Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Chicken (Printable)

Crispy chicken wings tossed in garlic parmesan sauce, served with creamy ranch dressing for extra flavor.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Chicken Wings

01 - 2 pounds chicken wings, split with tips removed
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon salt
04 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
05 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
06 - ½ teaspoon garlic powder

→ Garlic Parmesan Sauce

07 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
08 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
09 - ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
10 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)
11 - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

→ To Serve

12 - ½ cup ranch dressing

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for 5 minutes.
02 - Pat the chicken wings dry with paper towels. Toss them in a large bowl with olive oil, salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and garlic powder until evenly coated.
03 - Arrange the wings in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cook for 24 to 26 minutes, shaking the basket or turning the wings halfway through, until golden brown and crispy.
04 - Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant but not browned. Remove from heat, then stir in Parmesan cheese, parsley, and red pepper flakes if using.
05 - Transfer cooked wings to a large bowl. Pour the garlic parmesan sauce over them and toss to coat evenly.
06 - Serve immediately accompanied by ranch dressing for dipping.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They're ready in 35 minutes flat, which beats any delivery option and tastes infinitely better.
  • The buttery garlic sauce coats every crevice without any of the greasiness you'd expect.
  • One batch disappears faster than you can plate it, whether you're feeding a crowd or just yourself.
02 -
  • Wet wings will steam instead of crisp, so that paper towel step is genuinely crucial—I learned this the hard way with soggy, disappointing results.
  • Freshly grated parmesan makes a visible difference; the pre-shredded stuff has anti-caking agents that prevent proper melting and coating.
  • Don't let the garlic brown or it turns bitter and ruins the whole sauce—watch it carefully while it's in the pan.
03 -
  • Separate the wing flats from the drumettes before cooking for more consistent crispiness, though mixed pieces work fine too.
  • If you're making these ahead, you can season and refrigerate the raw wings for up to 4 hours, which actually helps them dry out more for extra crunch.

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