"Move" Air Fryer Frozen Buffalo Chicken Wings

Can you air fry frozen chicken wings? Of course you can and I have the dope recipe to show you how. Follow my recipe below as well as detailed tips and instructions for guaranteed tender, juicy, and flavorful air fryer chicken wings that taste like they're made from fresh.

I slept on frozen wings admittedly, but have come around like many others who discovered the advantages of air fryer cooking.

These air fryer wings are well seasoned despite starting from frozen, cooked to a crisp, and then topped in a tangy and spicy homemade buffalo sauce.

The entire recipe can be done in just under 30 minutes since the sauce can be made during cook time. These are the perfect appetizer for watching the big game or for any party

Ingredients Needed To Make Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Wings

• Frozen Chicken Wings
• Louisiana Hot Sauce
• Paprika
• Cayenne (optional) depending on desired heat levels
• Garlic Powder
• Onion Powder
• Dried Oregano
• Dried Basil
• Dried Thyme
• Black Pepper
• Kosher Salt
• Lemon Juice
• Honey
• Olive Oil

How To Cook Frozen Wings In An Air Fryer (Step By Step)

Make The Sauce

Add hot sauce and ¾ of the dry seasonings and herbs in a large mixing bowl. Add in the olive oil slowly while whisking the sauce together. Mix in the lemon juice and honey. Set aside.

Air Fry The Frozen Chicken Wings

Pre-heat air fryer to 400 degrees F.

Add the frozen wings and cook (defrost) for 10 minutes. Separate and remove the wings. Season them with the remaining dry spices.

Place defrosted and seasoned wings back in the air fryer and cook for 20 minutes flipping the wings halfway through cooking.

Place cooked wings in a large mixing bowl. Add the homemade buffalo sauce and toss the chicken wings well.

Cooking Considerations and Tips for Cooking Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Wings

Choose your favorite sauce or make your own. My simple doctored-up sauce is great and will wow anyone!

Place the wings in a single layer. Crowding makes it difficult to achieve that crispy skin.

Make the sauce as hot or as mild as you prefer. Red cayenne pepper is the lever you pull up or down to adjust for heat.

Choose the smallest wings available to you. Those large jumbo wings are diabolical and unnatural. On top of all that, they take longer to cook and make it extra hard to get that extra crispy texture.

Serve these wings with french fries, coleslaw, and baked beans. Of course I assumed you had raw carrot sticks, celery sticks, and either blue cheese or ranch dressing on standby.

Pair with other appetizers like guava glazed pork belly bites.

Beats and Eats (music pairing for Air Fryer Chicken Wings)

Lynda Dawn's "Move" is the perfect jam for air fryer wings. It's not a well-known song, but Lynda Dawn is an artist that everyone who digs soul music should know in the same way air fryer enthusiasts should know about air frying frozen wings. The music and tempo are perfect and her voice is dynamite!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Cooking Frozen Buffalo Wings

Do I Need To Thaw The Wings First?

No, the cooking time accounts for defrosting. You will literally be putting the frozen chicken wings directly into the air fryer and cooking.

How long do you cook frozen wings in an air fryer?

Total cook time is about 30 minutes depending on size of your wings. The first 10 minutes essentially defrost the wings, then you'll want to cook each side roughly 10 minutes per side.

At what temperature do you cook frozen wings?

I cook at 400 degrees F the entire time including the upfront defrost period.

How do you know if wings are fully cooked?

Use an instant-read meat thermometer to test internal temperature for doneness. They are safe to eat at 165 degrees, but you'll want them to be somewhere between 185-195 degrees for maximum flavor and optimal results.

Can I eat air fried wings on a keto diet?

Yes, but it's going to depend on the sauce. The chicken wings un-sauced are totally keto, but obviously would lack bigtime on the taste/flavor side. If making your own sauce if you eliminate sugar/sweeteners in any form you should be fine.

Likewise, read the ingredient label on whatever store-bought hot sauce you're using if you go that route to make sure sugar isn't a problem.

What other sauces can I use for these chicken wings?

BBQ sauce is an obvious easy one. You can also go with your favorite dipping sauce like a ranch dressing.

What's the best hot sauce to make buffalo sauce?

I use Louisiana-style hot sauces. Louisiana the brand hot sauce is a family favorite. Crystal's is another good one as is Frank's Red Hot.

Where do you buy frozen chicken wings?

Most grocery stores will have large bags of frozen chicken wings in varying degrees of weight. Two-pound bags will likely be the smallest size. I'm partial to Trader Joe's because they tend to be on the smaller size and are generally well trimmed of excess fat.

What if I buy fresh chicken wings?

I usually buy large batches of fresh wings since I watch a lot of sports with crispy wings. It's one of my things to do. And since I'm a nerd about certain things when it comes to food, for best results I prefer to buy fresh wings, trim them if needed, vacuum seal and freeze until ready use. I find this overall to be the best way and leads to even more delicious air fryer chicken wings.

Can you reheat leftover chicken wings?

The cooking process for reheating chicken wings is simple actually. Honestly, I've never had leftover chicken wings. They tend to all get eaten. Go figure. But if I were to reheat my wings I'd do it like this - Place them on a foil lined baking sheet and cook at 350 degrees F for about 15 minutes. I prefer to start with them at room temperature so they re-heat evenly.

What type of air fryer do you use?

I use a NuWave 8 quart air fryer. I love the air fryer basket capacity, ease of use, and front load design.

For Similar Recipes Try These Chicken Wing Recipes:

Lemon Pepper Wings

Chicken Karaage

Brazilian Fried Chicken Wings 'Frango a Passarinho'

Chipotle Buttermilk Fried Wings

Jerk Wings

Air Fryer Jerk Chicken Wings

Crispy Air Fryer Wings

Spicy Harissa Wings

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