When frying frozen chicken wings either in the air fryer or deep fryer their state(thawed or unthawed) and the number of pieces you put at a go, will generally affect the cooking in terms of duration and doneness.
Since the wings are cold than usual(even after thawing), frying many pieces at once tends to lower the oil temperature and also makes it hard for hot air to circulate in the air fryer, making them cook for longer than expected.
Deep fry your frozen chicken wings in 350°F hot oil for 10-12 minutes or simply air fry at 360°F for 20-25 minutes flipping over once halfway cooked for even doneness and crispness.
Is it OK to Fry Frozen Chicken wings?
It is very safe to fry frozen chicken wings. Just ensure that you thaw them completely and set the frier to the right temperature to avoid undercooking or overcooking.
How to Fry Frozen Chicken Wings?
You can easily fry frozen chicken either in the deep fryer or air fryer. Deep frying can be as simple as popping it in hot oil and waiting for it to scrip up although it needs to be done with much precaution.
When you put frozen chicken in boiling oil, most likely than not the oil will splash all over the place due to the presence of excess water in it. To minimize this, it is good to defrost your chicken completely before deep frying to get rid of excess water from the ice crystals and to ensure proper doneness on the inside.
Air frying Frozen Chicken wings
If you don’t like your chicken wings soaked in excess oil, then air frying is the way to go. The air fryer uses hot circulating air and little to no oil leaving your chicken nicely tender and crispy.
To air fry frozen chicken wings,
- Preheat the air fryer to 360°F
- Spray little oil on the chicken and season as you desire
- Put them in the air fryer basket on a single layer.
- Fry for 12 minutes then flip them over and fry for another 12 minutes or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Deep frying frozen chicken wings
To deep fry frozen chicken wings,
- Defrost completely. You can leave your chicken wings in the fridge to defrost overnight or simply put them in a bowl of cold water to defrost at room temperature. Note that, using hot water to thaw chicken encourages bacteria growth.
- Preheat oil to 350°F
- Pat the wings dry with a paper towel to prevent hot oil from splashing due to the presence of water
- Use a frying ladle to put chicken wings in the hot oil. Fry them in bits as putting too many at once could lower the oil temperature.
- Deep fry for 10-12 minutes
- Put them in a strainer lined with a paper towel to absorb excess oil.
Can you Deep Fry Frozen Chicken Wings without Thawing?
No. First of all, it’s dangerous, and second, you will end up with undercooked chicken wings. Boiling oil tends to splash when mixed with water as it tries to resist since they are incompatible. when you deep fry your chicken wings with the ice crystals still on, hot oil will blow over as the ice crystals melt causing serious burns if it lands on your skin.
Since you will be frying several wings at a go, the coldness will also lower the oil temperature leaving them under-cooked on the inside.
Safety measures to Observe when deep frying
Here are safety measures to keep in mind before deep frying to avoid any possible accidents.
- Always read the instructions on your deep fryer before operating it
- If using a skillet or a pan, ensure they are wide and deep enough.
- Wipe off any water traces on the pan or skillet before using it
- Avoid deep frying too much food at a go to prevent oil from spilling over.
- Thaw completely and pat dry any food that needs to be deep-fried before putting them in boiling oil.
- Never live the deep fryer unattended
How to Freeze fried Chicken Wings
Here’s how to freeze your crispy chicken wings to keep them fresh for longer.
- Allow your chicken wings to cool completely
- Put them in a zip lock bag
- Squeeze out as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn
- Label to avoid over freezing
- Put them at the back of the freezer.
Frozen this way, fried chicken wings can retain their freshness for up to 3-4 months.
Dishes Derived from Fried Frozen Chicken Wings
Chicken wings can be enjoyed using different recipes and give a delicious taste every time. Below are two decadent recipes you can try at home.
1. Brown sugar chicken wings
In a bowl, mix brown sugar, salt, spices, onion, and garlic powder. Place your already fried chicken wings in a zip-lock bag, pour half the brown sugar mixture, and shake well. Add the remaining mixture and shake again then serve.
2. Hot chicken wings
Melt some butter on a pan. Add cayenne, Worcestershire, and hot sauce to the pan. Once it bubbles, switch off the heat and add your ready-fried wings and toss in the sauce. Stir well to ensure they are evenly coated then serve.