Chicken lemon garlic chicken wings make for the ultimate game day food or weeknight dinner. These crispy lemon garlic chicken wings are easy to make and full of bright, zesty flavor. Baked in the air fryer until perfectly crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, they will be a hit at your next party or family meal.
Benefits of Chicken Wings
Chicken wings offer a few health benefits, despite often being considered an indulgent food. Here are some of the main advantages of enjoying chicken wings:
- Lean protein – The protein in chicken builds muscles and bones, while helping you feel fuller for longer. The wings themselves are lower in fat compared to other chicken parts. Going for drummettes over flats can further reduce the fat content.
- Zinc and iron – Chicken wings provide zinc to support immunity and wound healing, as well as small amounts of iron to prevent anemia and boost energy.
- B vitamins – Vitamin B12 and other B vitamins in chicken wings help transform food into usable energy. They support nerve signaling, heart health, brain function, and cell metabolism.
- Collagen properties – Collagen is found in the skin, cartilage, tendons, and bones of chicken wings. Consuming collagen may enhance skin health and elasticity, join and gut health, heart health markers, and muscle mass.
So while they aren’t the healthiest item on the menu, chicken wings offer lean protein, vitamins/minerals, and collagen when prepared properly. Choosing baked wings over fried, and watching your portion size can let you enjoy their benefits guilt-free!
Air Fryer Benefits
Cooking these lemon garlic wings in the air fryer gives them a wonderfully crispy texture without needing copious amounts of oil for frying. Here’s why you should consider using an air fryer whenever possible:
- Less fat & calories – Air frying saves calories and fat compared to deep frying, since only a small amount of oil is used. This still makes the wings nice and crispy, without excess grease.
- Retains moisture – The air fryer doesn’t strip moisture away from the wings as much as other cooking methods. So you get tender, juicy meat sealed by the crispy skin.
- Adds crunch – The powerful blasts of hot air all around the wings cooks the skin up crispy, without overdrying the meat inside. Enjoy delicious crunch with every bite!
- Saves time – Cooking wings in the air fryer is much faster than turning on the oven. So you can enjoy these tasty game day snacks without as much time commitment.
- Easy cleanup – Since you aren’t dealing with a vat of oil like deep frying, cleanup is as simple as wiping out your air fryer basket when cooking is done.
Thanks to the air fryer, these lemon garlic chicken wings deliver on crispy crunch and juicy tenderness all at once.
Selecting the Best Chicken Wings
Great wings start with high-quality chicken. Here’s what to look for when buying chicken wings:
- Size – Chicken wing sections come in a range of sizes. Medium wings around 2-3 oz each tend to be the most meaty, crispy, and easy to eat. Avoid wings over 4 oz or under 1 oz in size.
- Look – Select chicken wings that look plump and firm, with skin intact and no dark blemishes. Check that they don’t have an off-putting odor. Signs of spoilage include graying skin, dull color, and sliminess.
- Sell-by date – Only purchase wings that are well before their sell-by date for ultimate freshness. Cook within 2 days of purchasing for the best quality.
- Butcher counter – For maximum flexibility on sizing, buying loose chicken wings from the butcher allows you to hand select just the right amount of drummettes vs. flats.
Following these simple tips when buying chicken wings helps guarantee tender, tasty results once they hit the air fryer.
Cuts of Chicken Wings
Chicken wings contain 3 sections – the meaty drumette, the flat midsection, and the wing tip. Here’s a closer look:
Drumettes – Shaped like little drumsticks, drumettes are the upper wing section attached to the chicken’s body. They contain one long bone and lots of juicy, flavorful meat.
Flats – The mid wing section has two thinner bones inside. Flats have slightly less meat than drumettes, but offer a higher ratio of crispy skin to meat.
Tips – As the name suggests, the tips of the wings contain minimal meat in a V-shape of two tiny bones. They easily burn during cooking.
This recipe calls for drummettes and flats to skip the tips. You can also purchase packaged “whole wings” and simply trim off the tips before cooking. Mixing both cuts creates a nice textural contrast.
Why Marinate?
While chicken wings have great natural flavor on their own, taking the time to marinate them before air frying adds even more depth and enhances juiciness. Here’s why it’s worth the small bit of extra effort:
- Infuses flavor – Allowing the wings to soak up lemon, garlic, and savory spices preloads each bite with lots of flavor. This seasons them from the inside out.
- Softens skin – Marinating for at least 30 minutes starts to break down the collagen structure of the skin. This lets seasonings penetrate for extra-crispy results later.
- Tenderizes meat – Acid from the lemon juice lightly tenderizes the chicken proteins. The salt also enhances moisture retention for more succulent meat.
- Distributes ingredients – Tossing the wings to coat inspires ingredients to adhere evenly over the skin rather than sinking to the bottom.
Take advantage of these benefits by resisting the urge to skip marinating. Just a brief soak makes all the difference in intensity of lemon garlic flavor.
Lemon Juice & Zest
Both the juice and zest of fresh lemons shine in this simple marinade. Here’s what each contributes:
Lemon juice – The tart lemon juice acts as a natural tenderizer while infusing bright, refreshing citrus flavor into the wings. Its acidity balances the rich chicken skin.
Lemon zest – While juice delivers tartness, fragrant lemon zest provides pure lemon oil for sweetness and complexity. Its bright flavor really makes these wings pop.
Combining both juice and zest creates a well-rounded lemon flavor. Feel free to amp it up with an additional teaspoon of zest or juice if you really love tangy citrus notes.
Garlic Power
In addition to lemon, garlic plays a starring role by providing layers of savory flavor. When garlic is crushed, minced, or pressed, an enzyme called alliinase gets released and interacts with other compounds to generate allicin. This is responsible for garlic’s beloved pungent, aromatic qualities that season the wings from the outside in.
Garlic also has some health benefits thanks to compounds like allicin and sulfur-containing amino acids:
- May boost immune function
- Contains antioxidants that support cell health
- Has antimicrobial effects
- Potential heart health benefits
Enjoying garlic-infused dishes like these lemony wings is an tasty way to reap some of its perks. Just 3 minced cloves delivers plenty of aroma and flavor here.
Air Fryer Settings
One of the few downsides to air fryers is that manufacturer instructions can vary widely across different appliance brands. Here are some key details for successfully cooking these crispy wings:
- Temperature – Set the air fryer temperature to 375°F (190°C). Higher temps risk burning while lower may not crisp the skin enough.
- Time – Expect the wings to cook in 25-30 minutes total. Shake the basket or flip them halfway through for even crisping.
- Capacity – Only fill your air fryer basket with enough wings to lay flat in a single layer, no stacking. Overcrowding prevents air circulation for crisping the skin.
Refer to your specific model’s manual if needed, but these guidelines should set you up for perfect wings every time.
Serving Suggestions for Crispy Lemon Garlic Chicken Wings
Aside from enjoying these crispy lemon garlic chicken wings straight from the air fryer, here are some tasty ways to serve them:
- Toss in your favorite sauce – Classic Buffalo, sticky Asian, or tangy bbq sauce all coat nicely over the crispy skin.
- Pair with celery and ranch or blue cheese dip – Cooling fresh veggies and creamy dip offset the wings’ heat nicely.
- Pile on top of salad greens – For a lighter meal, serve crispy wings over fresh salad greens and tomatoes.
- Stuff into sandwiches/wraps – Chop or shred the meat to top things like chicken salad sandwiches and tortilla wraps or pitas.
However you choose to enjoy them, these bright and crispy lemon garlic chicken wings make a stellar addition to any meal.
So fire up your air fryer and invite some friends over to munch on these easy yet impressive snacks. Loving the citrus zing? Try swapping lemon out for lime, orange, or other citrus fruits in the marinade. Enjoy!
Print
Air Fryer Crispy Lemon Garlic Chicken
Enjoy these easy Air Fryer Crispy Lemon Garlic Chicken Wings for your next game day spread or weeknight dinner! Their crispy exterior and zesty lemon garlic flavor will be a major hit.
- Total Time: 70 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
8 chicken wings, drummettes and/or flats
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1⁄2 teaspoon paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh parsley, chopped for garnish
Instructions
In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, minced garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, dried oregano, paprika, salt, and pepper. Mix well until fully combined.
Add the chicken wings to the marinade and toss to evenly coat each wing. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight.
When ready to cook, preheat the air fryer to 375°F (190°C).
Place the marinated wings in the air fryer basket in a single layer, being careful not to overcrowd.
Cook for 25-30 minutes, turning the wings halfway through, until the skin is crispy and the wings are cooked through.
Transfer the cooked wings to a serving platter and garnish with fresh parsley. Serve hot and enjoy!
Notes
Adjust cooking time as needed for smaller or larger wings.
The wings can also be baked in the oven at 400°F (204°C) for 30-40 minutes, flipping halfway.
Leftover wings store well in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the air fryer or oven before serving.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes (plus 30 minutes marinating time)
- Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
Lemon Garlic Chicken Wings Air Fryer
Make delicious lemon garlic chicken wings in the air fryer with this simple and flavorful recipe. Marinate the wings in a tangy lemon garlic mixture, then air fry them until crispy and golden. Enjoy these mouthwatering wings as a tasty appetizer or as part of a satisfying meal!
