Air Fryer Recipe

Crispy Sesame Chicken Wings

  • Prep: 10 min
  • Cook: 15 min
  • Total: 25 min
  • Serves: 4
  • Category: Chicken
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Crispy Sesame Chicken Wings

Crispy sesame chicken wings are a delight with their audible skin and sticky edges. The air fryer excels here, quickly drying the skin while allowing the chicken fat to drain away, achieving a fryer-style crispness before the sesame glaze is applied.

Ingredients

  • 1 kg chicken wings, split into drumettes and flats, tips removed if attached
  • 1 tbsp neutral oil, such as rapeseed or sunflower oil
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 tsp baking powder, not bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 tbsp cornflour
  • ½ tsp ground white pepper or black pepper
  • ½ tsp garlic granules
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika, optional
  • 2 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 1½ tbsp runny honey
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar (or cider vinegar)
  • 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tsp grated fresh ginger or ½ tsp ginger paste
  • 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
  • 1 tsp cornflour mixed with 1 tbsp cold water
  • 1½ tbsp sesame seeds, toasted if possible
  • 2 spring onions, finely sliced
  • 1 tsp gochujang (or ½ tsp chilli flakes plus ½ tsp extra honey)

Method

  1. Pat the wings very dry with kitchen paper.
  2. Toss wings in a large bowl with oil, salt, baking powder, cornflour, white pepper, garlic granules, and smoked paprika until evenly coated.
  3. Leave coated wings uncovered in the fridge for 30 minutes or cook immediately.
  4. Preheat the air fryer to 200°C for 3 minutes.
  5. Arrange wings skin-side up in a single layer in the air fryer.
  6. Air fry at 200°C for 10 minutes, then turn the wings with tongs.
  7. Cook for a further 8 minutes.
  8. While wings cook, make the sesame glaze by simmering light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, and optional gochujang in a small pan for 1–2 minutes.
  9. Stir in the cornflour slurry and cook for another 30–60 seconds until glossy.
  10. Check wings after 18 minutes; if needed, cook for another 3–5 minutes before glazing.
  11. Tip cooked wings into a clean bowl, pour over about two-thirds of the glaze, and toss quickly until lightly coated.
  12. Return glazed wings to the air fryer in a single layer and cook at 190°C for 2–3 minutes.
  13. Transfer to a warm plate, sprinkle with sesame seeds and sliced spring onions, then rest for 2 minutes before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 250

Equipment you'll need

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