CRISPY Air Fryer Chicken Wings - The Recipe Rebel (2024)

FAQs

CRISPY Air Fryer Chicken Wings - The Recipe Rebel? ›

An equal amount of all-purpose flour and cornstarch provides both structure and crunch to the batter. Cornstarch is a go-to ingredient for many fried foods (think crispy chicken wings), and using it to bolster the crisping power of flour resulted in a thinner, crispier, and sturdier (yet still delicate) breading.

An equal amount of all-purpose flour and cornstarch provides both structure and crunch to the batter. Cornstarch is a go-to ingredient for many fried foods (think crispy chicken wings), and using it to bolster the crisping power of flour resulted in a thinner, crispier, and sturdier (yet still delicate) breading.

Place the chicken wings in the air fryer in a single layer, without touching too much. (Cook in batches if they don't fit.) Air fry the chicken wings for 15 minutes at 250 degrees F. (If your wings are frozen, add an extra 10 minutes at this step.)

The baking powder has a chemical reaction with the skin making it crispy. The cornstarch keeps water from ruining the crisping process making it even crispier. Both of those means these are the crispiest air fryer chicken wings I've ever made. After tasting the crunch, you taste the spices.

Don't overlap the wings.

Air fryers make foods crispy by circulating air around them, so if there's no room for air to circulate, the wings aren't going to crisp up.

If you already have a favorite fried chicken recipe, try replacing a quarter of the flour with cornstarch. For example, instead of 2 cups of all-purpose flour use 1 1/2 cups of flour and 1/2 cup of cornstarch. If you are looking for a good recipe, we highly recommend this one.

When mixed with the flour, the cornstarch makes the flour coating crispier and gives it that golden brown color! (It has to do with prevention of gluten development.) The baking powder reacts with the oil and creates tiny air bubbles, which also helps form a crispy coating.

Coating the chicken in cornstarch helps to develop a light, crisp crust all around the wings when they hit the hot oil.

What can I use instead of cornstarch for wings? ›

Cornstarch Substitute for Fried Foods

Try rice flour or potato flour instead of cornstarch to coat protein or veggies before frying. In a pinch, you can also use all-purpose flour, but your fried foods won't be as crispy.

Make sure to dry the wings thoroughly before air frying them, as any moisture can prevent them from becoming crispy and instead cause them to steam. Don't skip flipping the chicken wings, as it helps them brown evenly in the air fryer.

This was the easiest of the hacks: Just toss the wings in a teaspoon each of salt and baking powder before baking. The wings came out of the oven quite crisp, and were the only wings that came out matte – with no oil sheen – which seemed to help them absorb the sauce, in both good and bad ways.

A quick spritz of cooking spray on the bottom of the tray or on your food can help to promote crisping, but using too much cooking spray may damage your air frying tray or basket. Some of the ingredients in non-stick cooking spray may contribute to the chipping of the basket's coating, which may reduce its lifespan.

Both flour and cornstarch are used to coat chicken, fish, and vegetables before deep-frying. Cornstarch typically makes for a crispier finish than flour. Cornstarch absorbs moisture from the food and expands, giving deep-fried foods a crispy coating.

Flour — All-purpose flour or bread flour is perfect for fried chicken as it gives the chicken a golden-brown coating after being air-fried. It is also neutral in flavor, so it doesn't compete with the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika added to it.

Air fryers simple do not brown food since they rely on hot air to cook food through rather than longer exposure to heat like an oven. Fortunately, there is a trick that you can use to get good browning on foods cooked in the air fryer. Taste of Home suggests using a light spray of cooking oil.