Air fryers have become an increasingly popular kitchen appliance for making quick and delicious meals. One of the most common foods people like to make in air fryers is chicken wings! The bella pro series air fryers are great for cooking up crispy, juicy chicken wings right at home.
Cooking chicken wings in an air fryer is a fast and easy process that results in wings that are perfectly crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Air frying wings requires minimal oil and creates way less of a mess than deep frying. The bella pro series air fryers are equipped with rapid air circulation technology that crisps up wings to perfection.
In this article, we will provide a step-by-step guide on how to cook delicious chicken wings in a bella pro series air fryer. We will go over the ingredients and tools you need, seasoning and sauce recommendations, how to arrange the wings in the air fryer, timing, flipping tips, and how to get the best crispiness. Let’s get cooking!
Benefits of Cooking Wings in an Air Fryer
Here are some of the great benefits of cooking chicken wings in a bella pro series air fryer:
– Requires little to no oil for crisping – Air fryers cook food with rapid hot air circulation rather than submerging food in oil. This means you get that delicious crunch without all the extra calories and mess of deep frying. The bella pro series air fryers are specially designed to get wings ultra crispy with minimal oil usage.
– Quick and easy – Wings cook up fast in the air fryer, usually taking around 20-30 minutes total. The preparation is also easy with no need to monitor a pot of hot oil.
– Even cooking – The bella pro series air fryers have special heating elements and powerful fans that circulate air evenly throughout the fryer basket. This allows the wings to cook thoroughly and crisp up nicely on all sides.
– Less messy – With no need for huge amounts of oil, air frying wings creates way less splatter and cleanup than deep frying. The air fryer contains any mess.
– Versatile appliance – The bella pro series air fryers can be used to make a wide variety of foods beyond wings, like fries, veggies, seafood, meat and more. It’s a great multi-purpose kitchen tool.
Ingredients Needed
Here are the main ingredients you will need to make air fryer chicken wings:
– Chicken wings – Look for fresh, good quality wings. You can use a variety of chicken wing sections like drumettes, flats, or a mix. Make sure the wings are patted dry before seasoning and cooking.
– Oil – You will need just a small amount of oil to coat the wings before air frying. Any neutral cooking oil like vegetable, canola or avocado oil works well.
– Seasonings – The great thing about air fryer wings is that you can flavor them with endless seasoning combinations! Some popular options include salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, chili powder, jerk seasoning, Italian seasoning, etc.
– Sauce (optional) – Tossing the cooked wings with a sauce is tasty. Some sauce ideas are Buffalo, barbecue, teriyaki, honey mustard, ranch, blue cheese, etc.
Recommended Equipment
Having the right kitchen tools makes cooking the wings easier:
– Bella pro series air fryer – This is the star of the show! Any model in this line will work great. Just make sure you get the right size to fit the desired number of wings.
– Cooking spray – Use to lightly grease the air fryer basket before adding wings. Helps prevent sticking.
– Large bowl – For tossing the wings with oil and seasonings.
– Tongs or fork – Helpful for flipping and moving the wings. Tongs work best.
– Baking sheet – Place wings on here after removing from fryer to let excess grease drip off.
– Paper towels – To blot any excess oil or grease from the cooked wings.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these simple steps for flawlessly cooked air fryer chicken wings:
1. Pat dry wings and trim off any excess skin or tips. Make sure the wings are thoroughly dried before seasoning. Wet wings will cause excessive steaming.
2. Place wings in a large bowl. Drizzle a small amount of oil over the wings, about 1-2 tbsp for every 1 lb of wings. Toss to evenly coat the wings in the oil. The thin layer of oil helps the wings get crispy.
3. Add your desired seasonings to the bowl. Sprinkle the dry seasoning generously over the wings and toss again until they are evenly coated in the spices and oil.
4. Lightly spray or brush the inside of the air fryer basket with cooking spray. This prevents sticking.
5. Place the wings in a single layer in the air fryer basket, making sure not to overcrowd them. Overcrowding prevents even cooking. Cook wings in batches for best results.
6. Set the air fryer temperature to 390°F-400°F. Recommended cook times:
– Drumettes: 18-22 minutes
– Flats: 14-16 minutes
– Mixed wings: 16-20 minutes
7. For the first 5-8 minutes of cook time, frequently check on the wings and shake the basket or toss the wings with tongs. This ensures even browning.
8. When the wings are halfway done, flip each wing over using tongs. Cook until crisp and golden brown on both sides.
9. When finished cooking, immediately transfer wings to a baking sheet to let excess grease drain off.
10. optionally, toss cooked wings with your favorite sauce! Serve wings hot and enjoy!
Tips for the Best Results
Use these handy tips for ultra crispy, juicy air fryer chicken wings:
– Pat the wings very dry before any oil or seasoning goes on them. Moisture prevents crisping.
– Don’t overcrowd the wings in the basket. They need room to get evenly crisped.
– Frequently shake and rotate the wings during the first half of cook time. This prevents sticking.
– Flip the wings halfway through – don’t skip this step! Gets both sides evenly browned.
– Always let wings drain after cooking to remove excess grease.
– If wings aren’t as crispy as you’d like, cook for a couple extra minutes until desired crispness is reached.
– For an extra kick of flavor, toss cooked wings in wing sauce right before serving.
-Adjust cook times as needed based on the size of your wings and your taste preferences.
– Add spices/sauces to your liking. Experiment with different combinations!
Common FAQs
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about making air fryer chicken wings:
How do you know when the wings are done?
The wings are fully cooked when they register an internal temperature of at least 165°F with a food thermometer inserted into the thickest part. Visually, they will be browned and crispy on the outside.
What temperature should I set the air fryer to?
390-400°F is ideal for crisping up the wings nicely.
How much oil do you need?
You only need about 1-2 tbsp of oil per 1 lb of wings. This thin coating is enough to get them crispy.
What’s the best oil to use?
Any high smoke point, neutral oil like canola, vegetable, avocado or grapeseed oil. Olive oil can also work.
How long does it take to cook wings in an air fryer?
Cook times range from 14-22 minutes depending on the size and style of wings. Check for doneness at the shorter cook time.
Should you flip the wings during cooking?
Yes, flipping halfway through is important to cook both sides evenly. Use tongs to flip.
Can you put raw wings in the air fryer frozen?
No, always thaw wings fully before air frying for food safety and even cooking.
Do air fryer wings need oil?
A small amount of oil helps the wings get crispy. Completely oil-free often leads to drier, less crispy results.
What happens if you overcrowd the air fryer?
Overcrowding prevents even crisping and thorough cooking. Always cook wings in a single layer with space between each.
Conclusion
Cooking wings in the bella pro series air fryers results in perfectly crispy, mess-free chicken wings in way less time than deep frying or oven baking. Follow the steps in this guide for evenly browned, juicy wings everyone will love. Experiment with fun seasoning blends and sauces to add variety. Enjoy your quick and easy homemade wings courtesy of your bella pro series air fryer!