Wingstop-Inspired Air Fryer Wings (Crispy, Saucy, Legit)
I don’t know how popular Wingstop is, but I’ve had it so many times because I think its one of the best fast food wings in Singapore! I know the other fast food chains make pretty good wings as well, but I like the thin to no batter on Wingstop’s wings. If you haven’t tried, you should, but I totally cracked the code to making them at home in the air fryer with much less oil!
These air fryer mid-joint wings are so crispy they stay crunchy even after cooling. Plus, the signature sauces — lemon pepper and kicap manis — taste just like the real deal.
📌 Why You’ll Love This Wingstop Dupe
✅ Air fryer = no messy oil, no deep frying, no need for large amounts of oil usage
✅ Sauce is almost identical to the original
✅ More affordable + healthier! Wingstop is so expensive
✅ Perfect for gatherings, or solo cravings (tried & tested!)
🍗 Ingredients
For Wings (Prep + Seasoning)
20 - 24 mid-joint chicken wings, raw and patted dry with 🛒paper towels
1–2 tbsp baking powder (NOT baking soda)
Salt, garlic powder, onion powder
For Dry Batter (Mix in a bowl)
1 cup 🛒rice flour
1 cup 🛒cornstarch 🛒
1 tsp each:
Salt
Onion powder
Garlic powder
Smoked paprika
Black pepper
🍗 For Kicap Manis Sauce
4 tbsp 🛒kicap manis (not the same as Chinese dark soy sauce)
3 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp lime juice
1–2 chilli padi, finely sliced
Fried shallots
🍋 For Lemon Pepper Coating
🛒 Lemon pepper seasoning blend
🍳 Tools You’ll Need
✅ Air Fryer with 180–200°C range ([your air fryer model affiliate link])
✅ Mixing bowls, silicone tongs, and baking rack ([bundle or individual product links])
✅ Oil spray bottle (optional for even crispier skin) 🛒
Method
1. Prep the Wings
Pat wings extremely dry with paper towels — this helps proper crisping.
Rub baking powder
Then sprinkle salt + dry seasonings directly onto the skin. Lightly seasoning in this step is enough as there will still be a bit more seasoning in the dry batter + added sauce later
I’ve experimented letting the wings rest for 20-30 mins before going on to the next step, but I don’t feel it makes a huge difference in crispiness, so skip waiting if you are short on time
2. Batter Them
Mix all dry batter ingredients in a bowl
Toss wings into the mix to coat evenly, even rubbing the dry mixture in gently — make sure to shake off excess.
For this step, letting the wings rest for 30-60 mins did help to crisp the wings slightly more, but again, not super crucial. Do it only if you have time and don’t mind waiting! If you have to air fry a big number of wings in batches, some of the wings will naturally get their “rest'“ anyway.
3. Air Fry
Arrange wings in a single layer, preferably not touching each other
Air fry at 200°C for 10–12 mins per side, flipping once.
(Timing may vary by air fryer model — adjust accordingly. Total cook time will be 20 - 24 mins)I place them top side up, where the skin is thicker.
I also skip the oil for the first 5-8 mins, I don’t want to brush or spray oil onto the wings before they go in the air fryer. I like cooking them a bit so I know the batter has formed a thin layer, before spreading oil with a brush. It is more convenient if you have an oil spray👍🏼
4. Sauce It Up
For Kicap Manis Sauce
Combine all sauce ingredients in a bowl, taste and adjust wherever needed according to taste
Once wings are hot and crispy, toss immediately with sauce.
Sprinkle fried shallots over the top.
For Lemon Pepper
Sprinkle lemon pepper seasoning evenly on all sides of the wings
🧠 Tips for Success
✅ Don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket
✅ Toss sauce or sprinkle seasoning only when wings are HOT — it helps the sauce cling better to the wings
✅ Less is more when it comes to coating the wings, if there is too much baking powder or flour, your wings might turn out cakey instead of light & crispy
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Wingstop-Inspired Air Fryer Wings
This air fryer Wingstop copycat delivers on all fronts — crispy texture, bold flavour, and zero guilt. Whether you're cutting back on takeaway or just love experimenting in the kitchen, this one's worth trying!
