Frozen Chicken Wings in the Air Fryer

My frozen chicken wings in the air fryer turn out hot, crispy, and perfect for dipping! I make them for game days, parties, and so much more because my husband keeps asking for them!

My Favorite Recipe for Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Wings

Being from Buffalo, my husband Ben loves a good chicken wing, but sometimes I can’t get to the store to make fresh ones for game days. So I keep a bag of chicken wings in the freezer for ease, and I always make these frozen chicken wings in the air fryer with them!

I just made them again this past Sunday to cheer on our favorite football team in the playoffs. It was in the single digits outside with snow on the ground and a trip to the store was not in the cards for me.

I grabbed the bag of frozen wings and tossed them in the air fryer, and they were finished air frying just as the game kicked off. Ben dipped them in my famous buffalo hot sauce and smirked as he devoured them in minutes. And, I know I will be asked – my go-to brand for frozen chicken wings is typically the Tyson frozen chicken wings.

It’s been so great to air fry the frozen chicken wings because of how easy it is – no thawing required. I find the wings get crispier in the air fryer and the cook time is less than in the oven anyway. And I look like a great wife because I always have wings ready for the big games!

For more delicious air fryer chicken wing recipes, check out my main air fryer chicken wings recipe, air fryer buffalo wings, air fryer lemon pepper wings, and air fryer breaded wings! 

Air Fry Frozen Chicken Wings Ingredients

• Frozen chicken wings – They should be raw, not pre-cooked
• Salt and black pepper – To enhance the flavor
• Wing sauce – I love using buffalo sauce, but I recommend using your favorite wing sauce

How to Make Frozen Chicken Wings in the Air Fryer

STEP ONE: Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees.

STEP TWO: Place the frozen wings in a single layer inside the air fryer basket or tray and cook them for 30-35 minutes. Around the 15-minute mark, flip the wings, spritz them with an olive oil spray, and season them with salt and pepper. They are done when the wings hit 165 degrees F and are nice and crispy.

STEP THREE: Remove the wings from the air fryer and toss in your favorite sauce or dip them!

Tips for the Best Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Wings

• Don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket with too many wings. I always leave space between each wing so the hot air can crisp them up on all sides.
• Spritz the wings with oil and season them after about 15 minutes of cooking. I find that seasoning them when they are thawed from cooking lets the flavor stick to the wings better.
• If water is pooling in the bottom of the air fryer, drain it carefully when flipping the wings. I only bother with this if there’s a good amount of water so it doesn’t steam the wings.
• Use an Instant-Read Meat Thermometer to make sure the wings reach 165 degrees F. This helps me make sure the wings are fully cooked and avoid drying them out!
• Serve wings with all the classics! I like to get celery sticks, carrot sticks, and blue cheese ready while the frozen chicken wings are in the air fryer so I’m ready to serve as soon as they’re done.

Air Frying Frozen Chicken Wings Variations and Substitutions

• My go-to sauce lately is my honey garlic sauce for a little extra amped up flavor without the spice.
• When I’m in the mood for some spice, I coat my wings in buffalo sauce, honey sriracha sauce, or honey hot wing sauce.
• Serve the wings with either some blue cheese or ranch dressing. But I always choose blue cheese in my house.
• Increase the temperature of the air fryer to 430 degrees F if it allows for the last 2-3 minutes for an extra crispy skin.
• I love tossing wings in some more spices like garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika for a little extra seasoning if I’m not dipping them in a sauce.

Frozen Chicken Wings in the Air Fryer FAQs

Why aren’t my air fryer frozen chicken wings crispy?

My two biggest tips to getting crispy wings are to make sure the air fryer is preheated before adding the frozen wings and to avoid overcrowding the basket. Too many wings can prevent the hot air from circulating properly, meaning it won’t be able to crisp up the wings on all sides!

How long to air fry frozen chicken wings

I always use an Instead Read Thermometer to make sure my wings reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. This usually takes 30-35 minutes depending on the size of the wings.

How should I store leftover chicken wings?

I let any extra wings fully cool, then store them in an airtight container. They’ll stay fresh in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Do I need to preheat my air fryer before air frying frozen chicken wings?

I never skip preheating my air fryer! Preheating allows it to cook the food evenly and helps get that nice, crispy skin on the wings, so in my opinion, it’s worth waiting a few minutes.

Can I layer frozen chicken wings in an air fryer basket

I always recommend laying chicken wings in a single layer without any overlap. This allows the air to fully circulate around the wings, which is the key to getting the crispiest skin!

Should I drain the water in the air fryer basket while cooking air fryer frozen chicken wings?

Sometimes air frying frozen chicken wings can let off some of the water from when it was frozen. If I notice it accumulating in the bottom of my air fryer basket, I carefully drain it out or the wings can end up more steamed than crispy.

How to Reheat Chicken Wings in the Air Fryer

I reheat any leftover cooked wings in a preheated air fryer at 350 degrees F for about 2 to 3 minutes until the wings are heated and crispy again.

More Air Fryer Appetizers

• Air fryer onion rings
• Air fryer ravioli
• Air fryer nachos
• Air fryer jalapeno poppers
• Air fryer frozen meatballs

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