This post was originally published in 2020 and has since been updated with photos and a different dip for the wings.

If you love chicken wings, especially crispy ones and Mexican flavours, you're gonna love these Mexican inspired chicken wings. Made with a simple dry rub and then air fried until perfectly crispy, they're actual heaven. I highly suggest pairing these crispy air fryer wings with some guac and a marg (preferably on a sunny day) but honestly, you could eat these in the dead of winter (I have numerous times) and just blast the heat and pretend you're somewhere warm.

This recipe is loosely based off of Mexican tastes and flavours, but is not authentic at all. And I would never claim them to be. They are simply a spiced chicken wing using predominately Mexican spices and then served with a cooling cotija dip. And they are delicious. So when I say Mexican inspired, I mean inspired by the cuisine, flavours and taste and I use that term loosely. I really hope that you give them a try because they're one of my favourite chicken wings recipes.

Feel free to make these in the air fryer or in the oven. I have instructions for both methods below.

Ingredients

These Mexican chicken wings are SO easy to make. Here's everything you need to make them!

• ‍Chicken wings: you'll need about 2 pounds of chicken wings. I like keeping them whole, but split or whole will work here. ‍
• Dry rub seasoning blend: to make this Mexican inspired dry rub, you'll use smoked paprika, ancho chile powder, cumin, garlic and salt.‍
• Avocado oil spray: this helps to get the wings crispy, I recommend using avocado oil cooking spray. ‍
• Lime juice: to add some acidity to the dip, you'll use the lime zest as well.‍
• Greek yogurt: to add some creamy goodness to the dip and cool things off. You could use sour cream or Greek yogurt.‍
• Cilantro: to add colour and flavour, if you hate it, leave it off.‍
• Cotija Cheese: I love the saltiness and creaminess that cotija adds. See substitutions for other options.  ‍
• Serrano pepper: the dry rub isn't spicy at all, and because I love heat, I like adding in some thinly sliced serrano pepper which is similar to a jalapeño pepper but spicier.

How to make chicken wings in the air fryer

Making crispy air fryer chicken wings is actually the easiest thing ever. Here is exactly how to make them.

Pat your chicken wings with some paper towel first to get them nice and dry. This will help make them crispier.

Now, pour the spices into a large bowl and mix with a spoon. Add your chicken wings one at a time and toss well to coat, making sure that each one is very well seasoned and coated. This is important to ensure maximum flavour. Look at the photo below to see how well these are coated.

Preheat the airy fryer.

Add a layer of chicken wings to your air fryer, bottom part up first (skin side down), it's ok if they touch a little, but don't completely overlap them. My air fryer does about 6 whole chicken wings (or about 10-12 split chicken wings) at a time. Spray with avocado oil.

Place in your air fryer and bake for 8 minutes. Remove and flip them over and spray with a little more avocado oil and air fry for an additional 8 minutes.

Place a wire rack over a baking sheet. Heat your oven to 250 degrees and add the air fried chicken wings to the baking sheet. Then place this in the oven to keep the cooked ones warm. Repeat with the remaining chicken wings until all are done.

How to Make the Cotija Dip  

Making the lime and cotija dip is easy and will only take a minute or so. And it's perfect for dipping your wings in.

In a small bowl, add all ingredients. Mix with a spoon until well combined and then set aside.

How to Make in the Oven

You can absolutely make these Mexican inspired chicken wings in the oven.

To do this, pat your chicken wings very well with paper towel. Add the seasoning to a large bowl along with 1 tbsp baking powder (this helps get them crispy in the oven) and then add the wings, working in small batches to coat them all very well.

Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a wire rack over top (this helps things stay clean).

Spray the rack with avocado oil spray.  

Arrange on the rack in a single layer. Bake for 45 minutes, turning about halfway through.

Remove and serve with the dip and toppings.

How to Get Extra Crispy Air Fryer Wings

• Pat the chicken wings dry: this helps make sure they get crispy.
• Don't overcrowd the air fryer: you want to be sure to space them out in one layer, it's ok if they touch a little, but don't put them on top of one another or overcrowd. It's best to work in batches.
• Keep them warm in the oven: this is the best option when you're working in batches. I like using a wire rack over top of a baking sheet to keep them crispy. You can also reheat them all in your air fryer when you're done with all the batches.

Substitutions

• Spices: I recommend smoked paprika over regular paprika because it has more flavour. Of course if all you have is regular paprika, that'll work. As for the ancho chili powder, I really like it, but you can use regular chili powder if that's what you have.
• Dairy-free: if you can't have Greek yogurt, you can use another plain yogurt such as cashew or coconut.
• Cotija cheese: I love using cotija because it tastes great and crumbles perfectly, plus it's a Mexican cheese. You can use feta or omit it altogether if you need.
• No heat: omit the serrano pepper on top, or use a milder pepper like seeded jalapeño.

Which Air Fryer Do I Use & Recommend

I recently purchased a new air fryer, the Cosori based on doing a TON of research online and I absolutely love it. Here’s why.

• Gets food super crispy, golden and brown without a lot of oil.
• Digital touch is very responsive and easy to use
• Large enough to fit a good amount of food in it. I’ve used it to make fries and 1 large russet potato cut into fries easily fit in.
• Shake function reminds me when to flip my food.
• Pre-set options make it easy for knowing which temperature and time to cook food for.

Check out the Cosori Air Fryer here!

What to Serve With These Mexican Inspired Chicken Wings

• Guac and chips is my go-to choice because it's delicious and fits with the Mexican theme. Again, a margarita would also be delicious too!
• Mexican street corn: check out my lightened up version here!
• Any salad: a simple green salad would be great with this too.

Other Air Fryer Recipes:

I love using my air fryer, here are some more recipes to keep you inspired!

• Air fryer coconut shrimp
• Shredded chicken taquitos (air fryer)
• Air fryer crispy calamari
• Crispy Air Fryer Mac & Cheese Balls
• Air Fryer Brie Bites with Fig Jam
• Air fryer Jalapeño Poppers
• Crispy Air Fryer Breakfast Taquitos
• Air fryer coconut shrimp with Thai sweet chili sauce
• Bang Bang Shrimp (air fryer)
• Air Fryer Chicken Katsu Bowl
• Crispy Air Fryer Arancini

Ready to make this? Let's get to it!

If you make these Mexican inspired chicken wings please share with me, by tagging me on Instagram or leave a comment and/or review below. I truly love seeing and hearing form you!

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