I kinda went into making these easy chili-Ranch wings with low expectations. The recipe seemed pretty simple. But oh, did I ever love them. It helped that I’m a huge chili fan. Just two ingredients, chili powder and flour, made for great crunchy, flavorful wings. A little Ranch dressing on the side for dipping and I was one happy wing-aholic.
Go Big
I admit it, I added more chili powder than the recipe calls for. I’m not sure you’ll want to do that. Like I said, I love chili flavors. If you’re a fan but not a huge fan, just go with the recipe as it’s written and you’ll have great wings. You can always make them again. I did.
If you want to make your belly happy and as a bonus make your house smell amazing, make yourself a batch of these baked garlic and onion wings. Lots of garlic. Lots of onion. Heck, I’m not always a fan of baked wings but these made a believer out of me. They’re very flavorful. They’re cooked perfectly. Nice and tasty, I’d make these again.
Leave ’em alone
I do have one suggestion when you make your baked garlic and onion wings. Don’t flip them while they are baking. Just let them be. You turn them and they’ll lose a bit of that flavor. Not much, not enough to really notice, but you’ll see it. Heck, you can see it my picture. Believe me, they were still great, but if I learned something from a recipe, I’ll pass it along!
Preheat the oven to 375 F. Spray a small baking dish or pan with non-stick spray.
Place wings in a bowl. Drizzle with the oil and coat the wings well.
Combine the remaining ingredients and sprinkle over the wings. Use your hands to get the wings well covered in the mix. It'll be nice and thick, don't be afraid to use it all.
Transfer wings to the baking dish. I prefer to place the wings in skin-side up just so the skin cooks a bit more.
I almost crossed the line into grandma’s deep-fried chicken with these buttermilk fried chicken wings. Actually, I did cross the line. But that’s ok, I saved myself by drizzling traditional Buffalo wing sauce over these crunchy, tasty beauties before devouring them. Yeah, you sure can toss your battered wings in sauce, but beware! That lovely coating can be fragile. It doesn’t like being thrown hither and yon (which I think means tossed a lot). That’s why I prefer to drizzle the wings with sauce or dunk them in it instead.
A Fantastically Crunchy Tasty Wing
If you have some of your favorite wing seasoning on hand, I recommend substituting it for the salt and paprika when you make these buttermilk fried chicken wings. It’s a great way to create a sort of deep-fried ‘dry’ wing. Nothing wrong with salt and paprika, nope. But you bought that wing seasoning for a reason! Get it in the flour mix and don’t be shy with it!
If I’m cooking for a crowd, I’ll break out my big deep fryer. But if it’s just me, I’ll fire up my Fry Daddy fryer. It’s the perfect size. It fries everything perfectly. And as an added bonus, it doesn’t use a lot of oil, which saves me money. And more money means more wings!
If you have to fry in batches, keep the wings on a wire rack-covered baking sheet in an oven on the lowest temperature possible. They’ll stay warm that way while you cook the remaining wings. You’re better off frying in smaller batches than crowding your fryer. The wings won’t cook as evenly if there are too many cooking at once. Also, the more wings you add, the lower the oil temperature drops at first, resulting in uneven and imperfect cooking.
Perdue Hot ‘N Spicy Crispy Air Fryer wings really made me happy. I’m not usually impressed with frozen, prepared wings. They’re usually scrawny and tasteless. Not these. Not even close. These wings are definitely hot and spicy. They have a delicious, crunchy batter. They cook up in no time in an air fryer (you can also prepare them in the oven). The aroma as they cook is dream-worthy. And perhaps best of all, they are not scrawny! Nope, these are meaty, tender, juicy, tasty, crunchy wings! Score!
I was wrong, and I’m sorry
I didn’t have high expectations for these wings and I was wrong about them. If you like battered wings and are in a hurry, you can’t beat them. Eat them straight out of the air fryer, or do as I did and dunk them in a little Buffalo wing sauce and Ranch dressing. Whatever works for you!
Cook time
The packaging for Perdue Hot ‘N Spicy Crispy Air Fryer Wings says to cook them at 400 F for 16 minutes. Maybe it’s just my air fryer (which is a 1700 watt model), but I found that 14 minutes is better. The wings may not seem crunchy after the shorter time, but they do get crunchier as they cool a little. I thought they came out great. Any longer and they start to get a little dark. Not burned, just dark.
Perdue makes roasted and a lemon pepper versions of these wings. Try them. You’ll love them too and they’re great for your fear-the-heat friends!
Preheat your air fryer to 400 F per the manufacturer's instructions.
Add the wing pieces and cook for 16 minutes. Note: I prefer 14 minutes. I recommend checking them after 12 or so minutes to see if you are happy with the color of the wings and remove them before 16 minutes if desired.
Remove wings and let cool for 2 minutes before serving with your desired sauces.
Notes
Remember that if you have to refrigerate your open bottle of wing sauce, let it sit out on the counter for at least 30 minutes before using. You don’t want to ‘shock’ hot, just-cooked wings with a cold sauce.
I’m not particular when it comes to cooking my chicken wings. Baked, deep-fried, grilled, it makes no difference to me. As long as I’m eating wings I’m one happy guy! During the week, though, if I want wings for lunch I gotta go with a technique that gets wings done with minimum fuss so I can get back to work. That usually means air frying them. I prefer to start with fresh wings, but sometimes they just can’t be found, so I grab some out of the freezer. This is my go-to method. This is how to cook frozen wings in an air fryer.
It’s really easy
This is not a complicated process. There’s nothing fancy about cooking frozen wings in an air fryer. No defrosting. Just cook them up a bit, season them, finish the cooking and sauce them. I sometimes also add more seasoning at the end.
Wing selection
Frozen wings come ‘pumped’. That means they are injected with a broth-like solution that plumps them up and keeps them juicy after cooking. Most frozen turkeys come the same way so don’t let the words ‘contains chicken broth’ scare you off.
I prefer sections when I buy frozen wings. Drumettes and flats, separated. Whole wings are fine, but they’re a bit harder to put into a small air fryer without them overlapping. You don’t want your wings to overlap, you want nice even cooking.
Seasoning
I like to season my wings with a light hand at first. I don’t want the seasoning to burn in the air fryer. So I add a little after the wings have cooked just a bit. When they are done I can add more, along with sauce if I’m using it.
I usually use salt and pepper for my seasoning, but I like store-bought ones too. If I want to make a mix at home, my fire-eater seasoning is my favorite.
Do not add the seasoning when the wings are still fully frozen. It’ll just roll right off the wings.
Saucing
You can use any sauce you want, of course. For homemade Buffalo-style sauces, I’m a big fan of my copycat’s of Hooter’smedium and hot wing sauces.
Dipping
Blue cheese dressing or my copycat of Wingstop’sranch dressing make for great dipping sauces for your air-fried wings.
Cleaning up
I wipe my air fryer basket out after each ‘fry’. Every few cooks I’ll put the basket into the dishwasher for a good cleaning. But, I never put it directly into the dishwasher without wiping it out first. I don’t want all of that chicken grease in my dishwasher or my pipes. Check your air fryer’s cleaning recommendations for further information about cleaning your particular model.
Add wings to the fryer basket and cook for 10 minutes. Do not overlap the wings. Try to not let them touch each other or the sides of the basket so that they cook evenly.
Use tongs to remove the wings to a bowl. Sprinkle with your wing seasoning and toss to coat.
Return to the air fryer and continue cooking another 10 minutes or until the wings are golden brown.
Remove from the air fryer. Toss with more seasoning and/or sauce and serve.
Notes
Do not thaw the wings ahead of time. You will cook them directly from the freezer.
The air fryer does a great job making great wings. With little effort they come out crispy and juicy. Here lately I’ve found myself badly addicted to rotisserie chicken seasoning. There’s something about the aroma and taste that really appeals to me. You get that slow-roasted chicken flavor and aroma. There’s a wonderfully fantastic golden color. Your mouth begins to water long before you take that first bite. On wings, it’s fantastic. These rotisserie-seasoned air fryer wings smell and taste just like the chicken you can get at your supermarket.
Oh, That Crunchy Delicious Skin!
Besides that great classic flavor, these rotisserie-seasoned air fryer wings have super crunchy, delicious skin. You’re definitely going to think you’re eating battered deep-fried chicken. But you’re not. Just a little seasoning and baking powder goes into making these wings fantastic. You ‘dry’ the wings for a short time in the fridge before cooking them. That helps ensure that the skins will get nice and crunchy. So does the baking powder, mixed into the seasoning. Finally, when the wings are cooked to perfection, and while they’re still hot, you sprinkle them with a bit more of the seasoning.
Consistent Cooking Every Time: The Dash Deluxe Air…
Simple Operation, Tasty Results: This compact…
No Dipping Sauce Needed
You can serve these wings ‘dry’, without any dipping sauces. They’re delicious just straight up seasoned and nothing else. You can also serve them with a bit of blue cheese or ranch dressing for a little dipping action if you’d like. You can also have a little wing sauce on the side for dunking.
I like to put my sauces in these little cups. They’re the perfect size for my wings. I use them for ranch, blue cheese, Buffalo sauce… whatever.
Pat the wings dry with a paper towel and place into a medium bowl.
Combine the baking powder and 1 teaspoon of the seasoning. Sprinkle over the wing parts and toss well to coat.
Transfer wings to a plate and cover with paper towel. Place in refrigerator for 1-2 hours to help dry the skin.
Preheat your air fryer to 360 F. Lightly spray the basket with non-stick spray.
Add the wings. Cook for 10 minutes.
Flip the wings and cook for another 10 minutes.
Increase the air fryer temperature to 400 F. Flip the wings and cook another 4-6 minutes or until the wings are done and the skin is golden brown and crispy.
Remove the wings to a medium bowl. Sprinkle with the remaining seasoning and toss to coat. Serve immediately.
Notes
I prefer to season my wings immediately after cooking them. The seasoning will stick to the surface of the hot wings better than if you wait until they cool off.
When I was knee-high to a grasshopper, like about 5th grade, I absolutely loved the peg legs at Long John Silver’s. They were battered, fried chicken legs. They’re now called ‘planks’ and are made with boneless chicken. Well, phooey! They took away my fun. Well, that’s ok, I love wings now more than legs anyway. But I still love battered and fried chicken, so … yep, I made beer-battered wings! Kinda like the peg legs of my childhood, but with yummy, juicy wings instead! And yes, beer. I don’t think LJS used beer back in the day. Or ever. Maybe they should have!
Malt Vinegar. Yes. Malt Vinegar.
Since I’ve already upset the traditional wing gods by making beer-battered wings, there’s no reason in stopping there. There’s only one thing you can serve with these delicious, packed-with-flavor wings and that’s malt vinegar. Your brain is gonna think fish-and-chips but your mouth is gonna scream ‘yummy wings!’. Pour it on top or serve it on the side for dipping. Yummy malt vinegar makes these wings even better.
Malt Vinegar Aioli. Yes. Malt Vinegar Aioli.
If you really want to take these wings even further, even greater, dip them in malt vinegar aioli. It’s like malt vinegar taken to a whole new level. A new place. A place of greatness. And it’s gonna maybe seem a little odd for dipping wings but you gotta try it. It’s easy to make so why not?
If I’m cooking for a crowd, I’ll break out my big deep fryer. But, if it’s just me, I’ll fire up my Fry Daddy fryer. It’s the perfect size. It fries everything perfectly. And as an added bonus, it doesn’t use a lot of oil, which saves me money. And that means I can buy more wings.
It’s not so much that I was seeking out a low-carb alternative to my deep-fried wing recipes. I don’t usually coat my wings so heavily that carbs are something I consider. But I was looking for something different. Pork panko, well, that’s different so that’s how I ended up here. Deep-fried pork panko wings are just like the ‘regular’ panko ones, just low-carb and I would actually say they are a bit better.
Different. In A Good Way.
As you might expect the flavor of the pork rinds makes these deep-fried pork panko wings a bit different than their bread flake-breaded cousins. I think the coating is also a bit moister, juicier. I’d serve these and watch people take that first bite, expecting the ‘usual’ bread or panko flavor and texture. Then spring the news on them! It’s pork rinds! Oh my!
This copycat recipe of KFC honey BBQ wings was some of the best deep-fried wings I’ve ever had. The coating is crazy crunchy and flavorful. It ‘bites’ thru perfectly. No fear of taking a bite and having the entire batter come off at once. And the sauce? My goodness me. The sauce starts with a store-bought sauce, adds a few ingredients, and ends up being just out-of-this-world great. I’d use the sauce on anything that requires a good, thick, smoky BBQ sauce. On these wings it’s perfect. These are finger-licking good wings if ever there were any!
These Wings Are Crazy Good
If you don’t follow Todd Wilbur, you should. He is the master of everything copycat. From restaurant dishes, like this copycat recipe of KFC honey BBQ wings, to copycat grocery store items, and a whole lot more, Todd has it going on. Like with everything else of his I’ve made, he nailed this recipe and technique perfectly. I loved these wings. They’re a real winner.
What Big Wings You Have
The batter on these wings make them get nice and big when they fry up. Even if you start with scrawny wings (which you should not, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do), you’re going to end up with large wings. This isn’t a bad thing. But maybe something to keep in mind when you go to serve them. When you might normally give someone 5 wings (just sayin’) you might go with 4. And if you’re serving them with a dipping sauce, like blue cheese or ranch, you’ll likely need extra!
If I’m cooking for a crowd, I’ll break out my big deep fryer. But, if it’s just me, I’ll fire up my Fry Daddy fryer. It’s the perfect size. It fries everything perfectly. And as an added bonus, it doesn’t use a lot of oil, which saves me money. And that means I can buy more wing!
Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan over low heat. Bring to a simmer and continue simmering for 20 minutes, stirring often.
Keep sauce warm until ready to use.
For the wings
Pre-heat oven to 350 F. Lightly spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray.
Pre-heat oil in a deep fryer or Dutch oven to 350 F.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt and pepper.
Place the buttermilk in a separate bowl.
Coat the wings in the flour mixture. Shake off any excess and transfer to the buttermilk.
Coat the wings in the buttermilk. Shake off any excess then return to the flour mixture.
Shake off any excess flour. Working in batches if needed, fry the wings 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
Brush the wings with the BBQ sauce. You can also gently toss the wings in the sauce, but I prefer to brush the sauce onto the wings.
Place wings on the baking sheet and place in the oven for 10 minutes to 'set' the sauce.
Serve hot and enjoy!
Notes
Serve your wings with extra sauce on the side for dipping!
I’m gonna be straight-up. I thought these baked coconut mango wings were delicious. I loved them. I’m not usually a big baked wings fan, but they were packed with island-inspired flavor with golden-brown lightly crunchy skin and moist, tender meat. It was the dipping sauce that threw me. Maybe it’s because 99% of the time I dip my wings in blue cheese or ranch salad dressing. I’m not sure, but I wasn’t a fan. I’d make these wings again, but I’d use the sauce as additional marinade instead. You might feel differently, but it’s my job to be up-front and honest.
Delicious… and Pretty
The gorgeous color on these baked coconut mango wings comes from the annatto in the Sazon seasoning. It’s the same stuff that’s used to color other foods, like making cheddar cheese orange. Yeah, it’s really white. Go figure. Why do orange-ish foods taste better? I’m not sure, but they do. And they look better too.
