Easy Frozen Chicken Wings in Air Fryer

Did you know you can cook Frozen Chicken Wings in an Air Fryer? If not, you're in for a treat! They are quick and easy to make! You don't even need to defrost them first! Throw them in the air fryer, season with your favorite spice rub, and serve with your favorite dipping sauces! You will love these delicious little morsels. Best of all, they come out nice and crispy every time!

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Who doesn't love a good chicken wing? In my family, we find any excuse to eat chicken wings.

When we crave wings, I like to make them anytime I want. Even if I forget to take them out of the freezer ahead of time to defrost. It doesn't matter if they are rock hard and frozen together in one big clump.

Toss them in the air fryer and turn it on! You will have crispy and juicy wings in no time! These taste delicious as naked wings or dipped in your favorite dipping sauce.

These are the perfect appetizers if you watch the football game or have a few friends over!

They are also ideal for game day served with crispy sweet potato fries, spinach dip, and taco dip.

Do you have defrosted chicken wings? Then be sure to try these Extra Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings or my super delicious Smoked Chicken Wings.

More air fryer recipes

Jump to:

• More air fryer recipes
• Why you will love making chicken wings from frozen
• What kinds of wings are best to cook from frozen?
• Ingredients for air fryer frozen chicken wings
• Instructions
• Variations
• Equipment
• Storage
• Top tips
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
• What to serve with chicken wings?
• More recipes using frozen food
• 📋 Recipe
• Food safety
• 💬 Comments

Why you will love making chicken wings from frozen

• No need to defrost the chicken first. Just place the frozen wings straight in the air fryer basket.
• No prep is required to make these wings. Just turn on the air fryer and place them in the basket. Done!
• You may be surprised by how delicious these wings are. They are so tender and juicy with a crispy coating on the outside.
• The whole cooking process is only about 30 minutes!
• Very little oil is needed, making these much healthier than deep frying.
• Any fat drips down to the bottom of the basket, making these wings a healthy meal, and cleanup a breeze.
• These wings are low in carbs, making them keto-friendly.

What kinds of wings are best to cook from frozen?

There are so many brands of frozen chicken wings to choose from. There are raw frozen wings, pre-cooked seasoned wings, boneless wings, and breaded wings.

Essentially, all wings need to be cooked until they reach the proper internal temperature.

The boneless wings will cook faster, as will the pre-cooked wings.

This recipe is specifically for fresh chicken wings that are frozen. Always use a meat thermometer to check for proper doneness.

Ingredients for air fryer frozen chicken wings

You can easily prepare these flavorful chicken wings from frozen in the air fryer using simple ingredients you can find at any grocery store.

• Chicken wings. I used raw fresh wings that I bought at Costco and froze. I find it is cheaper to buy in larger amounts and freeze in meal size portions.
• Spice rub for chicken. I used my homemade chicken rub which contains garlic powder, black pepper, brown sugar, paprika, onion powder, roasted garlic and peppers seasoning, chili powder, and seasoning salt; but feel free to use your favorite dry rub or spices. Lemon pepper is a great spice to use as well.
• Cooking oil spray. This is to help the wings crisp up on the outside. I used avocado spray, but use any kind you have on hand. You could also brush them with olive oil.

See the recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Open up the bag of frozen chicken wings.

Place the chicken wings in the air fryer basket—no need to reheat the air fryer first.

Set the temperature to 400 degrees F, and set the timer for 10 minutes.

After the 10 minutes is up, open up the air fryer basket and use a wooden spoon or tongs to break apart any chicken wings that are still frozen together. Once the chicken wings are broken apart, they should be in a single layer in the basket. It is okay if they are touching.

Set the timer for 10 more minutes at 400 degrees F. Shake the basket. Spray the wings lightly with cooking spray, then sprinkle the dry rub evenly on the wings.

Set the timer for 5 more minutes. Shake the basket again or flip the wings over. Spray lightly again with cooking spray and sprinkle the dry rub on again. Set the timer for 5 more minutes.

Check to see if the wings are done when the timer is up. The wings will be done when they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F on a meat thermometer.

Remove the crispy wings from the air fryer and toss with your favorite sauce!

Enjoy!

Variations

Change how these wings taste by using different wing sauces or dipping sauces. Some fun ones to try are:

• Make buffalo chicken wings by mixing in buffalo wing sauce
• BBQ sauce
• Make hot wings by tossing in hot sauce
• Honey mustard sauce
• Ranch dressing
• Blue cheese dressing

Equipment

To make these frozen chicken wings, you will need an air fryer. There are many different air fryer models and air fryer ovens. They all use hot air for cooking food quickly and evenly, but they all cook differently.

I made these wings in an Instant Pot Vortex Air Fryer, and they cook pretty quickly in it. I also have a Ninja Foodi Air fryer with dual drawers, and it cooks a little slower.

Storage

FRIDGE: If you have leftover chicken wings, they can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

FROZEN: The chicken wings can be frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, wrap them in plastic before storing them in an airtight container.

Top tips

• When the wings break apart, make sure they are not piled high on top of each other in the air fryer basket. They will not cook properly or evenly if they are.
• Shake the basket every few minutes initially to help the wings break apart.
• Just spray a very light layer of cooking spray on the wings. You don't want them to be greasy. You could also not add the cooking spray, but it does help get a crispy skin.
• Because all air fryers cook differently, you may need to adjust the cooking time. Also, the wings are not always the same size. Larger wings will need a longer cooking time, smaller wings will need less.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What to serve with chicken wings?

You can serve almost anything with chicken wings. I like to place them in a large bowl and serve them with celery sticks, carrot sticks, and apple slices. You could also serve them with Instant Pot Rice, sweet potato fries, and coleslaw.

More recipes using frozen food

Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Wings are the perfect appetizer or main course for your next party! They are quick and easy to make, and everyone will love them! Be sure to try this recipe today!

I hope you enjoyed these Frozen Chicken Wings in Air Fryer. If you try it out and like it, I would appreciate it if you could take a moment to leave a star rating below.

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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
• Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds