Name: Air-Fryer Orange Chicken Wings
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 2½ pounds chicken wings , cut at joints, wingtips discarded; 1¼ teaspoons table salt , divided; 1 teaspoon pepper , divided; 2 teaspoons grated Mandarin orange zest plus ⅓ cup juice (1 large orange); 1½ tablespoons granulated sugar; 1½ tablespoons distilled white vinegar; 1 tablespoon soy sauce; 2 teaspoons cornstarch; 2 teaspoons vegetable oil; 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger; 1 scallion , sliced thin

Why This Recipe Works

This dish has the sticky, tangy-sweet allure of classic Chinese American orange chicken but made simpler with an air fryer and chicken wings. Instead of shallow-frying battered chicken pieces, we placed wings, prepped with nothing more than a sprinkling of salt and pepper, into an air fryer set to 400 degrees. The intense heat of the circulating air currents rendered the fat, crisped the skin, and cooked the wings through without any mess in about 20 minutes. For the citrus component of the sauce, we opted to use the honey-sweet juice of a mandarin orange instead of a navel orange. Stirring 2 teaspoons of its exceptionally aromatic zest into the thickened sauce boosted complexity. White vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, grated ginger, and thinly sliced scallions completed its flavors.

Before You Begin

If you are buying pre-cut wings without the wing tips attached, use 2 pounds. We prefer the typically sweeter taste of a mandarin orange over a navel orange here, but you can use the same amount of juice and zest from a navel orange if desired.

Instructions

Pat 2½ pounds chicken wings (cut at joints, wingtips discarded) dry with paper towels and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Arrange wings in even layer in air-fryer basket (wings will overlap). Place basket in air fryer and set temperature to 400 degrees. Cook until wings are golden brown and crispy, 18 to 24 minutes, flipping wings halfway through cooking.

Meanwhile whisk ⅓ cup mandarin orange juice, 1½ tablespoons sugar, 1½ tablespoons vinegar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, and remaining ½ teaspoon pepper together in a bowl.

Heat 2 teaspoons vegetable oil in small saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in orange juice mixture and cook until sauce thickens, about 1 minute. Off heat, stir in 2 teaspoons grated mandarin orange zest and 1 thinly sliced scallion. Transfer to large bowl.

Add wings to bowl with sauce and toss until evenly coated. Serve.