Cooking chicken wings in an air fryer is an exciting way to prepare healthier meals for your family or guests. The air fryer cooks the meals in minutes and will not mess up your kitchen like a deep fryer. In addition, the cooking appliance cooks meals using little or no oil, ensuring your chicken wings are free of unhealthy oils/fats.
Knowing how long to cook chicken wings in air fryer for a crunchy and tasty meal is advisable. This will help you prepare the wings accordingly and cook them within the specified time in the air fryer to avoid undercooking or overcooking. Keep reading to learn the factors that affect chicken wings cook time and how long it takes to cook crispy chicken wings in an air fryer.
Factors Affecting Chicken Wings Cook Time in an Air Fryer
The following factors will affect the time you cook your chicken in the air fryer;
Frozen or at room temperature? Frozen chicken wings from the freezer will require more time to cook. Why? More time will be required to melt the icing and warm the meat to start cooking. However, you can thaw them during preparation to reduce cooking time by some minutes.
On the other hand, fresh chicken wings or those kept at room temperature require less time to cook in an air fryer. They require less time and heat to warm and start cooking than frozen ones. Typically, you can save more time cooking fresh chicken wings kept at room temperature.
- Boneless or with bones?
Boneless chicken wings are a little expensive compared to those with bones. Also, if you have slaughtered chickens at home, it will take you more time to remove the bones. That is why most families prefer chicken wings with bones.
Chicken wings with bones require more time to cook in the air fryer, while boneless will cook a little faster. Why? It will take more time for heat to penetrate and cook meat surrounding the bones. In addition, bones can absorb heat that could have cooked the meat faster.
- Size and thickness of the wings
Smaller-sized chicken wings will cook faster compared to larger and thicker ones. More time will be required for the heat to penetrate and cook thicker wings, requiring you to cook the chicken wings for a longer time.
- Cooking temperatures
If you set your air fryer at high temperatures, you will cook your chicken wing in much less time. However, it is not advisable to set the appliance at high temperatures as it can cause burning of the outer layers of the wings, and the inner parts may not be well cooked. As such, you should use recommended cooking temperatures to allow the wings to cook evenly, even if it takes more time.
- Spacing in the air fryer basket
Evenly spaced chicken wings will take much less time to cook compared to overcrowded wings in the air fryer basket. Why? When you space the wings as recommended, hot air will circulate well, cooking the wings as desired. However, overcrowding will impede hot air circulation in the fryer, and you will require more time to cook the wings.
Turning or flipping the wings during the cooking is recommended to allow them to cook evenly. In addition, overcrowding the frying basket is one of the air fryer mistakes you should avoid for best results and save time.
How long to cook chicken wings in air fryer?
Cooking medium-sized chicken wings can take approximately 16 minutes to cook evenly at 400 Degrees F in an air fryer. However, if your chicken wings are a little larger, you can cook for additional minutes until the wings turn golden brown and become crispy on the outside.
Remember to avoid overlapping when placing the wings on the air fryer basket. If the wings are many and can’t fit in the basket at once, cook them in two batches. In addition, flip the wings at 8 minutes or halfway.
How long to cook frozen chicken wings in air fryer?
It takes around 25 to 30 minutes to cook frozen chicken wings in an air fryer. The temperature has to be set to 360 degrees F, and you have to turn the wings halfway through the cooking time. However, when you cook the wing at 400 degrees F, cook time can be around 20 to 25 minutes. When you allow the wings to thaw for 15 minutes, you should cook the wings for around 16 to 20 minutes.
How long to cook raw chicken wings in air fryer?
Raw chicken wings can take around 20 minutes to cook well in an air fryer. This happens when you cook the wings at 360 degrees F. When you cook them at 400 degrees F, cook for 16 minutes or until when crispy and golden brown on the outside. If the chicken wings are thick, cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes.
How long to cook whole chicken in air fryer?
It takes around 1 hour to cook a whole chicken in an air fryer at 360 degrees F. Before you remove the chicken from the air fryer, use one of the best meat thermometers to check if the internal temperature of the thickest part reads 165 degrees Celsius. If not, cook for additional minutes.
How long to cook boneless chicken wings in air fryer?
Cooking boneless chicken wings takes around 15 minutes when using the air fryer. You have to set the temperature to 375 degrees F. Alternatively, you can set the temperatures to 400 degrees F and cook for 10 to 12 minutes.
How long to cook thawed chicken wings in air fryer?
Thawed chicken wings can be cooked for 15 minutes in an air fryer when cooked at 375 degrees F. It is best to cook for at most 12 minutes when you cook at 400 degrees F, but you should check for doneness before removing the wings from the air fryer.
How long to cook breaded chicken wings in air fryer?
It takes 20 minutes to cook breaded chicken wings in an air fryer. You should cook at 400 degrees F. When you cook at slightly lower temperatures like 375 degrees F, it is advisable to cook for 25 to 30 minutes. Note that cook time can vary with the thickness of the chicken wings being cooked.
How long to cook pre-cooked chicken wings in air fryer?
Cooking precooked chicken wings in an air fryer takes 20 to 25 minutes when cooked at 400 degrees F. It is best to check for doneness before removing the wings from the air fryer, especially if they are thick and frozen.
Final Words
If you have wanted to know how long to cook chicken wings in air fryer, you have learned a lot from the above. Cook time varies with the thickness of the wings and temperature settings of the air fryer. Also, note that frozen chicken wings take more time to cook compared to thawed or fresh wings kept at room temperature. Most importantly, check for doneness before removing the chicken wings from the air fryer.
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