Air Fryer Turkey Wings are crispy, delicious, and flavorful thanks to the delicious dry rub. They are golden brown and crispy on the outside and incredibly juicy on the inside. With a quick cook time of less than 30 minutes, you can be enjoying these tasty wings in no time! They make a great appetizer or main dish that everyone will love!
By now, you must know how much I love using my air fryer.
It cooks all kinds of food quickly and efficiently, and everything turns out perfectly.
From Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Thighs to Air Fryer Carrots, you can’t go wrong with an air fryer.
One of my favorite recipes is these Air Fryer Chicken Wings, so when I saw turkey wings in the grocery store, I knew I had to give them a try.
Because turkey wings are so much larger than chicken wings, you can serve them as a main dish that will satisfy your whole family.
You can even serve them for Thanksgiving dinner if you have a smaller gathering. Smoked Turkey Breast is also a good option when cooking for a smaller crowd.
More easy air fryer recipes
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Why you will love this recipe
- Quick cook time. These wings cook quickly in the air fryer in less than 30 minutes. It's much quicker than cooking a whole turkey.
- Delicious. These wings are so flavorful. The dry rub adds fantastic flavor.
- Easy. This recipe doesn’t get much easier; just toss with oil and seasoning, and let the air fryer do the work. It makes a great weeknight dinner!
- Crispy skin. Everyone loves crispy turkey skin, and by cooking them in the air fryer you will have deliciously crispy skin.
- Family-friendly. Everyone in your family will love these wings, even picky eaters.
- Fun. It’s fun to munch on a giant turkey wing!
- Filling. These wings have a lot of meat on them, way more than a chicken wing.
- Thanksgiving meal. Yup, you can make these for any holiday meal. Everyone will love these juicy turkey wings this holiday season.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
The ingredients for these crispy turkey wings can easily be found at grocery stores.
- Turkey wings. I used turkey wings that I got at my local grocery store. They are easy to find the closer it gets to Thanksgiving and Christmas. I purchased wings that were already split, so I didn’t have to worry about splitting them.
- Olive oil. I used olive oil. This gives the dry rub something to stick to. You could also use avocado oil. Avocado spray works well and makes this process even quicker.
- Dry rub. I used my homemade Chicken Dry Rub, which I love. It contains brown sugar, garlic powder, Roasted Garlic and Pepper seasoning, paprika, chili powder, seasoning salt, onion powder, and black pepper.You can also use my homemade Turkey Rub or my Pork Rub; they both taste fantastic. However, feel free to use your favorite rub.
See the printable recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees F.
If your chicken wings are not split, split them using kitchen shears or a sharp knife. Then, pat dry the turkey wings with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
Next, apply olive oil with a brush or spray, and cover the entire wing.
Mix together the ingredients for the dry rub in a small bowl. Then, apply the spice blend generously over the entire turkey wing. Be sure to get into all the crevices.
Place the turkey wings into the air fryer basket in a single layer. Make sure to leave some space between the wings to allow for airflow so that they cook evenly.
Set the timer for 25 minutes, flipping the wings over halfway through the cooking time.
The turkey wings are cooked when they are golden brown and crispy on the outside. To be safe, you can check the internal temperature of the turkey wing with a digital meat thermometer. The internal temperature should be 165 degrees F.
The thicker drumette portions may take longer to cook. Just leave them in an extra minute or two if needed.
When fully cooked, remove the turkey wings from the air fryer.
Let them rest for 5 minutes to allow the juices to reincorporate into the meat. You can cover them with aluminum foil to keep them warm.
Serve these air-fried turkey wings with your favorite wing sauce, dipping sauce, or Cranberry Sauce.
Don't forget to add your favorite sides!
Enjoy!
Hint: For gravy, use the drippings that are in the bottom of the air fryer. Pour drippings into a saucepan. Thicken with a slurry made of 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water.
Variations
- Spicy: Add red pepper flakes, chili powder, cayenne pepper, or Cajun seasoning to the dry rub for more of a kick.
- Sweet: Add more brown sugar to the dry rub.
- Saucy: Toss the wings in barbecue sauce.
- Buffalo Wings: Toss the wings in some buffalo sauce for a flavor everyone will love!
Equipment
I used a 6 qt Instant Pot Vortex Air Fryer, which I love. It has a large basket so I can easily make enough food for my family.
It also lets me know when the air fryer is done preheating, and when the food is ready to be flipped halfway through the cooking time.
I also have a Ninja Foodi Air Fryer. It has an 8 qt capacity with two baskets which makes it easy to cook two different foods at the same time.
Storage
If you have leftover turkey wings, be sure to store them in an airtight container in the fridge. They will keep for up to 3-4 days.
Alternatively, you can store leftover wings in the freezer for up to 2 months. Simply wrap them tightly in plastic wrap or place them in a freezer-safe bag before freezing.
To reheat, thaw in the fridge if frozen, then air fry at 380ºF for 4-5 minutes until warm.
Top tips
- Make sure your turkey thighs are properly thawed before cooking.
- Apply the dry rub liberally. It adds great flavor to the wings.
- Preheat the air fryer. This step is important for ensuring that your wings cook evenly.
- Cook the wings in batches. overcrowding the air fryer will make it difficult to get evenly cooked wings.
- Allow the wings to rest. This allows the juices to redistribute, making for juicier wings.
- Serve with your favorite dipping sauce. Ranch dressing, blue cheese dressing, or even barbecue sauce all make great dipping sauces for these wings.
FAQ
There are a few things you can do to prevent your turkey wings from becoming greasy. First, make sure that you cook them at 380 degrees F. If they're too hot, they'll release more grease. Second, don't overcook them. Turkey wings should be cooked until they're just done - no more, no less. Finally, let them rest for a few minutes before serving so that the juices can redistribute.
To avoid burning your turkey wings in an air fryer, cook them at 380 degrees F, and also flip them over halfway through cooking.
Air fryers can be a great way to cook turkey wings. They can help to crisp up the skin and cook the wings evenly. Additionally, air fryers can be less messy than traditional methods, such as deep frying.
Favorite Side Dishes
I love to serve these wings with a side of Green Bean Casserole, Sweet Potato Casserole, and Twice-Baked Mashed Potato Casserole.
For a simple side dish, try Coleslaw, Carrot Salad, or a simple green salad.
I hope you enjoyed this Air Fryer Turkey Wings recipe. If you try it out and like it, I would appreciate it if you could take a moment to leave a star rating and/or comment below.
📋 Recipe
Crispy Air Fryer Turkey Wings
Equipment
- Tongs
Ingredients
- 2½ pounds turkey wings split
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoon dry rub seasoning
Dry Rub Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ⅔ tablespoon garlic powder
- ⅔ tablespoon Roasted Garlic and Peppers Seasoning a Clubhouse seasoning
- ⅔ teaspoon paprika
- ⅔ teaspoon onion powder
- ⅓ teaspoon chili powder
- ⅓ tsp seasoning salt
- ⅙ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees F.
- Pat dry the turkey wings with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Apply olive oil with a brush or spray, and cover the entire wing.
- Mix together the ingredients for the dry rub in a small bowl. Apply the rub generously over the entire turkey wing. Be sure to get into all the crevices.
- Place the turkey wings into the air fryer basket in a single layer. Set the timer for 25 minutes, flipping the wings over halfway through the cooking time.
- The turkey wings are cooked when they are golden brown and crispy on the outside, with an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Let them rest for 5 minutes to allow the juices to reincorporate into the meat. You can cover them with aluminum foil to keep them warm.
- Serve these air-fried turkey wings with your favorite wing sauce, dipping sauce, or Cranberry Sauce. Don't forget to add your favorite sides!
- Enjoy!
- TIP: For gravy, use the drippings that are in the bottom of the air fryer. Pour drippings into a saucepan. Thicken with a slurry made of 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water.
Notes
- Make sure your turkey thighs are properly thawed before cooking.
- Apply the dry rub liberally. It adds great flavor to the wings.
- Preheat the air fryer. This step is important for ensuring that your wings cook evenly.
- Cook the wings in batches. overcrowding the air fryer will make it difficult to get evenly cooked wings.
- Allow the wings to rest. This allows the juices to redistribute, making for juicier wings.
- Serve with your favorite dipping sauce. Ranch dressing, blue cheese dressing, or even barbecue sauce all make great dipping sauces for these wings.
Nutrition
Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
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