Cookin' Fools
Classic buffalo wings go from the freezer to the air fryer to the plate in a matter of minutes. We show the step by step process to get your buffalo wing fix when all you have is frozen wings and an air fryer. Stay tuned for frozen chicken wings in the air fryer.
We’ve all been there. Jonesing for some wings but all that’s available is in the freezer which means an hour of thawing them out, plus the cooking process. Nobody has any time for that. With an air fryer, we can have buffalo wings in about 20 minutes.
If you are interested in other chicken wings recipes, then let me help with these garlic parmesan chicken wings. Or maybe, give these smoked chicken wings with an orange soda hot sauce a go? Or, if you are looking for something more elaborate yet oh so warm and filling, give this Easy Chicken Pot Pie Recipe a go.
Scroll down for the step by step, picture by picture, foolproof cooking instructions
Frozen Chicken Wings in the Air Fryer Ingredients
Chicken Wings:
- 2 lb frozen chicken wings
- 1 T olive oil
- 1 t paprika
- ½ t black pepper
- 1 t onion powder
- 1.25 t garlic powder
- 1 t kosher salt
Honey Buffalo Sauce**:
- ¼ C Frank’s RedHot
- 2 T melted butter
- 2 T honey**
Accoutrements:
- Ranch or blue cheese dressing celery sticks and/or carrot sticks for serving
** Maybe honey buffalo sauce isn’t your thing. You’re a traditionalist. Then skip the honey. I highly recommend giving it a try though. That honey just makes this hit different.
Frozen Chicken Wings in the Air Fryer Directions
Place the frozen wings in the air fryer basket. Cook at 400F for 9-10 minutes until chicken defrosts. Then remove the chicken wings and place them in a bowl. Also, drain any liquid that accumulated in the air fryer basket. Add the oil, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper to the chicken wings and toss until the wings are coated. Place the wings back in the air fryer basket and cook at 400F for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the wings are crispy and cooked to an internal temperature of 165F. Toss in buffalo sauce, if desired, or serve them naked.
Thaw the Frozen Chicken Wings
Thus, the air fryer pulls double duty for this recipe. It will thaw the wings and then it will cook them to crispy deliciousness.
First, drop in as many wings that can cover the bottom of the air fryer basket:
Cook the wings at 400F for 9-10 minutes to thaw them.
Once the frozen chicken wings are thawed, remove them from the air fryer basket and place them in a bowl.
Additionally, remove any liquid from the air fryer basket.
Add the oil, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper to the bowl of thawed chicken wings.
Toss the wings and then work them around with your hand (or tongs) to completely coat them with the oil and seasoning:
Back in the Air Fryer
Next, place the wings back in the air fryer basket:
Then, cook the chicken wings at 400F for 10-12 minutes, flipping them over after about 5-6 minutes:
Feel free to serve these naked (the wings, no you… or maybe you. Indeed, I don’t judge. You do you, boo) or make the honey buffalo sauce
Honey Buffalo Sauce
Mix the Frank’s RedHot Buffalo wing sauce, melted butter, and honey together in a bowl and blend well:
Subsequently, if adding a little honey to the buffalo sauce isn’t your thing, feel free to omit the sauce and go traditional.
Give the honey a chance just once. Trust me here.
Toss the wings in the buffalo sauce and serve with blue cheese (as God intended) or Ranch as well as celery and/or carrots:
Now, go enjoy your quarter order of honey buffalo wings.
While you are munching on these, thaw the next batch and repeat 4 or 5 times or until full.
Frozen Chicken Wings in the Air Fryer Recap:
What can I say? These are classic chicken wings, albeit much faster than we would get if we thawed the frozen wings the traditional way. Also these are a lot less mess than if they were deep fried, but still pretty crispy. The honey buffalo wing sauce is indeed everything that buffalo sauce is (which we love) plus some wonderful sweetness and a bit of thickness thanks to that texture and sugar of the honey.
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Recipe Card:
Frozen Chicken Wings in the Air Fryer
Ingredients
Method
- Place the frozen wings in the air fryer basket. Cook the wings at 400F for 9-10 minutes until defrosted.
- Remove the chicken wings and place them in a bowl. Drain any liquid that accumulated in the air fryer basket. Add the oil, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper to the chicken wings and toss until the wings are coated
- Place the wings back in the air fryer basket and cook at 400F for 10-12 minutes, flipping the wings at 5-6 minutes, until the wings are crispy and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165F
- Serve the wings naked (the wings, not you) or toss in honey buffalo sauce
- Mix the Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Wing Sauce, melted butter, and honey together in a bowl and blend thoroughly. Toss the wings in the bowl to coat completely
- Serve the honey buffalo chicken wings with Blue Cheese or Ranch dressing, celery sticks and/or carrot sticks. Enjoy
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