Air fryers have become increasingly popular in recent years as a way to make fried foods like wings with less oil. Many people believe that air fried wings must be lower in calories than deep fried wings since they use little to no oil. But is this really true?
How an Air Fryer Works
An air fryer is a small countertop appliance that uses rapid hot air circulation to cook foods. The air fryer basket has a non-stick coating and sits atop a drip tray. When turned on, the air fryer rapidly circulates extremely hot air up to 400°F around the food to cook it using convection principles. Only a small amount of oil is needed for cooking in order to produce the crispy, browned exterior associated with deep frying.
Calories in Air Fried vs Deep Fried Wings
Most plain deep fried chicken wings contain around 140-150 calories per wing. The exact calorie count depends on factors like the size of the wings and how much batter is used.
For air fried wings, most recipes call for 2-3 teaspoons of oil to coat 12 wings, which is about 0.25-0.5 grams of oil per wing. Once accounting for the small amount of oil used, plain air fried wings still contain around 130-140 calories per wing – very comparable to deep fried wings.
So while deep frying requires submerging foods in liters of hot oil, air frying only uses minimal oil. However, both cooking methods result in similar calorie counts per wing.
Factors Affecting Calorie Count
A few factors impact the final calories in air fried vs deep fried wings:
Batter
Plain wings have fewer calories than battered, breaded or sauced wings. While plain deep fried and air fried wings contain 140-150 calories each, battered wings can contain 170-200+ calories each depending on the recipe. The extra coatings and batter significantly increase calories and fat.
Cooking Time
The longer wings cook, the more fat renders out which can slightly alter calorie counts. Air fried wings may cook a bit faster than deep fried wings, so deep fried wings may render out a bit more fat after prolonged cooking. However, the difference is small.
Wing Size
Larger wings contain more calories than smaller wings. The typical wing drumette contains around 50 calories while a typical wingette contains 35-40 calories.
Oil Used for Frying
The type of oil used for frying also impacts calorie counts. Here is how common frying oils compare:
| Oil | Calories per tbsp |
|---|---|
| Canola Oil | 120 |
| Vegetable Oil | 120 |
| Olive Oil | 120 |
| Peanut Oil | 119 |
| Lard | 115 |
| Coconut Oil | 117 |
As you can see, most common frying oils contain similar calories per tablespoon – around 120. So the type of oil used for air frying versus deep frying does not make a major difference in calories.
Why Air Fried Wings May Seem Lower in Calories
Since air fried wings use drastically less total oil than deep fried wings, people assume they must be lower in calories. However, when accounting for the small amount of oil used to coat the wings, calories are nearly identical.
Here are a few reasons why air fried wings may seem lower calorie:
Less Oil Dripping
Deep fried wings are submerged in a vat of hot oil during cooking. Some of this oil clings to the wings after cooking and can drip off, which gives the visual appearance of being high in oil and calories.
Air fried wings use minimal oil to coat the wings before cooking. Since the wings sit in a basket and are not submerged in oil, there is no oil dripping effect after cooking. Visually, air fried wings appear lower in oil and calories.
Healthy Cooking Perception
Air fryers are marketed as a healthy oil-free cooking method. The idea of air fried wings aligns with the health halo effect of air fryers in general. Deep frying conjures images of greasy unhealthy food. So consumers perceive air fried wings as the lower calorie option.
Recipe Size Differences
Many air fryer wing recipes are for a lower quantity of wings compared to large restaurant deep fryer baskets. For example, 6 air fried wings coated in 1 tsp of oil still visually looks lower in oil and calories compared to a large batch of deep fried wings, even though the per wing calorie counts are very close.
Cooking Method Crispiness Differences
The biggest difference between air fried and deep fried wings is the level of crispiness achieved. Deep frying offers the crispiest skin because the wings cook while fully submerged in hot oil. The bubbling oil penetrates the skin pores completely.
Air frying uses significantly less oil to coat the wings. While the rapid air circulation crisps the outside, the inside of the skin may be slightly less crispy. The key for air frying is to cook the wings in a single layer without overcrowding the basket.
Ways to Reduce Calories in Wings
While the cooking method does not matter as much, there are other ways to lower the calorie count in wings:
Use Less Batter
Battered, breaded and sauced wings can contain up to 200+ calories each. Using a lighter hand when breading or battering wings leads to fewer calories.
Remove Skin
The chicken skin accounts for a good portion of the fat and calories in wings. Removing the skin drops the calorie count to around 90 calories per wing. However, the skin is what provides that crispy fried texture.
Go For Leaner Cuts
Chicken drumettes contain slightly more calories than wingettes or the tip. Opt for a higher ratio of wingette and tip pieces to save a bit on calories.
Use Lower Calorie Sauces and Dips
The sauces and dips served alongside wings can also drive up calorie counts. Opt for lighter sauces like hot sauce or use yogurt-based dips over cream-based dips. Measure out a couple tablespoons of dip rather than dipping freely.
Nutrition Comparison
Here is a nutrition comparison of 6 plain deep fried wings versus 6 plain air fried wings:
| Nutrition Facts | Deep Fried Wings (6 pieces) | Air Fried Wings (6 pieces) |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 840 | 840 |
| Fat | 54g | 54g |
| Carbs | 0g | 0g |
| Protein | 54g | 54g |
As you can see, plain deep fried and air fried wings are nearly identical in calories and macronutrients. The cooking method does not significantly alter the nutrition.
Price Difference
One advantage of air fryers is that they are significantly cheaper to operate than large commercial deep fryers. Deep fryers used in restaurants require gallons of fresh oil continually topped off for frying wings. The oil must be discarded and replaced frequently.
Air fryers use just teaspoons of oil to coat the food being cooked. The small amount of oil can be reused many times before needing replacement. Air fryers are also smaller counter-top appliances versus large deep fryers, further lowering equipment costs.
For commercial wing restaurants producing tons of wings, air fryers provide big oil and size cost savings. However, for homemade wings, a batch of 6 wings costs just pennies worth of oil in either method.
Taste Differences
Most people can tell a difference in taste and texture between deep fried and air fried wings, though it comes down to personal preference over which is better:
Deep Fried Wings
– Juicier inside: Fully submerging in hot oil allows moisture to be sealed in.
– Crispier skin: Every nook and cranny gets crispy from direct oil contact.
– Richer flavor: The abundant hot oil penetrates deeply and creates a rich, indulgent flavor.
Air Fried Wings
– Slightly drier inside: Some moisture evaporates during cooking without direct oil.
– Less crispy skin: Only the coating touches oil, skin inside may be less crispy.
– Lighter flavor: The lighter oil amount creates a less oily, lighter tasting exterior.
Cooking Time Differences
Deep frying typically cooks wings a bit faster than air frying. Here is a comparison:
Deep Fried Wings
– 15-18 minutes
– Oil preheats in 5-10 minutes
– Can cook larger batches
Air Fried Wings
– 18-22 minutes
– Air fryer preheats in 3-5 minutes
– Smaller batches
The rapid circulation of hot air leads to slightly longer cook times with air frying. However, air fryers preheat faster than getting a pot of oil hot.
Conclusion
While air fried wings use significantly less oil than deep fried wings, the end per wing calorie count is nearly identical at around 140 calories per wing. The crispiness level, flavor, taste and cook time differ between the methods, but not the final caloric value.
Going with plainer wings and watching portions of high calorie sauces and dips can help reduce calories more so than the cooking method. Overall air fryers provide a convenient lower mess way to enjoy crispy wings at home without sacrificing calories.
