Air Fryer Sticky Honey Soy Chicken Wings
Wings air-fried until the skin turns deep golden and crisp, then tossed in a glossy honey soy glaze with toasted sesame seeds. A one-basket, high-protein dinner for one.
- Total
- 34 min
- Prep 10 · Cook 24
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Rendering fat · Caramelizing
- Savory
- Crispy
- Air fryer
Instructions
-
Pat the 6 chicken wings completely dry with paper towel, then season all over with 0.25 tsp salt and 0.25 tsp black pepper. Dry skin is what crisps, so take a moment here.
~5 min
Moisture on the skin steams instead of fries, so drying it lets the surface dehydrate and crisp in the hot air.
-
Put the wings in the air fryer basket in a single layer, skin side up, without crowding. Air fry at 190°C for 12 minutes.
~12 min
A single uncrowded layer lets hot air circulate around each wing, so they brown evenly rather than steam.
Rendering fat Air-frying the wings skin side up renders fat from under the skin; pour off the pooled fat before flipping so the skin crisps instead of stewing.
-
While step 2 cooks
While the wings cook, peel and finely grate the 2 garlic cloves into a small bowl. Stir in 2 tbsp soy sauce and 1 tbsp honey until the honey dissolves into a smooth glaze.
~3 min
-
Flip the wings with tongs and air fry at 200°C for another 10 minutes, until the skin is deep golden, blistered at the edges and crisp.
~10 min
The second, hotter pass drives off remaining surface moisture and browns the skin through Maillard reactions for crispness.
For extra-crisp skin, pour off the rendered fat from the basket after the first 12 minutes before flipping the wings.
Rendering fat Air-frying the wings skin side up renders fat from under the skin; pour off the pooled fat before flipping so the skin crisps instead of stewing.
-
Brush the wings generously with the honey soy glaze, coating every side. Return to the air fryer at 190°C for 2 minutes, just until the glaze bubbles, darkens and turns sticky. Watch closely so the honey does not scorch.
~2 min
Honey caramelizes and reduces quickly at high heat, thickening into a sticky glaze that clings to the wings.
Honey burns fast above 200°C, so glaze only at the end and for a short burst. If your air fryer runs hot, drop to 180°C for the glazing step.
Caramelizing Glaze only at the end and watch closely: honey sugars caramelize fast, so pull the wings the moment the glaze bubbles and darkens before it scorches.
-
Move the wings to a plate, spoon over any glaze left in the basket and scatter with 1 tsp sesame seeds. Rest 2 minutes before eating, the glaze sets as it cools.
~2 min
Resting lets the hot glaze cool and set into a sticky coating instead of running off.