Air Fryer Chicken Wings

Method

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1. Pat the wings absolutely dry with kitchen paper, then leave them on a rack for 10 minutes to air-dry further.

   Mark done Start 10 min timer

2. Toss them in a bowl with the baking powder, salt, garlic powder, pepper and paprika until every piece is evenly, thinly coated. It should look dusty, not clumped.

   Mark done

3. Heat the air fryer to 160°C / 320°F.

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4. Arrange the wings in a single layer with space between them, skin side up, and cook 12 minutes. Work in batches rather than crowding — crowded wings steam.

   Mark done

5. Raise the heat to 200°C / 400°F and cook a further 10 to 14 minutes, turning once at the halfway point, until deep golden and audibly crisp when tapped.

   Mark done Start 10 min timer

6. Toss immediately in the buttered hot sauce if you want them saucy, or serve dry with lemon.

   Mark done

Chef’s Tips

• Baking powder, not bicarbonate of soda. Bicarbonate alone tastes soapy and will ruin the batch.
• Dry skin is half the recipe. If you have time, salt them and leave them uncovered in the fridge overnight before starting.
• Sauce them at the table, not in the fryer. Sauce applied to hot skin softens it within minutes.

Pairing Suggestions

• Buttermilk ranch dressing and celery
• Cold lager
• Blue cheese dip

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerated for 3 days. Re-crisp 5 minutes at 200°C in the air fryer; the microwave turns the skin to leather.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.