Ninja Foodi Chicken wings are easy to make for a party, game day, or even the Super Bowl! With crispy outside skin and juicy inside meat, this is the crave-worthy wing recipe you've been looking for! Make them in about 30 minutes!
Want this recipe sent to you?
I'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later! (Check your spam if you have Gmail!)
This post may contain paid links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. For more information, please read my disclaimer.
Jump to:
- Why You Have to Make These Air Fryer Chicken Wings
- Ingredients & Substitutions
- How to Make This Air Fryer Chicken Wings Recipe
- What to Serve With Chicken Wings
- Expert Tips for Making the Best Air Fryer Wings
- Make Ahead, Storing, and Reheating Tips
- Recipe FAQs
- Other Ninja Foodi Recipes You Have to Try!
- Ninja Foodi Chicken Wings Recipe (Air Fryer)
Why You Have to Make These Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Here are the top 5 reasons to make these crispy wings in your Ninja Foodi Air Fryer:
- Simple ingredients and easy to make - even from frozen! These naked wings have no breading, no baking powder, and no flour needed.
- Restaurant quality - This recipe tastes like it came from your favorite wing spot - you won't believe you just made them at home!
- Best flavor and texture! Air frying is the best method for wings and our favorite sauce, homemade wing sauce, makes these Ninja Foodi wings delicious!
- Ninja Foodi chicken wings are a crowd-pleaser! They are perfect to serve for game night or game day, a party or family gathering, or even Super Bowl parties!
- No breading, oil, or deep frying - these are made super crispy using air-fried technology.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here are the ingredients you need to make this recipe. Reference the recipe card at the bottom for exact measurements and the notes below for substitution ideas.
When shopping for chicken wings, look for fresh wings in the meat section, not the Tyson version in the freezer. You can usually find them in a value pack if you want to make a larger quantity. Full wings or drums and flats are your preference.
Salt and pepper (not shown above) help to season the chicken wings.
You can make our homemade wing sauce with butter, ranch seasoning, BBQ sauce, buffalo sauce, or Frank's Red Hot Sauce. It is the best sauce for wings!
Or, try your favorite flavors! Lemon pepper wings, Asian-seasoned wings with teriyaki sauce, garlic powder flavored, or spicy wings are all flavors you can try. Or, choose your favorite store-bought wing sauce to try!
How to Make This Air Fryer Chicken Wings Recipe
Below are step-by-step instructions for how to cook this recipe with the best results. The recipe card at the bottom shows the exact cooking time and temperatures.
Step 1 - Prepare and Season the Chicken
Allow the wings to come to room temperature before air frying. Pat wings dry with paper towels.
Spray the outside of the wings with non-stick cooking spray. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
Step 2 - Making the Wing Sauce
Mix the sauce ingredients until they are well incorporated and then set the dish aside.
Step 3 - How Long Does it Take to Cook Chicken Wings in the Air Fryer?
Place wings in the air fryer basket and do not crowd them, rather, cook them in one layer. Air fry at 360F for 12 minutes. Flip the meat and cook it for another 12 minutes.
Step 4 - Final Crisping and Saucing - the Secret to the Best Chicken Wings!
To get crispy skin, crisp the wings one final time for 3-5 minutes at 390F. Remove from the crisper and put them into a large bowl with the sauce. Coat the wings evenly with sauce and serve immediately.
What to Serve With Chicken Wings
Pair this recipe with potato wedges or my roasted potato salad and some air fryer broccoli and you will have an incredibly flavorful, family-approved meal!
Serve your favorite dipping sauces alongside these Ninja Foodi chicken wings. Dip in blue cheese dressing, ranch dressing, barbecue sauce, or more wing sauce.
Expert Tips for Making the Best Air Fryer Wings
- For best results, follow the recipe card as written without substituting.
- The buffalo wings are cooked when a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the wing registers an internal temperature of 165 F.
- If you prefer a dry wing, try omitting the sauces and using the ranch mix as a dry rub.
- Allow wings to come to room temperature before air frying.
- For ultimate crispness: air fry wings in one layer giving space between each one. Also, pat dry each one with a paper towel before seasoning with salt & pepper.
Make Ahead, Storing, and Reheating Tips
- Make Ahead: Wings may be prepped and seasoned ahead and put on a baking sheet on a paper towel. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to a day ahead of air frying.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
- Reheating: Reheat leftovers by using the air crisp function at 360F for 3-5 minutes or until heated through and crispy. I do not recommend microwaving leftovers.
Recipe FAQs
Make sure the chicken is air-fried in one layer and not overlapping. This allows the air to circulate around the whole wing and provide a nice, crispy outside skin.
Cooking chicken wings in the air fryer is the best way to get that delicious crisp without frying them.
I start with the cooking time of 12 minutes per side at a temp of 360 F, using the Ultrean air fryer. Finally, I give them one final crisp with the air crisp function for 6 minutes at 390F.
The secret to the perfect wing is to cook the wings after you've seasoned them with sea salt and pepper, but haven't coated them with sauce yet. Air frying chicken wings with sauce will burn the sauce and cause a mess.
I've found success in using the Ultrean Air Fryer, Instant Pot Duo Crisp, and with the Ninja Foodi. The biggest difference to me has been the size of the appliance used.
Using a smaller air fryer will cook the wings the fastest.
The Ninja Grill and Ninja Foodi XL Pro Air Oven are two newer models that will cook a larger quantity of wings at one time.
Also, using an oven with an air fryer function will take longer. Larger models have more cooking space and more area to heat.
Depending on the model you use will determine how many will fit in the basket. Air fry in one single layer with a small space between each piece to ensure proper cooking.
Smaller air fryers may take more than one batch to complete, while larger models or using an oven with an air fryer function may take longer.
You can make these straight from frozen but will need to add additional time to account for the frozen meat.
Start with an additional 5 minutes per side and be sure to get the internal temperature to 165 F to ensure doneness.
To avoid dry wings, keep an eye on the time. At the low end of the time, temp the chicken to see how close it is to 165 F.
Always err on the side of less time and a meat thermometer to tell you when the chicken is cooked.
Since the wings are cooked before they are sauced, there is no need to line the basket with foil.
However, to avoid sticking, spray the outside of the meat with non-stick cooking spray before air frying.
Other Ninja Foodi Recipes You Have to Try!
If you've made this recipe, would you please leave a star rating and comment below on the recipe card? If you want more simple + delicious eats, please subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for the latest updates.
Ninja Foodi Chicken Wings Recipe (Air Fryer)
Equipment
- Instant Pot, Pressure Cooker or Ninja Foodi
Ingredients
- 16 oz chicken wings
- ¼ cup butter
- 2 teaspoon Frank's Red Hot Sauce
- ¼ cup BBQ Sauce
- ½ packet ranch seasoning or dip mix
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Allow wings to come to room temperature and then pat wings dry. Season with salt and pepper.16 oz chicken wings, salt and pepper
- Mix together sauce ingredients until well incorporated and set aside.¼ cup butter, 2 teaspoon Frank's Red Hot Sauce, ¼ cup BBQ Sauce, ½ packet ranch seasoning or dip mix
- Add wings to the Ninja Foodi and do not crowd them. Cook them in one layer. Air fry at 360 F for 12 minutes. Flip the meat and cook for another 12 minutes.
- Crisp the wings one final time for 3-5 minutes at 390F. Remove from crisper and put into a bowl with sauce. Coat wings evenly with sauce and serve immediately.
Notes
- Allow wings to come to room temperature before air frying.
- For super crispy wings: air fry wings in one layer giving space between each one. Also, pat dry each one with a paper towel before seasoning with salt & pepper.
- Make Ahead: Wings may be prepped and seasoned ahead and put on a baking sheet on a paper towel. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to a day ahead of air frying.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
- Reheating: Reheat leftovers in the air fryer at 360F for 3-5 minutes or until heated through and crispy. Do not microwave to reheat.
Want this recipe sent to you?
I'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later! (Check your spam if you have Gmail!)
Marc says
These wings were delicious, I couldn't even tell they were done in an Air Fryer!
Lyndsey says
Glad you enjoyed!