Garlic Parmesan Wings in Air Fryer or Oven

Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Wings

How to Make Garlic Parmesan Wings in Air Fryer or Oven!

Chow down on these air fryer garlic parmesan wings for a satisfyingly savory game-day (or any day) treat! Air fried to a delicious crisp, they soak up the rich, cheesy garlic butter beautifully. Plus, they’re so simple to make, all in about an hour. I’m sharing how to make garlic parmesan wings in the air fryer OR oven, as well as what I do and don’t like about each method.

Spoiler alert: the crispiness of the air fried garlic parmesan wings IS pretty unbelievable! I’ll definitely be making more chicken wings in the air fryer, and I highly recommend giving them a taste. BUT, I personally loved how juicy and flavorful the baked garlic parmesan wings turned out in comparison. All of this to say: oven or air fryer wings, you can’t go wrong!

Pro Tips for Crispy Oven / Air Fryer Wings

Many of us go searching for an air fryer chicken wings recipe because we’re looking for that crispy texture. Something similar to fried, but without the oil. Thankfully, if you know a few pro tips, you can cook irresistibly crispy garlic parmesan wings in the air fryer OR in the oven!

• Pat wings dry with paper towels before seasoning and cooking. By removing excess moisture beforehand, the wings will crisp up more in the air fryer / oven.
• Add dry seasonings of choice, but no oil. Thanks to their rich fat content and the fact that they’re on the bone, you really don’t need to add oil when cooking chicken wings! They’ve got plenty of natural oils to aid in the cooking process.
• For oven baked wings, cook on a wire rack if you have one. This will allow heat to circulate all the way around the meat, much like it does in the air fryer with its perforated bottom!
• Add garlic parmesan sauce after cooking to a crisp. Tossing in a wet sauce before cooking will result in juicy wings, but they won’t be as crispy. So instead, cook the plain wings in the air fryer or oven first, until they’re nice and crispy. Then, toss in warm garlic parmesan sauce.

What is garlic parmesan sauce made of?

In this air fryer garlic parmesan wings recipe, the garlic parmesan sauce is simple: melted butter, minced garlic, grated parmesan, and some fresh parsley. Rich, savory, fragrant, and oh-so-flavorful!

How to Make Garlic Parmesan Wings in Air Fryer

As outlined above, whether you’re making garlic parmesan wings in the air fryer or oven, there are 3 key steps in the process:

• Pat wings dry and toss with garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
• Cook 7-9 wings in the air fryer at 370°F (190°C) for 25 minutes, then turn heat up to 400°F (200°C) for 5 additional minutes, until crispy. (Repeat with 2^nd batch as needed.)
• Toss warm air fried wings in melted butter, followed by a mixture of parmesan, garlic, and parsley.

How many wings can fit in an air fryer?

For truly crispy wings, it’s best to cook only 7-9 chicken wings in the air fryer at a time. If the air fryer is overcrowded with too many wings stacked on each other, the heat can’t circulate around the meat very well. (Which is key for their crispiness!) So, if you’re making 1lb of wings, that means you’ll likely need to cook 2 separate batches of wings.

How long does it take to cook wings in an air fryer?

Generally, air fryer wings need to cook for around 30 minutes. I recommend starting at 370°F (190°C) for 25 minutes, then turn up the heat to 400°F (200°F) to cook for the last 5 minutes to help them get crispy. Personally, I don’t flip my wings or shake the basket at all during cooking, and they always turn out great! Of course, you’re welcome to flip or shake your wings halfway through if preferred.

How to Make Baked Garlic Parmesan Wings

Just like the air fryer method outlined above, making baked garlic parmesan wings involves the same 3 key steps. The only difference is you can bake all of your wings at once, and they’ll need to bake for a few minutes longer (35-45 minutes at 425°F / 220°C). Although the wings don’t turn out quite as crispy as in the air fryer, I personally prefer the oven method. It’s convenient to cook all of the wings at once, and the longer cook time results in juicier meat!

Taste Test: Oven vs. Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Wings

Overall, the consensus is clear: BOTH the oven and air fryer garlic parmesan wings are amazingly good. For maximum crispiness, making wings in the air fryer is the way to go. Since the air fryer is a smaller oven with more concentrated air flow, you can get a serious crisp on the outside of your wings! And, since they dry out so nicely, I think the air fryer wings absorb more of the butter flavor.

Now, don’t get me wrong, the oven baked wings are still awesomely crispy as well—just not as much so. In my experience, the best part about the baked wings is that they stay juicier and more tender. The meat is much more moist and fall-off-the-bone in comparison to the air fried wings. Truthfully, both methods are worth trying and tasting for yourself!

For more air fried fun, try my air fryer stuffed mushrooms or my air fryer crab Rangoon recipe!

To see how this recipe is made, watch my Oven vs. Air Fryer Appetizers video!