chicken wings in your air fryer? What’s your favorite seasoning?
Share your secrets with us…leave a comment below.
See you soon…Jayne x
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