These are simply the best Garlic Parmesan Wings ever! I consider myself a bit of a wing snob and after mixing up the garlic parmesan sauce for these wings, I knew I had a winner!
It's simply unbelievably good! In fact, the sauce is so good, I bet you will use it on other things besides wings.
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The garlic parmesan sauce makes a great dipping sauce for chicken nuggets! It would be incredible over a baked chicken breast or pork chops. You can even mix it in with pasta and chicken or just pasta and it will blow your mind!
Yes, it's that good!
Frequently Asked Questions
I don't recommend it. The parmesan cheese that comes pre shredded in a bag doesn't melt like freshly grated parmesan and in this recipe, the cheese needs to melt to create the delicious garlic parmesan sauce.
Yes, you can. You will need to gently heat it before tossing your wings so it is a smooth sauce that covers the wings. You also may need to add a little more cream to get it to the desired consistency.
Yep! You can double or triple the sauce without any issues at all. Simply increase all the ingredients and follow the same instructions.
Should I use Fresh or Frozen Wings?
This is completely up to you! I always try to get fresh wings from the grocery store because I think they are meatier, but if you have a bag of frozen wings, no problem! Just keep an eye on your temps and timing and make sure you adjust as needed.
You can air fry wings from frozen, I've done it plenty of times. What I do is lower the temperature to about 350-375℉/175-190℃ for the first 8-10 minutes to give the meat time to thaw and then I bump up the temperature to 390-400℉/200℃ until they are nice and crispy.
Buying fresh wings can definitely save money, especially when you find them on sale. Often times they are sold as the whole wing, but don't let that stop you from getting them. It is so easy to cut the wings yourself, all you need is a sharp knife or a sharp pair of scissors.
The best pair of scissors I've ever owned are from Pampered Chef. It's unreal how easily you can cut poultry with them AND they come apart for easy cleaning and are dishwasher safe.
You can see the scissors in action in this video. If you want to purchase them, here is the link: Kitchen Shears from Pampered Chef
Tips for Freezing Chicken Wings
When I find fresh wings on sale, I'll buy several packages of them to freeze. I cut them into the wing and drumette first, but it's fine to keep them whole if you prefer to cook them that way.
Lay out the wings/drumettes on a parchment lined tray and place in the freezer for several hours or overnight. You want them to be completely frozen.
Then bag them up in a sealable freezer bag or a container that you can remove the air from. Freeze until needed.
When you want to make wings, simple take out the amount you want and cook them up!
Should I Pressure Cook Chicken Wings before Air Frying them?
This is a question that comes up quite a bit. In my recipe for Asian Sticky Wings, I used the Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker & Air Crisper and I pressure cooked the wings for a few minutes before air frying them.
I think it does make a difference in the quality of the wings, but it certainly isn't necessary.
The reason PC'ing wings before air frying helps is it plumps up the skin and loosens it from the meat.
The best wings I've ever had in my life (not kidding) are the Asian Sticky Wings. There is something about they way they crisp up after pressure cooking that you simply don't get with air frying alone. However, if you don't have a pressure cooker or you don't have time to do that, your wings will still be delicious!
Do I have to make Adjustments in Times & Temps based on my Air Fryer?
Since air fryers come in various shapes, sizes, and brands, there will be some adjustments needed for certain things.
The important things to consider when air frying is the temperature is the temperature, but air flow and the size of the air fryer can change the way food cooks.
For example, in my video where I tested out various Ninja Foodi Air Fryers, I set the time and temp exactly the same and had slightly different outcomes.
Ninja Foodi Air Fryer Comparison Video
This doesn't mean that you can't get great results with whichever air fryer you have, you just need to play around with the temperatures and times until the food is cooked exactly how you like it.
My best advice is to always use a recipe's time and temperature settings as a guide only. When making something for the first time, check on it and adjust the temperature and/or time as needed so you get the results you want.
How to Make the Garlic Parmesan Wing Sauce
No matter what air fryer you use, the garlic parmesan wing sauce will be made the same way.
The secret to this sauce is roasted garlic. It's unbelievably easy to roast garlic and you can do it in your air fryer! I like to roast 5-6 bulbs at a time and either store them in the refrigerator or in the freezer.
You can make 1 bulb or 5 bulbs with the same cook time and temperature. The size of the bulb does make a difference though. If your bulbs are on the larger size, they may take longer to roast.
You can find the directions for roasting garlic right here: Roasted Garlic in the Ninja Foodi
I used the Ninja Foodi PC & AC in that recipe, but I've roasted garlic in the grill and in the oven with similar results. Your garlic is done when it is brown on top and soft to the touch. There is no mistaking the aroma of roasted garlic, your whole house is going to smell wonderful! It's like candy, I kid you not!
Roasting the garlic mellows it out and is perfect for using in a garlic parmesan sauce.
Take the time and roast the garlic!
Next, melt the 4 Tablespoons of salted butter (I used the microwave for this) and while the butter is hot add in the whole bulb of roasted garlic. Simply press the roasted garlic from the bottom and the cloves will pop out. Blend with the back of a spoon until you have a paste.
*If you want to use unsalted butter, you might need to add a pinch of salt
Grate the cheese with a fine grater. About 1.25 ounces of parmesan cheese will make the cup of shredded cheese you need. Add ¾ cup of the grated parmesan cheese to the butter and garlic. Stir.
The sauce will look clumpy and you will think it isn't going to work. It will, I promise. Add in the 1 Tablespoon of heavy cream and stir. It's like magic! The sauce will smooth out and you are done!
If the sauce is too thick, add another Tablespoon of heavy cream. You can also warm it up some if needed. You want it to be warm, but not hot when you toss your wings in it.
The garlic parmesan wing sauce is enough for 2-3 pounds of wings. You can adjust the recipe up or down depending on how much you want to make.
How to Air Fry Wings in the Ninja Foodi Dual Basket Air Fryer
I recently purchased the Ninja Foodi Dual Basket Air Fryer because I was interested in how a basket type of air fryer worked.
I had never had an air fryer before I bought the Ninja Foodi PC & AC a few years ago, but I am so impressed with it, I wondered if a stand alone air fryer would work even better.
I was interested in this one because it allows you to air fry in two baskets and set times and temperatures independently of each other. I have to say, I like it and it works great, but it wouldn't be my first choice for air frying.
I much prefer the Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker & Air Fryer or the Ninja Foodi Indoor Grill for air frying. This is certainly just my preference because I like to open a lid and see my food. I find the baskets a bit cumbersome to use, but the air fryer does a great job.
You can see the full video of the functions of the Ninja Foodi Dual Air Fryer and the comparison of various Ninja Foodi Appliances for air frying right here:
Ninja Foodi Dual Basket Air Fryer Review & Comparison
If you have the Ninja Foodi Dual Basket Air Fryer and are making 3 pounds of wings, I would put about 1.5 pounds of wings in each basket. Select the air fry function and the temperature to 400℉/200℃ and air fry for about 25 minutes.
Pause the Air Fryer and shake the basket a few times during the 25 minutes to evenly crisp the wings.
When the wings are ready, place them in a large bowl and spoon over as much of the sauce as you need. Toss the wings around to coat. Put them on your serving platter and sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of grated parmesan cheese over the top.
You can also sprinkle with some parsley if you want.
Garlic Parmesan Wings are best served immediately and they do not reheat well once the sauce is added. You can make the wings ahead of time and keep them warm in the oven and toss with warm sauce just before serving.
Serve & Enjoy!
More Air Fryer Chicken Wing Recipes!
Everyone has their favorite flavors of chicken wings and the great thing about making air fryer wings is you can add the sauce at the end and have several different flavors!
The amount of wings you can make at one time really depends on your air fryer, but I usually make 2 pounds or so and use a few different sauces to toss them in.
My favorite wing sauce of all times is the one I use in my Asian Sticky Wing Recipe. It's so full of flavor and has a great balance of sweet and heat.
If a basic buffalo sauce is more your style, try this combination of ingredients! I use it to toss my boneless chicken wings in and it's unreal how good it is!
Buffalo Sauce Recipe:
- 4 Tablespoons melted butter
- 4 Tablespoons Cholula hot sauce
- 2 Tablespoons Honey
Mix all the ingredients together and toss the chicken wings in the sauce.
If Teriyaki wings are more your style, check out this recipe from The Salty Pot for Ninja Foodi Teriyaki Chicken Wings!
What's your favorite flavor of chicken wings? Let me know in the comments!
Want to make Garlic Parmesan Wings & Potatoes? The video below shows step-by-step how to make both!
Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Wings
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 3 pounds chicken wings
- 1 bulb roasted garlic
- 4 Tbsp salted butter
- 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese divided in recipe
- 1-2 Tbsps heavy whipping cream
- parsley optional
Instructions
- Air Fry the chicken wings on 400°F for 20-25 minutes or until they are done to your liking.
- While the chicken wings are air frying, melt the butter on the stove or in the microwave. Grate the parmesan cheese with a microplane grater until you have 1 cup. It takes about 1.25 ounces of parmesan cheese to make a cup finely grated.
- Add the roasted garlic by squeezing out the cloves from the entire bulb of roasted garlic into the butter and mash the garlic into the butter, creating a paste. I do this with the back of my spoon. Add ¾ cup of the freshly grated parmesan cheese and stir to melt the cheese.
- The mixture will look clumpy and the butter will separate, no worries. Add 1 Tbsp of heavy whipping cream and stir. It will all come together in a creamy Garlic Parmesan Sauce. You can warm the sauce in the microwave for about 5-10 seconds if it doesn't smooth out. If the sauce is too thick, add another Tablespoon of heavy cream and stir.
- When the wings are done, toss them in the sauce and sprinkle the remaining parmesan cheese on top. You can also sprinkle some parsley on top if desired. Serve Immediately.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
ABOUT THE RECIPE AUTHOR, LOUISE LONG
Louise is a full-time recipe creator and food blogger @ The Salted Pepper. She has over 30 years of experience with cooking and recipe development. She owned a restaurant for several years and was a full-time RN until retiring to blog full-time.
Louise has several very active Facebook groups that help people with the basics of cooking and getting the most out of the Ninja Foodi.
Ninja Foodi Fresh & Healthy Meals
Seeing the need for easy, delicious, and high quality recipes, she is focusing all of her efforts creating recipes specifically for the Ninja Foodi. Her recipes are easy for the home cook to follow and provide step-by-step instructions.
Louise is also a YouTube creator and you can find most of her recipes in video format on The Salted Pepper YouTube channel.
She is very responsive to messages and eager to help in any way she can.
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