Air Fryer Jerk Chicken Wings. These are the best, minimsl-oil, jerk chicken wings you'll ever have. They are crispy, guilt-free wings that pack all the flavor without the added fat or refined sugars!

The dry rub combines all the traditional jerk seasoning ingredients without the brown sugar. Instead, we use coconut sugar to add a bit of sweetness to our air-fried wings.

They pair really well with sweet potato fries and Jollof Rice.

air fried jerk chicken wings in a white plate garnished with lime wedges and scallions

Can you air fry jerk chicken? Yes...yes you can.

I was looking for a wing recipe to enjoy on my "cheat" weekends that didn't leave me feeling guilty over calories.

… and here it is!

It contains everything the authentic dry rub calls for, with the only substitution being coconut sugar.

Brown sugar is refined, processed white sugar with the addition of molasses. Coconut sugar is browned from the cooking process without leaving its natural form.

What is Jerk?

Jerk is a style of cooking where the meat is marinated in a dry rub (or a wet sauce) and cooked over an open flame.

This cooking style is credited to Jamaica, but recently has been adopted by other countries.

Jerk seasoning doesn't hold out on the sweet and spicy notes, and this recipe captures both perfectly.

Ingredients for Air Fryer Jerk Chicken Wings (Dry Rub)

This recipe makes enough dry rub for a few uses. Store the extra in an air tight container.

Coconut Sugar: It is the perfect brown sugar alternative.
Ground Cinnamon
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Allspice: I like to buy whole seeds and grind them with my mortar. I noticed that the spices are more potent.
Ground Nutmeg: If I have time, I buy whole nutmeg seeds and grind them myself, but buying already ground is perfectly fine.
Smoked Paprika
Cayenne Pepper: Feel free to leave it out, or add more.
Cumin
White Pepper
Dried Thyme
Salt
Ground Clove

outlined spices for jerk chicken dry rub (nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, clove, thyme, cayenne pepper, cumin, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder)

Calories in Jerk Chicken Wings

This recipe yields 4 servings.

Total Calories: 302 calories

Protein: 19 g

Fat: 20 g

Carbs: 14 g

How to Make Jerk Wings in Air Fryer

Make dry rub. First, add the dry ingredients for the dry rub listed. Mix well & set it aside.
Prepare the chicken wings. Clean and pat dry chicken wings. (Separate the drumette and flats if not already done so).
Coat chicken with oil. Use one tablespoon of olive to baste chicken wings.
Add dry rub. Mix well so every piece is coated.
Prepare air fryer. Use non-stick spray on your air fryer basket before placing the wings inside. Make sure all wings are placed flat and not piled on each other. (Depending on how many wings you marinated, you may have to cook in batches.)
Cook wings. Set Air Fryer to 400°F and cook time to 20 minutes.
Flip the wings. After 10 minutes, flip the wings and cook for another 10 minutes or until chicken is an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
Chop!

chicken wings in a bowl with jerk dry rub on top

seasoned uncooked jerk chicken wings in the air fryer

Storage Tips

Once the wings are cool, store leftovers in an air tight container. They will be at their best when eaten within 2-3 days.

For the best results, reheat them in the air fryer at 350 degrees F for 5-8 minutes. You can also pop them in the oven or microwave. It all depends on your heating preference.