These Air Fryer Dry Rub Wings are tender, juicy and flavorful. They are coated in a simple dry rub with smoked paprika, ginger, and honey, then air-fried until perfectly crispy.
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Whether you're making them for game day or an easy at-home wing night, this air fryer dry rub wing recipe delivers big flavor with minimal effort. You will love the sweet, spicy and smoky flavor of these wings and the air fryer gets them golden and crunchy using very little oil. If you like this dry rub flavor, my crispy air fryer chicken thighs with dry rub are just as easy and packed with flavor. Or if you prefer a saucy wing, try honey buffalo wings.
Key Ingredients
See the recipe card below for the remaining ingredients and quantities.
Instructions
Step 1: Pat chicken wings dry with a paper towel and add wings to a large bowl. Don't skip this step as it is super critical for getting crispy wings! Add spices to a bowl with the wings.
Step 2: Use your hands to coat the wings on all sides with the seasonings.
Step 3: Place the wings in the air fryer in a single layer and cook until they reach at least 165 degrees F but ideally 180 degrees F.
Step 4: Serve as is or with your favorite dipping sauce.
Tips for the Crispiest Dry Rub Wings
- Remove extra moisture. Before you season the wings, pat them dry with a paper towel. If the wings are too moist, they can become soggy instead of crispy.
- No air fryer? No problem. If you don't have an air fryer, you can use the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and cook the wings on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Cook for 25-30 minutes, flipping the wings halfway through.
- These wings are coated in honey, which will cause them to burn more easily. Make sure to keep an eye on them! If you have an oven-style air fryer, I recommend placing the wings on the lowest rack.
Serving Suggestions
Dry rub wings are best served immediately after cooking. They're great alongside no-ranch buffalo chicken dip and sloppy joe sliders for the perfect game-day spread.
Storage & Reheating
Leftover wings can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Reheat in the oven or air fryer at 350 degrees F for about 5 minutes. I share more tips in my guide on how to reheat wings.
Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a comment below-I'd love to hear how it turned out! THANK YOU!
Air Fryer Dry Rub Wings
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Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken wings
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon ginger, minced or ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon adobo seasoning
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees F.
- Pat the chicken wings dry with a paper towel, then add wings to a large bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl and mix with hands until wings are fully coated with the spices.2 pounds chicken wings, 2 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon turmeric, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 teaspoon ginger, 1 teaspoon adobo seasoning, ½ teaspoon onion powder, salt and black pepper, 2 teaspoons olive oil
- Add the wings to the air fryer basket and cook for 20-25 minutes, checking and flipping halfway through.
- Remove the wings from the air fryer, let cool for a few minutes and enjoy!
Sarah's Tips
- Patting the wings completely dry before seasoning is key for crispy skin in the air fryer.
- Space the wings out so hot air can circulate and crisp them evenly.
- The honey helps with caramelization but can burn if overcooked, keep an eye on the wings.
Nancy Holt says
Made these for the Super Bowl, they were a huge hit!
Delicious! I love a dry rub recipe
So much flavor
David Holt says
Prepared these for the ball game. Excellent tasting wings. Everyone loved them, Cooked some in the oven and some in the air fryer as I had so many wings.
Nancy says
Made these tonight, they were delicious! Spicy yet a bit sweet! Definitely a keeper
Sarah Holt says
Happy you loved them!!