Hot take: Frozen chicken wings beat fresh in the air fryer every time

I finally tested this last weekend after my buddy Dave kept insisting frozen wings come out better... and he was right. I did a side-by-side with a 2-pound bag of frozen wings from Aldi versus fresh ones from the butcher counter. The frozen ones turned out way crispier on the outside while staying juicy inside, and I didn't have to pat them dry or anything. The fresh wings were good but they got a bit rubbery on the skin even after 25 minutes at 380. I think the ice crystals create steam that helps the skin puff up before it crisps. Has anyone else noticed this or am I just bad at drying fresh wings?

2 comments

2 Comments

taragrant15h ago

400F for 22 minutes works perfect for frozen wings.

angela19115h ago

Nah I gotta disagree here. I did the same test a few months ago and my fresh wings came out way better after I let them sit uncovered in the fridge overnight to dry out the skin. Frozen ones were fine but kinda soggy compared to that.