Crispy golden chicken wings cooked in the air fryer or oven then tossed in a simple garlic butter parmesan coating. These wings are so moreish! Great as a starter, a buffet food or party food.
Chicken wings are arguably the most popular, inexpensive, and easy-to-make party food! I have a few variations of chicken wings on here already (check out the gallery further down) but there’s nothing like a classic, garlicky, cheesy chicken wing.
They’re also super simple to make and can be made in either the oven or the air fryer. They also make fantastic leftovers, sometimes the kids even take a few to school with them for lunch.
📋 Ingredients
Wings
Baking Powder – Use aluminium-free baking powder for this recipe if you can. Baking powder that contains aluminium (sodium aluminium sulfate or E521) can cause a metallic taste to certain people who are sensitive to it.
Coating
Butter, Parmesan and Garlic – for the basic coating
Seasonings – Add salt and pepper to the garlic parmesan butter to your taste. Dried parsley also gives a vibrant bit of colour to the coating.
How to make it:
***Full recipe with detailed steps in the recipe card at the end of this post***
- First, prep the chicken wings by cutting them at the joint so you have a wing and a drumette. Then, dry off and toss with the coating ingredients before cooking in the air fryer or oven.
Find the joint
Cutting at joint
Tossing the wings with seasoning and baking powder
- In the last few minutes of cooking, place the butter and garlic in a pan and heat until it melts together, then take off the heat, and add the parmesan and seasonings.
- Once cooked, take the chicken wings out of the air fryer or oven and toss with the garlic parmesan butter until coated evenly, and serve.
Pro Tip
These wings can be made in the oven if you don’t have access to an air fryer, see the notes section of the recipe card further below for more information.
They make a fantastic appetiser or game day treat, but equally, they make a fab treat dinner served with a few sides.
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🍽️ What to serve it with
The whole family completely devour these wings and they’re so simple to prepare (with none of the grease splatters from fried wings).
🍲 More Wonderful Wings
? Frequently Asked Questions
I prefer these wings fresh out of the air fryer, but you can make the wings ahead.
Cook, then cool, cover and refrigerate for up to a day. Reheat them in the air fryer for about 5-6 minutes at 200C/400F until they’re crisp again, then add the garlic parmesan topping.
Yes!
Add an extra tablespoon of baking powder when tossing the wings in the coating (the oven doesn’t get them quite as crispy as the air fryer, so this ensures extra crispness). Then cook as follows:
Preheat the oven to 120C/250F (fan) and place a rack on a large baking tray.
Place the coated wings in a single layer on the rack, skin side up. It’s fine for them to be touching.
Place on the lower shelf of the oven for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, turn the oven up to 220C/425F (fan) and rotate the tray for even cooking. Cook for a further 45-50 minutes until the wings are lightly golden and crispy.
Toss in the garlic-parmesan coating.
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The Garlic parmesan Butter
Make the crispy chicken wings
-
Cut each wing at the joint so you have a mini wing and a drumette.
1 kg (2.2lb) chicken wings
-
Dry the wings with paper towels, then place in a large bowl and add the baking powder, salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Note – it’s important to dry the wings first so they only get a light coating.
1 level tbsp aluminium-free baking powder*, ½ tsp table salt, ½ tsp pepper
-
Add to air fryer, cook for 30-35 minutes at 210C/410F, shaking the basket every 10 minutes. NOTE: This method is using the air fryer, see the notes for the instructions for baking the wings in the oven
Make the garlic parmesan butter
-
In the last 5 minutes of the wings cooking make the garlic parmesan coating. Place the butter and garlic in a small saucepan and heat over a low-medium heat until the butter melts. Then continue to gently cook for 2 minutes stirring occasionally, to lightly sauté the garlic.
90 g (3.1oz )unsalted butter, 3 cloves garlic
-
Remove the pan from the heat and add in the parmesan, parsley, salt and pepper and stir everything together until fully combined.
50 g 1/2 cup) parmesan, 1 tsp dried parsley, 1/4 tsp table salt, 1/4 tsp pepper
-
Place the wings in a bowl and pour over the garlic parmesan butter, toss together and then use a pastry brush to make sure all the wings are coated evenly. Then serve.
Use aluminium-free baking powder for this recipe if you can. Baking powder that contains aluminium (sodium aluminium sulfate or E521) can cause a metallic taste to certain people who are sensitive to it.
- Also be sure to use baking powder, NOT baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
- I usually use 2 tbsp for the oven-baked chicken wings recipe but the air fryer gets things crispier, so you can use less.
Can I make wings ahead?
I prefer these wings fresh out of the air fryer, but you can make the wings ahead.
Cook, then cool, cover and refrigerate for up to a day. Reheat them in the air fryer for about 5-6 minutes at 200C/400F until they’re crisp again, then add the garlic parmesan topping.
Can I bake the wings in the oven instead of the air fryer?
Yes!
Add an extra tablespoon of baking powder when tossing the wings in the coating (the oven doesn’t get them quite as crispy as the air fryer, so this ensures extra crispness). Then cook as follows:
- Preheat the oven to 120C/250F (fan) and place a rack on a large baking tray.
- Place the coated wings in a single layer on the rack, skin side up. It’s fine for them to be touching.
- Place on the lower shelf of the oven for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, turn the oven up to 220C/425F (fan) and rotate the tray for even cooking. Cook for a further 45-50 minutes until the wings are lightly golden and crispy.
- Toss in the garlic-parmesan coating.
Nutritional information is approximate, per chicken wing
Calories: 52kcal | Carbohydrates: 0.3g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 78mg | Potassium: 25mg | Fiber: 0.01g | Sugar: 0.01g | Vitamin A: 87IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 0.1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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