Learn how to cook frozen chicken wings; it’s fast, easy, and convenient! You can bake, boil, or air fry chicken wings from frozen.
Did you forget to take the wings out of the freezer? No problem! Cooking chicken wings from frozen is easy, and the results are all that you could wish for!
Cooking wings from frozen is convenient (no need to thaw the wings) and fast (5 mins prep time and the baking time).
If you like hot wings, check out Baked Spicy Chicken Wings, Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings, or Sweet and Spicy Chicken Wings. Also, learn how to make Pan-Fried Chicken Wings.
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Lydia: This worked perfectly! Thanks!
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Recipe ingredients
You can buy fresh chicken wings and freeze them yourself, or use some that you purchased frozen.
You can bake either whole or split pieces. If they are whole, you should add extra minutes to the cooking time.
Cooking methods
Boiled frozen wings
This technique is the best to use when the chicken pieces are frozen in a clump. Check out How to Boil Chicken Wings for detailed instructions on how to boil fresh wings as well.
Step-by-step instructions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a chicken stock cube, one teaspoon of chicken stock powder, or one teaspoon of chicken stock paste into the water.
Carefully add the frozen wings (1). Cook for about 15 minutes or until cooked through (2).
If they are frozen in a block, let them cook for 5 minutes and carefully pull them apart using two forks. You might need to add a couple of minutes to the cooking time; always check that the meat is cooked through before serving.
Continue cooking the boiled wings
Broil for 5 minutes, flip, and broil for another 5 minutes until the chicken skin is golden and crispy. Keep an eye on them so that they don’t burn. You can toss them with sauce after the initial 5 minutes if you like, and continue cooking them until done.
Bake the seasoned wings in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes.
Grill the dried and seasoned boiled pieces for about 10 minutes on medium heat until nicely charred and crispy. Flip them regularly.
Deep-fry: Heat vegetable oil in a deep pan. Ensure that the pieces are completely dry. Fry them in batches, for about 10-15 minutes per batch or until golden brown and crispy. Place on kitchen towels to remove the excess fat.
Baked frozen wings
Step-by-step instructions
Arrange the frozen wings on a wire rack set on a baking sheet lined with foil. Bake for 25 minutes.
Season and flip: Sprinkle them generously with seasoning. Flip using tongs and season the other side as well.
Bake for another 25 minutes or until cooked through. You can brush them with sauce about 5 minutes before you finish cooking them (4). Or toss them with sauce once you take them out of the oven.
For extra crispiness, turn on the broiler and broil them for 5 to 10 minutes or until crispy. Keep an eye on them so that they don’t burn.
Air-fried frozen wings
Check out the full article Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Wings.
Good to know!
The boiling method is the best way to prepare the wings for grilling. It cooks them and drastically reduces the grilling time, which is always a good thing.
Recipe FAQs
Microwave the block for about 2 minutes, just long enough for them to thaw briefly so that you can pull them apart.
It depends on the method you are using.
Boil: about 15 minutes.
Bake: about 50 minutes.
Air fry: about 30 minutes
Store and reheat
Refrigerate for about 3 days in an airtight container.
Reheat in the oven at 350°F/ 180°C on a lined baking sheet for about 10-20 minutes or until heated through.
Reheat in the air fryer at 370°F/ 190°C for about 5 minutes or until heated through. Flip after about 2 minutes.
How to serve?
Serve as a main dish with garlic Parmesan mashed potatoes, sour cream potato salad, mac and cheese, potato wedges with chili sauce, salads, or vegetables.
Serve as an appetizer with your favorite dipping sauce. I love a nice blue cheese sauce or ranch dressing and some carrot or celery sticks on the side.
How to Cook Frozen Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 2 lb frozen chicken wings Note 1
- 2 tablespoons seasoning of choice
Instructions
Boil:
- Boil water: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Dissolve a chicken stock cube, or one teaspoon chicken stock powder, or paste into the water. Alternatively, add salt, black pepper, and 2-3 bay leaves.
- Cook: Carefully add the frozen wings. Cook for about 15 minutes or until cooked through.
- If they are frozen in a block, let them cook for 5 minutes and carefully pull them apart using two forks. You might need to add a couple of minutes to the cooking time; always check that the wings are cooked through before serving (Note 3).
- Continue cooking: See Note 3 for instructions on how to continue cooking boiled wings (broil, bake, grill, deep fry).
Bake:
- Set the oven to 430°F/ 220°C; you don’t have to preheat it. Line a baking tray with aluminum foil and place a wire rack on top. Lightly brush the rack with oil or spray it with nonstick spray.
- Bake: Arrange the frozen pieces on top. Bake for 25 minutes.
- Season and flip: Remove the tray from the oven and sprinkle the wings generously with seasoning. Flip them using tongs and season the other side as well.
- Return to the oven and bake for another 25 minutes or until cooked through.
- Broil: If the wings are not crispy enough after 50 minutes, turn on the broil and broil them for 5 to 10 minutes or until crisp. Keep an eye on them so that they don’t burn.
Air fry:
- Preheat the air fryer, if necessary. My air fryer needs 3 minutes preheating.
- Season: Place the frozen wings in a large bowl, sprinkle with the seasoning and toss well to coat.
- Cook: Place the pieces into the basket in a single layer. Cook for 10 minutes at 360°F/ 180°C.
- Flip the wings on the other side using tongs.
- Increase the temperature to 400°F/ 200°C and continue cooking the wings for another 18 to 20 minutes, shaking the basket every 5 minutes.
- You can toss them with sauce now and cook them for 2 more minutes.
Notes
- The chicken wings can be whole or split. If they are whole, add 5 to 10 minutes to the cooking time, and check that the wings are cooked through.
- Check that the chicken is cooked through before serving; the safe internal temperature is 165°F/ 74°C. If you don’t have a meat thermometer, tear a wing and check the color of the meat near the bone; it should be completely white; there is no pink allowed.
- Broil: Preheat the oven to broil, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and brush it lightly with oil (or spray it with nonstick spray).
- Arrange the boiled pieces on the tray and season them generously on both sides. Broil for 5 minutes, fli,p and broil for another 5 minutes or so until the skin is golden and crispy. Keep an eye on them so that they don’t burn. You can toss them with sauce after the initial 5 minutes if you like, and continue cooking them until done.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 450°F/ 230°C. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and brush it lightly with oil (or spray it with nonstick spray). Season the wings and bake them for about 20 minutes.
- Grill the dried and seasoned boiled wings for about 10 minutes on medium heat until nicely charred and crispy. Flip them regularly.
- Deep-fry: Heat vegetable oil in a deep pan (about 3 inches/ 7 cm deep) to 350°F/ 180°C. Ensure that the pieces are completely dry. Fry them in batches, for about 10-15 minutes per batch or until golden brown and crispy. Place on kitchen towels to remove the excess fat.
Lydia says
This worked perfectly! Thanks!
Adina says
Thank you for the feedback and rating, Lydia.