Recipes

Air Fryer Sweet Chili Chicken Wings

Sanem December 6, 2019

These sweet chili chicken wings are super crunchy and are prepared in the Ninja Foodi fryer for easy cleaning. This gameday appetizer will be gone before you know it (yes, those wings are so good)!

Sticky, sweet and just a bit spicy … yes, these Sweet Chili Chicken Wings check all the boxes that are needed for the best chicken wing recipe. These simple chicken wings can be made in an oven or in an air fryer. I use the Ninja Foodi, which makes the wings versatile and perfect for everyone. Autumn is almost here (Hallelujah, I'm really overjoyed), which means the football season is about to begin. These wings are perfect for game days with friends, parties of all kinds or a quick dinner with little cleaning. Get ready for the best and crispest chicken wings ever! Oh, and do not forget the napkins, because things will soon be messy. Enjoy!

What do you need to prepare Sweet Chili Chicken Wings?

The kitchen utensils you need for this Thai Chicken Wing recipe are:

An air fryer – I have the 6.5 liter Ninja Foodi.
A baking sheet
A Wire Oven Safe Rake
A small pot
tongs
A whisk or a fork
Measuring cup and spoon

Note: Your settings for the air fryer may differ slightly from mine. This may cause the cooking time to vary slightly. Please check the internal temperature of the chicken wings to make sure they are fully cooked (165 degrees F). If your air fryer is smaller than my Ninja Foodi (6.5 liters), you may need to cook your chicken wings in several batches rather than in one.

How do you make Air Fryer Chicken Wings?

Sweet Thai Chili Chicken Wing Prep

Using a paper towel, dab the chicken wings to make sure they are dry. If you use frozen chicken wings, make sure they are completely thawed.

Place your chicken wings along with the baking powder and spices in a zip-lock bag. Make sure you use baking soda and NOT BAKING SODA.

Once everything has been filled into the bag, close it tightly and remove all air. Shake and squeeze the wings until all wings are covered. Alternatively, you can put the baking soda and spices in a bowl, mix and then dip the wings. I like the bag method because it's faster and it's fun to shake things up (LOL sorry, I had to).

Air Fryer Chicken Wings cooking tips

For these sweet Thai chilli chicken wings, I like to use the metal pedestal because I think it helps to make the soil fresher. If you do not have a rack, you can use the basket instead. Whatever you use, be sure to spray it with cooking spray!

Place the spiced chicken wings on the grid in a single layer (depending on the size of your fryer, you may need to run more than one batch).

Close the lid of the air fryer and press the AIR CRISP button. Then set the temperature to 400 ° F with the TEMP button. Last, use the TIME button to set the cooking time to 20 minutes. Once you have done this, press the START button. The timer should count down.

At the 10-minute mark, open the air fryer and turn the blades. This helps them to cook evenly and not to stick. Once you have turned the chicken wings, close the lid and let it continue cooking.

When the time is up, the chicken wings should be golden brown and super crispy. Check the inside temperature to make sure they are thoroughly cooked. If they are not cooked thoroughly, let them cook at 400 ° F for another 2-4 minutes.

While cooking the fryer's chicken wings, the sweet Thai chili sauce is prepared.

NOTE: These are the instructions for the Ninja Foodi Air Fryer. If you use something else, your settings and buttons may differ.

Sweet chili sauce for chicken wings

This sweet chili sauce for chicken wings contains MANY ingredients. I know, I know, do not complain, I promise that they all combine for the perfect sweet and spicy Asian sauce! While the chicken wings are cooking, prepare the chili sauce. Mix all the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and stir.

Heat the sauce over medium heat on the stove and bring to a boil. Bring the sauce to a boil and stir until the sweet chili sauce is boiled down and slightly thickened.

When the chicken wings have finished cooking, let them rest for 5 minutes before adding the sweet chili sauce. This keeps the outside crispy and does not turn into a wet catastrophe.

I like to dip the wings into the sauce, but you can also put the sauce in a large bowl and toss them together. Whatever you prefer, do it!

Crispy Chicken Wings Finishing Touches

Now that you have thrown your crispy chicken wings into the Thai sweet chili sauce, it's time for the finishing touches! Place the sauce chicken wings on a greased baking tray (I recommend using a griddle).

Fry the chicken wings for 2-4 minutes until the sauce is sticky and the wings have a certain color. Hang up near the stove as these parts can burn quickly. Therefore, check the wings frequently.

Remove the wings from the oven and serve them immediately with sesame seeds and sliced spring onions. Do not forget the Sriracha Ranch Dip!

Take a look at the Sweet Thai Chili Chicken Wings recipe video to get a closer look at the preparation for this recipe!

Do you need more ideas for starters? Try this next!

Baked buffalo chicken bath

No Bake Ritz Bites

All bagel mini cheese balls

Prosciutto wrapped breadsticks

homemade pretzels

Blackberry Brie Bites

Storing the leftover sweet thai chicken wings

If (and this is a big problem), crispy chicken wings are left over, you can keep cooked chicken wings in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I like to keep my remains in Pyrex glass containers. When stored in the refrigerator, sweet Thai chili chicken wings will stay fresh for up to 4 days. To reheat the sweet chilli chicken wings, place them on a microwaveable plate and heat them for 30-60 seconds until they are hot and steaming. Warm with ranch and optional garnish!

Crispy chicken wings sauce options

These Air Fryer Chicken Wings are super crispy and can be enjoyed in several ways. Of course, you can follow this recipe for sweet chili chicken wings (you will not regret it). Alternatively you can enjoy them naked! The base of the chicken wing can be combined with virtually any taste or dipped alone in a sauce of your choice. Some other great sauce options include your favorite buffalo sauce, a super spicy facial fizzy or a garlic parmesan sauce.

If you have little time, you can also skip the grilling of the sauce wings in the oven. I really like that step, but you could just dip the bare chicken wings into the sweet chilli sauce. Dealer choice! The possibilities are limitless and I encourage you to try these wings in different ways. Because, let's be honest, there is never anything like too many sauce options (your girl likes her some sauce).

Oven baked chicken wings

You do not have a Ninja Foodi or an Air Fryer? No problem! These Thai chicken wings can instead be baked in the oven. I personally LOVE these chicken wings in the air fryer. They come out so crispy and the cleaning is super easy. If you want to use an oven for these sweet chili chicken wings, they will still be crispy and you can do a lot more at once. In the fryer, you can cook 8-15 crispy chicken wings at the same time. This is ideal for small groups or a quick dinner for two. With oven-baked chicken wings, you can make enough for a crowd that's perfect for parties or game days.

If preparing sweet chili chicken wings in the oven, follow the instructions for preparing the chicken wings for recipe and gravy. When ready to cook to the wings, heat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place the wings in a single layer on a baking tray and cook for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, turn the chicken wings and cook for another 20 minutes or until boiling. Once finished, toss the chicken wings in the sweet chili sauce and fry them for 2-4 minutes.