For years, I’d been reading all kinds of tricks for making crispy chicken wings. Add baking powder lah. Double fry lah. Steam them lah. Dry them overnight in the fridge. Aiyo, so much work!
After some experimenting, I stumbled upon this SIMPLE method to make the crispiest airfryer chicken wings – with a fraction of the effort.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Wonderfully crispy without deep frying. A light coating of seasoned rice flour gives the wings beautifully crisp skin without a heavy batter.
- No baking powder or baking soda needed. Just a handful of everyday pantry ingredients and your trusty air fryer.
- Minimal effort, maximum reward. Coat the wings, let them rest while you get on with other things, then air fry until golden.
- Juicy inside, crispy outside. Cutting a few slits into the wings helps the seasoning penetrate deeper, giving you flavour all the way to the bone.
- Perfect for weeknight dinners or parties. Serve them on their own, with fries, or alongside rice like my Nasi Goreng Sambal Hijau.
What you’ll need
Chicken wings I’ve found that mid-joints and drumettes cook especially evenly in the air fryer. One important – cut slits into the wings to allow deeper flavour penetration. If your wings are particularly large, simply increase the cooking time by a few minutes. If you have other chicken parts (bone-in please), just cut them smaller so that they can cook through.
Rice flour creates a lighter, crispier coating than plain flour. It doesn’t become thick or cakey, so the chicken still tastes like… well, chicken.
Seasonings This recipe keeps things simple with soy sauce, salt, garlic powder and white pepper. Together they provide plenty of flavour without overpowering the chicken.
Oil A light drizzle of oil helps the flour coating brown evenly and develop a lovely crisp finish.
How to make them
Very important, cut small incisions/slits in the chicken wings before you marinate them. Then dredge them in a seasoned flour and leave them aside for at least half an hour. Then drizzle over a little oil and pop them into the airfryer.
In less than half an hour, you’ll get some of the crispiest wings you’ll ever make.
The coating is so light that it almost disappear into the skin. No thick batter or overly greasy skin.
Just juicy chicken with beautifully crisp edges.
Key tips
1. Don’t overcoat the wings. A light dusting produces a crispier result.
2. Letting the coated wings rest is one of the biggest secrets to getting an even crust.
3. Avoid overcrowding the air fryer basket. Leave space for the hot air to circulate.
4. Different air fryers cook differently, so check the wings during the last few minutes.
These airfryer crispy chicken wings go beautifully with my nasi goreng sambal hijau!
Airfryer Crispy Chicken Wings
Equipment
- Airfryer
- Mixing bowl
- 2 pieces baking paper To line the basket below and collect the oil drippings
Ingredients
- 500 g chicken wings
- 2 tbsp light soya sauce
- 4-5 tbsp rice flour or as needed
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp white pepper
- 1-2 tbsp cooking oil
Instructions
- Pat the chicken wings dry with kitchen paper. Make tiny slits in each piece of chicken. This allows the marinade to penetrate deeper.
- Drizzle with light soya sauce and massage through.
- Mix together the rice flour, salt, garlic powder and white pepper in a separate bowl.
- Lightly dredge each wing until just coated. Shake off excess flour - you want a thin, even layer rather than a thick crust.
- Let the coated wings rest for 15-20 minutes. This allows the coating to hydrate and cling better to the chicken.
- Drizzle over the oil and toss gently until the wings are lightly coated.
- Arrange the wings in a single layer in your air fryer basket.
- Air fry at 190°C for about 22-28 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden brown and cooked through.
Notes
Airfryer Crispy Chicken Wings - Quick FAQ
1. Why use rice flour instead of plain flour?
Rice flour produces a lighter, crunchier coating that stays crisp without becoming heavy.2. How can I boost the flavour even more?
If you have time, brine the wings in salted water for up to two hours. Just pat the wings dry thoroughly before coating them with the rice flour mixture.3. Why should I let the coated wings sit first?
Resting allows the flour to absorb a little moisture from the chicken so it adheres better. The coating is less likely to fall off during cooking and browns more evenly.4. Can I use other seasonings?
Definitely. Smoked paprika, onion powder, cayenne pepper or your favourite spice blend all work well. You can also use fish sauce instead of light soya sauce as the base marinade. This recipe is an excellent base that you can customise.
Alexandra Wong is a Malaysian food writer, recipe developer and the author behind Cook With Ipohbunny. She shares practical family recipes, restaurant recreations and home-cooking tips inspired by Malaysian Chinese cuisine.