Asian Sticky Wings

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This fast recipe for Air Fryer Asian Sticky Wings will make you rethink how you cook your deep-fried chicken wings from now on! Ready in under 30 minutes, they’re coated with a touch of spice and a sweet and tangy glazed taste.

Air Fryer Asian Sticky Wings served inside wooden tray.

Air Fryer Sticky Chicken Wings

Our easy Air Fryer Asian Sticky Chicken Wings recipe requires no marinating in advance and takes a fraction of the cooking time as their conventional oven counterpart.

These air-fried Asian Chicken Wings are crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and full of delicious finger-licking flavor; they’re spiced, coated in sticky sauce, and served hot with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and scallion.

I love air fryer chicken recipes that rely on the hot circulating air to cook my food instead of deep frying in oil; you get the same crispy skin and tender meat with way less greasy mess.

Why We Love Air Fryer Asian Chicken Wings

Quick and easy to make.
Uses a handful of simple ingredients.
Air fryer Chinese chicken wings cook fast without the added calories and fat from deep frying in oil.
Melinda’s Chinese chicken wings marinade is mild, not too sweet, sticky, and can be part of a low carb, gluten free, keto friendly diet.
Perfect party appetizer, game day snack, or main meal for lunch or dinner.

Air Fryer Asian Sticky Wings Ingredients

Bone-in, skin-on chicken wings
Dark brown sugar: You can substitute light brown sugar for a sweeter flavor.
Ground ginger: If you prefer to use freshly ground ginger, you may do so, but you will only need about ½ teaspoon.
Garlic salt: You can substitute garlic powder and season with extra salt if needed.
Sesame oil
Melinda’s Sweet and Spicy Sticky Asian Wing Sauce or something similar.
Sesame seeds (optional garnish)
Chopped green onions (optional garnish)

Substitutions and Additions

Choose Your Chicken: If you can find a package of mixed pieces that have been broken down into drumettes (the ones that look like mini chicken legs) and wingettes (the flat wing pieces), then you can use that for this air fryer recipe. You want a total of 2 pounds to yield approximately 10-18 pieces. Be careful that if the bag is labeled “chicken wings,” they are already split in half (in 2 parts) for you. My grocery store packages them as one solid piece that I must separate.
Use Other Oil: The flavor of the sesame oil goes very well with this recipe; however, in a pinch, you can substitute your favorite oil instead, such as olive oil, vegetable oil, or avocado oil.
Swap The Sauce: Feel free to swap the Asian sticky sauce for soy sauce, hoisin sauce, or sweet chili sauce. You can also combine several of those sauces to make your own sticky sauce. For a different flavor profile, you can use a BBQ sauce, buffalo sauce, or any other sauce that you prefer.
Swap The Spices: Make your own dry rub with your favorite seasonings and spices. Some ideas include garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, garlic salt, or cinnamon.

Air Fryer Asian Sticky Wings dipped in sauce.

How to Make Air Fryer Asian Sticky Wings

Prepare The Poultry: Allow your wings to come to room temperature and pat them dry with a paper towel.
Make The Spice Mixture: Mix together the sugar, ginger and garlic powder.
Cook: Toss the wings in the sesame oil and then sprinkle with the spice mixture. Place the wings in a single layer in the air fryer basket and cook at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 7-8 minutes on each side.
Pro Tip: You may need to cook the wings in batches. Do do not want to overcrowd the air fryer.
Coat And Cook: Coat both sides of the wings with sauce and continue to cook until the internal temperature reads at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit (about for 3-5 minutes) and the sauce is sticky and beginning to char.
Serve: Serve hot garnished with sesame seeds and chopped green onions (optional). Enjoy!

Season and place the wings in the air fryer. Remove the wings and place on a plate. Coat both sides with sauce. Place the wings back inside air fryer.

Cooking Frozen Wings

If you prefer to use frozen chicken wings instead of fresh or fully thawed, follow the same steps, but adjust the cook time. You will need to add an additional 5-10 minutes in the air fryer.

Tips For Making Air Fryer Asian Sticky Wings

Always check that your chicken is heated to 165 degrees Fahrenheit before serving.
For the crispiest possible wings, pat your chicken completely dry with paper towels before seasoning.
If you are using your hands to coat the wings, I recommend wearing disposable gloves while handling the raw meat. I always keep 3 different thicknesses of nitrile gloves on hand for food prep.
You can lightly spray the inner basket with nonstick cooking spray, but most baskets are already nonstick.
Wings will cook best and crispiest when cooked in a single layer. You may need to cook your wings in batches depending on the size of your basket.
I do not recommend reheating these sticky Asian wings in the microwave. I find that they turn soggy and the texture becomes a bit rubbery.

How to Store Air Fryer Asian Sticky Wings

To Store: Store your cooked air fryer Asian sticky wings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days
To Freeze: To freeze, place them in a freezer safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
To Reheat: To reheat, place the wings in the air fryer at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 3-5 minutes or until heated to 165 degrees Fahrenheit, or in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 8-10 minutes.

Air Fryer Asian Sticky Wings coated with sauce sprinkled with spring onions.

More Easy Chicken Wing Recipes

Instant Pot Chicken Wings

Air Fried Chicken Wings

Grilled Chicken Wings

Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Wings

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use boneless, skinless chicken wings for this Asian chicken wings recipe?

Yes, you can use boneless, skinless chicken wings instead of the bone-in, skin-on chicken wings, however the cooking time will be different so be sure to monitor your wings and check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer to be sure they are cooked through.

Can I use a different sauce for these Asian style wings?

Yes, you can use a different sauce for these wings. I like Melinda’s sauce because it can be found with the BBQ sauces in my local Walmart and has the perfect amount of sweet and spicy for these Asian wings. If you are looking for a different flavor profile or don’t have access to Melinda’s Sticky Asian Wing Sauce, you can use any other Asian-style sauce you like. You may need to adjust the cooking time or the amount of sauce used depending on the thickness and sweetness of the sauce you choose. Monitor the wings for the last 3-5 minutes and remove them when your sauce is cooked to your preferences.

Can I bake chicken wings in the oven?

You can bake the wings in the oven; it will just take a little longer. Bake them at 400°F for 30-35 minutes, depending on your desired crispiness.

Other Easy Air Fryer Recipes

5 from 2 votes

Air Fryer Asian Sticky Wings

Author — Jennifer Fishkind

Serves —

Air Fryer Asian Sticky Wings are juicy, crispy, and coated in a sweet and savory sauce.

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Prep Time 7

Cook Time 17

Total Time 24

Ingredients

▢ 2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken wings cut into drumettes and wingettes
▢ 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
▢ 1 teaspoon ground ginger
▢ 1 teaspoon garlic salt
▢ 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
▢ ⅔ cup Melinda’s Sweet and Spicy Sticky Asian Wing Sauce or something similar
▢ Sesame seeds optional garnish
▢ Chopped green onions optional garnish

Instructions

Allow your wings to come to room temperature and pat them dry with a paper towel.
2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken wings
Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
While your air fryer is preheating, mix together the dark brown sugar, ground ginger and garlic salt in a small bowl.
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 teaspoon garlic salt
Toss the wings in the sesame oil in a medium sized mixing bowl and then sprinkle all over with the spice mixture.
1 Tablespoon sesame oil
Carefully place the wings in a single layer in the hot air fryer, you may need to cook the wings in batches. Do not overcrowd the air fryer.
Cook for 7-8 minutes on each side, flipping them carefully with tongs, and then remove the wings from the fryer and place them on a large plate or platter.
Coat both sides of the wings well with sticky asian wing sauce and then return them to the fryer for 3-5 minutes or until the internal temperature reads at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit and the sauce is sticky and beginning to char.
⅔ cup Melinda’s Sweet and Spicy Sticky Asian Wing Sauce
Serve hot garnished with sesame seed and chopped green onions, optional.
Sesame seeds, Chopped green onions

Jenn’s Notes

Storage:

To Store: Store your cooked air fryer Asian sticky wings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
To Freeze: To freeze, place them in a freezer safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
To Reheat: To reheat, place the wings in the air fryer at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 3-5 minutes or until heated to 165 degrees Fahrenheit, or in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 8-10 minutes.

Tips:

Always check that your chicken is heated to 165 degrees Fahrenheit before serving.
For the crispiest possible wings, pat your chicken completely dry with paper towels before seasoning.
If you are using your hands to coat the wings, I recommend wearing disposable gloves while handling the raw meat. I always keep 3 different thicknesses of nitrile gloves on hand for food prep.
You can lightly spray the inner basket with nonstick cooking spray, but most baskets are already nonstick.
Wings will cook best and crispiest when cooked in a single layer. You may need to cook your wings in batches depending on the size of your basket.
I do not recommend reheating these sticky Asian wings in the microwave. I find that they turn soggy and the texture becomes a bit rubbery.

Nutrition Info