Air Fryer Recipe
Sticky Cherry Balsamic Glazed Chicken Wings
A delicious and easy-to-make sticky cherry balsamic glazed chicken wings recipe, perfect for air frying.
Ingredients
- 1 kg chicken wings
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup cherry preserves
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
Method
- Pat the chicken wings dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper.
- Preheat the air fryer to 180°C (356°F).
- Toss the wings in olive oil and place them in the air fryer basket without overcrowding.
- Cook for about 25-30 minutes, turning halfway, until golden and crispy.
- Combine cherry preserves, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, honey, garlic, thyme, and ginger in a saucepan and simmer over medium heat until thickened, about 5-7 minutes.
- Toss the cooked wings in the cherry balsamic glaze until well coated.
- Place the coated wings back in the air fryer for an additional 3-5 minutes to caramelise the glaze.
- Serve immediately, garnished with extra fresh thyme.
Why this works in an air fryer
Drying the wings lets hot convection dehydrate the skin before the glaze is added, so fat can render and the surface crisps. The cherry preserve, honey and balsamic reduce into a high-sugar coating; returning glazed wings briefly to the air fryer sets it sticky without boiling the meat.
Equipment notes
Timings assume a 5–6 litre basket holding 1 kg wings in one loose layer; smaller baskets need two batches or the wings steam. In a single-drawer air fryer, shake/turn thoroughly at halfway and again before glazing; in a dual-zone model, split evenly between drawers and expect the smaller load per drawer to cook 2–4 minutes faster.
Common pitfalls
- Glaze turning black in patches within 2 minutes? The sugar is scorching on a hot element side; drop to 160°C for the finishing stage and turn the wings after 90 seconds.
- Wings look wet and pale after 25 minutes? They were crowded or not dried enough; remove any pooled liquid, spread into a single layer and cook 5–8 minutes more before glazing.
- Glaze slides off rather than clinging? It has not reduced enough; simmer until it coats the back of a spoon and leaves a brief trail when stirred, then toss the wings while both are hot.
- Skin softens after glazing? Too much sauce was added; use just enough to coat, then air fry briefly on a rack or basket with space so steam can escape.
Variations & substitutions
- Use apricot jam instead of cherry preserve for a lighter, less tannic glaze; it caramelises a little faster, so watch the final air-fry stage closely.
- Swap soy sauce for tamari to keep it gluten-free; the salt level is similar, but the glaze may taste slightly rounder and darker.
- Add 1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes or gochujang to the saucepan for heat; thicker chilli pastes reduce faster, so loosen with a splash of water if the glaze becomes jammy too soon.
- Use split drumettes and flats rather than whole wings; the smaller pieces expose more edges and usually crisp a few minutes sooner.
Storage & reheating
Keep cooled wings in the fridge for up to 3 days, then reheat in the air fryer at 170°C for 5–7 minutes, adding any extra glaze only for the final minute.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
