{"id":107145,"date":"2025-01-14T12:54:00","date_gmt":"2025-01-14T16:54:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.freshdirect.com\/blog\/?p=107145"},"modified":"2026-04-15T12:49:06","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T16:49:06","slug":"air-fryer-wings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.freshdirect.com\/blog\/air-fryer-wings\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Cook Frozen Chicken Wings in the Air Fryer for the Big Game"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"107145\" class=\"elementor elementor-107145\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b508b90 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"b508b90\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7ee3b720 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"7ee3b720\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<picture class=\"wp-picture-107147\" style=\"display: contents;\"><source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.freshdirect.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/wings-game-day-a-jpg.webp 1140w, https:\/\/www.freshdirect.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/wings-game-day-a-260x118-jpg.webp 260w, https:\/\/www.freshdirect.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/wings-game-day-a-1024x465-jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.freshdirect.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/wings-game-day-a-768x349-jpg.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1140px) 100vw, 1140px\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1140\" height=\"518\" src=\"https:\/\/www.freshdirect.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/wings-game-day-a.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-107147\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.freshdirect.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/wings-game-day-a.jpg 1140w, https:\/\/www.freshdirect.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/wings-game-day-a-260x118.jpg 260w, https:\/\/www.freshdirect.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/wings-game-day-a-1024x465.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.freshdirect.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/wings-game-day-a-768x349.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.freshdirect.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/wings-game-day-a-1100x500.jpg 1100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1140px) 100vw, 1140px\" \/><\/picture>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-34cb8c11 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"34cb8c11\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-591d77c1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"591d77c1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-family: circular-medium;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Want to know how to cook frozen chicken wings in the air fryer?\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is surprisingly simple!\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In fact, it has never been easier to make this sports day classic in the comfort of your own home. If you are the one hosting for the big game, wings are a great, affordable way to feed your guests.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before air fryers, wings were a difficult delicacy to cook at home, requiring a huge frying operation that splattered half your kitchen with oil \u2014 or a hefty bill (plus tip and delivery fee) from a specialty wing shop. But air fryers offer a low-stress, low-cost way to get your game day wings right at home.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Air fryers are also a great method when you need to cook your wings in a rush. Other methods require you to defrost the wings before you can even start cooking. (Which, let\u2019s face it, not all of us think that far ahead!)\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Only air fryers can take a wing from completely frozen straight to crispy and delicious!<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And the best news? New Yorkers can get wings delivered straight to your door with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.freshdirect.com\/index.jsp\">FreshDirect<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7621fc8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7621fc8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>What You\u2019ll Need To Cook Frozen Chicken Wings in the Air Fryer<\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chicken wings have a pretty straightforward ingredient list. All you need is:<\/span><\/p><ul><li style=\"list-style-type: none;\"><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Frozen chicken wings. You can get any number of different <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.freshdirect.com\/search?search=chicken+wings\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">chicken wings in your preferred style<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Salt and pepper to taste.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A neutral cooking oil spray with a high smoke point. Vegetable oil, peanut oil, or an equivalent.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your preferred sauce or dry rub to toss in.\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Depending on the brand of wings you prefer, they may come with a sauce on the side, or you may have to buy sauce separately (or make your own).<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6942082 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6942082\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>How To Cook Frozen Chicken Wings in an Air Fryer<\/h2><p>Thanks to the magic of the air fryer, chicken wings are an exceptionally straightforward and mostly hands-off recipe. You can make them in just a few steps:<\/p><ol><li style=\"list-style-type: none;\"><ol class=\"steps\"><li>Spray the basket with a neutral oil of your choice, then add your frozen wings in a single layer. Leave some space between each wing so they can crisp properly.<\/li><li>Set your air fryer to 400 F. Cook for 9 to 10 minutes to defrost.<\/li><li>Move the wings to a clean mixing bowl and toss them in salt, pepper, and any other dry seasoning you want. Check the basket and remove any excess water that may have accumulated during defrosting.<\/li><li>Place the wings back in the basket. Then, air fry them at 400 F for 10 to 12 minutes.<\/li><li>Use a cooking thermometer to ensure your wings have reached an internal temperature of 165 F (always test in the thickest part of the wing because that is where the meat cooks the slowest). Air fry them more as needed, 3\u20135 minutes at a time, if they are not quite done.<\/li><li>Put your wings in a clean mixing bowl and toss in your sauce of choice.<\/li><\/ol><\/li><\/ol>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-52d44b2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"52d44b2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>How To Account for Different Types of Wings<\/h2><p>Everyone has their own preferred type of wings: boneless, bone-in, breaded, or just crispy-skinned. Depending on what kind of wings you\u2019re making, you may need to make a few adjustments to the recipe.<\/p><p>The above recipe is for raw, bone-in, skin-on wings with an accompanying sauce, but there are many ways to enjoy your wings. Depending on the kind of wings you\u2019re making, you may need to make a few adjustments to the recipe.<\/p><ul><li style=\"list-style-type: none;\"><ul><li>If you\u2019ve planned ahead and your wings are already defrosted, you can skip Step 2, and proceed directly to tossing them in salt and pepper.<\/li><li>You can also reheat frozen, premade wings by following Steps 1 and 2, then seasoning them with salt and pepper and tossing them in sauce.<\/li><li>As a general rule, breaded boneless wings need a few more minutes to cook and thaw than their bone-in counterparts. Check with your thermometer during Step 4 to see how they\u2019re doing after 10 minutes; if they\u2019re not done, toss them in for another five.<\/li><li>If you plan to apply a dry rub instead of a sauce, add it with the salt and pepper in Step 3 before your second fry rather than afterward.<\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6d8e730a elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6d8e730a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2><picture class=\"wp-picture-107148\" style=\"display: contents;\"><source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.freshdirect.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/wings-game-day-n-jpg.webp 720w, https:\/\/www.freshdirect.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/wings-game-day-n-260x260-jpg.webp 260w, https:\/\/www.freshdirect.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/wings-game-day-n-150x150-jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 360px) 100vw, 360px\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-107148 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/www.freshdirect.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/wings-game-day-n.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"360\" height=\"360\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.freshdirect.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/wings-game-day-n.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.freshdirect.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/wings-game-day-n-260x260.jpg 260w, https:\/\/www.freshdirect.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/wings-game-day-n-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.freshdirect.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/wings-game-day-n-75x75.jpg 75w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 360px) 100vw, 360px\" \/><\/picture>Tips for Cooking Perfectly Crispy Chicken Wings<\/h2><p>When air frying your frozen chicken wings, be sure to pay attention to the following points to ensure they cook properly.<\/p><p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400; font-family: circular-medium; font-size: 26px;\">Don\u2019t Overcrowd Your Air Fryer<br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Food needs a little breathing room to cook properly, especially if you want it to crisp up. Do not fill the air fryer wall to wall or dump multiple layers of wings on top of each other. You may have a uniquely sized air fryer, but the average can fit about 12 to 16 wings at a time. If you are cooking for a large crowd, you will probably need to cook multiple batches.<\/span><\/p><h3 style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Flip the Wings While Cooking<\/span><\/h3><p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While some recipes leave it up for debate, in general, it\u2019s recommended to flip your wings halfway through the frying process. Experience with your individual air fryer and preferred chicken will tell you which way is best. If you\u2019re in doubt, go ahead and flip those wings.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><h3 style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don\u2019t Use Sauce in the Air Fryer<\/span><\/h3><p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When it comes to the air fryer, avoid premade frozen wings that are already sauced. The sauce is likely to burn in the air fryer, and the additional moisture will cause the skin to come out rubbery instead of crispy. Many premade chicken wings come with the sauce separately to avoid this exact issue.<\/span><\/p><h3 style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Give Your Wings an Extra Five Minutes if Needed\u00a0<\/span><\/h3><p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you cooked your wings as directed but they have not reached the correct internal temperature, it is safe to air fry them for an additional five minutes without any worries.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-130d8b97 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"130d8b97\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>Dig In to Game Day-Ready Wings<\/h2><p>With an air fryer and a bag of frozen wings, great game day food is always within reach. This simple method delivers crispy, juicy chicken wings without the mess, cost, or planning ahead that other methods require.<\/p><p>Whether you\u2019re hosting friends, feeding the family, or just craving wings on a busy night, this recipe makes it easy to go from freezer to table in minutes!<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-842b9d6 elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"842b9d6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/www.freshdirect.com\/search?search=chicken+wings\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Shop chicken wings for the big game \u2192<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Want to know how to cook frozen chicken wings in the air fryer?\u00a0It is surprisingly simple!\u00a0 In fact, it has never been easier to make this sports day classic in the comfort of your own home. If you are the one hosting for the big game, wings are a great, affordable way to feed your guests.\u00a0 Before air fryers, wings were a difficult delicacy to cook at home, requiring a huge frying operation that splattered half your kitchen with oil \u2014 or a hefty bill (plus tip and delivery fee) from a specialty wing shop. But air fryers offer a low-stress, low-cost way to get your game day wings right at home. Air fryers are also a great method when you need to cook your wings in a rush. Other methods require you to defrost the wings before you can even start cooking. (Which, let\u2019s face it, not all of us think that far ahead!)\u00a0Only air fryers can take a wing from completely frozen straight to crispy and delicious! And the best news? New Yorkers can get wings delivered straight to your door with FreshDirect.\u00a0 What You\u2019ll Need To Cook Frozen Chicken Wings in the Air Fryer Chicken wings have a pretty straightforward ingredient list. All you need is: Frozen chicken wings. You can get any number of different chicken wings in your preferred style. Salt and pepper to taste. A neutral cooking oil spray with a high smoke point. Vegetable oil, peanut oil, or an equivalent. Your preferred sauce or dry rub to toss in.\u00a0 Depending on the brand of wings you prefer, they may come with a sauce on the side, or you may have to buy sauce separately (or make your own). How To Cook Frozen Chicken Wings in an Air Fryer Thanks to the magic of the air fryer, chicken wings are an exceptionally straightforward and mostly hands-off recipe. You can make them in just a few steps: Spray the basket with a neutral oil of your choice, then add your frozen wings in a single layer. Leave some space between each wing so they can crisp properly. Set your air fryer to 400 F. Cook for 9 to 10 minutes to defrost. Move the wings to a clean mixing bowl and toss them in salt, pepper, and any other dry seasoning you want. Check the basket and remove any excess water that may have accumulated during defrosting. Place the wings back in the basket. Then, air fry them at 400 F for 10 to 12 minutes. Use a cooking thermometer to ensure your wings have reached an internal temperature of 165 F (always test in the thickest part of the wing because that is where the meat cooks the slowest). Air fry them more as needed, 3\u20135 minutes at a time, if they are not quite done. Put your wings in a clean mixing bowl and toss in your sauce of choice. How To Account for Different Types of Wings Everyone has their own preferred type of wings: boneless, bone-in, breaded, or just crispy-skinned. Depending on what kind of wings you\u2019re making, you may need to make a few adjustments to the recipe. The above recipe is for raw, bone-in, skin-on wings with an accompanying sauce, but there are many ways to enjoy your wings. Depending on the kind of wings you\u2019re making, you may need to make a few adjustments to the recipe. If you\u2019ve planned ahead and your wings are already defrosted, you can skip Step 2, and proceed directly to tossing them in salt and pepper. You can also reheat frozen, premade wings by following Steps 1 and 2, then seasoning them with salt and pepper and tossing them in sauce. As a general rule, breaded boneless wings need a few more minutes to cook and thaw than their bone-in counterparts. Check with your thermometer during Step 4 to see how they\u2019re doing after 10 minutes; if they\u2019re not done, toss them in for another five. If you plan to apply a dry rub instead of a sauce, add it with the salt and pepper in Step 3 before your second fry rather than afterward. Tips for Cooking Perfectly Crispy Chicken Wings When air frying your frozen chicken wings, be sure to pay attention to the following points to ensure they cook properly. Don\u2019t Overcrowd Your Air FryerFood needs a little breathing room to cook properly, especially if you want it to crisp up. Do not fill the air fryer wall to wall or dump multiple layers of wings on top of each other. You may have a uniquely sized air fryer, but the average can fit about 12 to 16 wings at a time. If you are cooking for a large crowd, you will probably need to cook multiple batches. Flip the Wings While Cooking While some recipes leave it up for debate, in general, it\u2019s recommended to flip your wings halfway through the frying process. Experience with your individual air fryer and preferred chicken will tell you which way is best. If you\u2019re in doubt, go ahead and flip those wings.\u00a0 Don\u2019t Use Sauce in the Air Fryer When it comes to the air fryer, avoid premade frozen wings that are already sauced. The sauce is likely to burn in the air fryer, and the additional moisture will cause the skin to come out rubbery instead of crispy. Many premade chicken wings come with the sauce separately to avoid this exact issue. Give Your Wings an Extra Five Minutes if Needed\u00a0 If you cooked your wings as directed but they have not reached the correct internal temperature, it is safe to air fry them for an additional five minutes without any worries. Dig In to Game Day-Ready Wings With an air fryer and a bag of frozen wings, great game day food is always within reach. This simple method delivers crispy, juicy chicken wings without the mess, cost, or planning ahead that other methods require. Whether you\u2019re hosting friends, feeding the family, or just craving wings on a busy night, this recipe makes it easy to go from freezer to table in minutes! Shop chicken wings for the big game \u2192<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":69275,"featured_media":107149,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2739,2792,2732],"tags":[3531,3251],"class_list":["post-107145","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-appetizers-recipes-2","category-game-day","category-recipes","tag-air-fryer","tag-wings"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freshdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/107145","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freshdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freshdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freshdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/69275"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freshdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=107145"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.freshdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/107145\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":107159,"href":"https:\/\/www.freshdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/107145\/revisions\/107159"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freshdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/107149"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freshdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=107145"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freshdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=107145"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freshdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=107145"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}