Best Air Fryer Caribbean Style Citrus Chicken Wings

Air fryer Caribbean citrus chicken wings are Haitian-inspired crispy whole chicken wings with a Creole lemon kick, served alongside a shredded vegetable and arugula salad tossed in a citrus scotch bonnet vinaigrette. These wings deliver a mouthwatering blend of bold, citrus flavors that make every bite unforgettable.

Table of Contents

Jump to:

• Caribbean Vibes
• Haitian Cuisine Influence
• Citrus Fruit + Hot Peppers = Caribbean Cuisine
• Ingredients with Steps
• Instructions with Pictures
• Substitutions
• Variations
• Equipment
• Storage
• Cooking Tip
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Air Fryer Recipes
• Poultry Recipes
• 📖 Recipe
• Subscribe to my YouTube Channel
• Have a Comment or Question?

Caribbean Vibes

Transform your kitchen into a Haitian paradise with these Best Air Fryer Caribbean-style Citrus Chicken Wings, the perfect recipe for a romantic dinner for two or a game night feast. Imagine golden brown wings, crispy to perfection, quick and easy Creole lemon seasoning for a zesty kick.

Served with shredded vegetables and arugula, adding a refreshing crunch, tossed in a citrus scotch bonnet vinaigrette, delivering a flavor familiar to the islands with a twist in every bite. This amazing recipe is quick, easy, and bursting with Caribbean vibes, creating a beautiful dish to impress your date or wow your game night crew.

Haitian Cuisine Influence

The vibrant and flavorful traditional Haitian dish, pikliz, inspires this recipe. Pikliz is a condiment of pickled vegetables, chili peppers, and spices mixed in an acidic citrus and vinegar juice. It is commonly used to add more heat to dishes.

Haitian cooks season meat with aromatic ingredients like chopped parsley, onion, garlic, and bell pepper. They add fresh citrus, like sour orange, and fiery chili peppers, such as Scotch bonnet or habanero, to create the dish's unique flavor.

Citrus Fruit + Hot Peppers = Caribbean Cuisine

Citrus fruits are commonly used in Caribbean dishes because their bright, tangy flavors help balance the richness of meats and seafood, bringing a refreshing contrast to bold, spicy flavors.

Sour Orange's Popularity

One of the most popular citrus fruits in Caribbean cooking is sour orange, also known as bitter orange. This fruit, believed to have originated in Southeast Asia and later introduced to the Caribbean by Spanish settlers, is often used in marinades, sauces, and dressings.

Sour orange's tartness is essential in many traditional dishes, adding both flavor and a natural tenderizing effect to meats, making it a key ingredient in creating the vibrant, well-rounded flavors Caribbean cuisine is known for.

While sour orange isn’t used in this recipe due to its limited availability, a mixture of citrus fruits like lime, lemon, and orange helps mimic its unique tart and slightly bitter flavor.

That Fiery Kick

Caribbean cuisine is known for its bold use of hot chilies, like Scotch bonnet and habanero, which add intense heat and depth to dishes. I’ve always had a love for chili peppers and honestly, I can't enjoy a dish unless it’s got some spice to it.

Maybe that’s why I’m drawn to the flavors of tropical regions like the Caribbean, India, West Africa, and Korea. These cuisines all share a love for heat, and there's something about that fiery kick that makes every bite more exciting for me. I’m convinced spice is the ultimate way to elevate a dish!

Try These Other Globally-Inspired Recipes

• Easy Air Fryer Sticky Date Teriyaki Chicken Wings
• Spicy Peanut Chicken Wings with Mushroom Jollof Fonio Pilaf
• Loaded Plantain Fries with Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Things and Spicy Slaw
• Vegetarian Ras El Hanout White Bean and Kale Soup
• Air Fryer Chicken Breast with Hot Honey Glazed Vegetables
• Papaya Rum Coconut Ninja CREAMi

Ingredients with Steps

First, cut the cabbage, carrots, onions, and red bell pepper into thin strips and place them in a resealable bag.  Then, make the vinaigrette by blending freshly squeezed orange and lime juice, apple cider vinegar, honey, scotch connect pepper sauce, ground black pepper, and kosher salt.

Combine the shredded vegetables with the dressing to make the slaw, and marinate them in the fridge. Next, season the whole chicken wings with lemon pepper, Creole seasoning, avocado oil, and air fry until golden brown and crispy. 

Before plating, drain the liquid from the shredded vegetables into a container and add fresh chopped parsley, orange, and lime zest.  Finally, plate up the dish by mixing the slaw with fresh baby arugula and place it on the dish with the chicken wings and more of the dressing.  Voila!

Culinary Glossary

• Chicken Wings - The cut of chicken that includes the drumette and wingette, often used in appetizer or snack recipes, is prized for its crispy skin and tender meat when cooked in an air fryer. It's the perfect part of the chicken beside the thighs to cook in an air fryer since the skin gets crispy and juicy.
• Citrus - A category of fruits known for their bright, tangy flavor. In this recipe, a mix of citrus fruits like lime, lemon, and orange can be used to add a fresh, zesty flavor and balance the richness of the wings.
  • Lime - A small, green citrus fruit with a tart flavor. Lime is commonly used in Caribbean cuisine to add acidity and brightness to savory dishes and marinades.
  • Lemon - A yellow citrus fruit with a sour taste, often used in marinades to tenderize meat and add a refreshing flavor. It pairs well with herbs and spices to enhance the wings' overall taste.
  • Orange - A sweet, juicy citrus fruit that provides a mild sweetness and tang to the marinade. Its juice and zest are often used in Caribbean recipes for a bright, citrusy punch.
• Scotch Bonnet Pepper - A small but fiery chili pepper commonly used in Caribbean cooking. It delivers intense heat and a slightly fruity flavor that enhances the overall spice of the dish. Learn more about chili peppers and the Scoville Scale.

See the inspired Haitian fried chicken recipe card for quantities.

Instructions with Pictures

Follow the instructions and cooking tips below using the step-by-step picture guide.

Tips on How to Stack Whole Chicken Wings

Follow the step-by-step tutorial below for the presentation of the wings.

Photo Source: Crispy Air Fryer Honey Jerk Rubbed Chicken Wings

Substitutions

Dairy Free

• Yay! This delicious citrus chicken wings recipe is already dairy-free.

Gluten-Free

• Bonus! This recipe is also gluten-free.

Vegetarian

• I do not have a substitute for this recipe to make it vegetarian or vegan.
• However, I suggest checking out Vegan Haitian Recipes: Griot & Pikliz on Haitians Who Blog.  
• Traditional Haitian Griot is citrus and chili pepper marinated pork that is fried, so it's it has a similar technique to my recipe.

Convenience

• Sliced Cabbage and Carrots - Try using store-bought pre-cut slaw vegetables, usually in your local market's salad section.
• Red Bell Pepper - Use green bell pepper; red is used for presentation.
• Apple Cider Vinegar - Use white vinegar; traditional pikliz uses white vinegar. I used ACV instead to make it flavorful for a vinaigrette.
• Scotch Bonnet Pepper Sauce - Fresh, thinly sliced scotch bonnet or habanero peppers.
• Avocado Oil - I used a high smoke point oil since it goes into the air fryer, but you can replace it with a neutral vegetable oil with a high smoke point.
• Citrus Fruits - If you can't find or don't have fresh orange or limes on hand, try using their juices or use a different citrus fruit, like grapefruit or even tangerine. You can a balance of sweet and sour.

Change Heat Level - Modify the citrus chicken wings recipe's heat level to your liking and learn more about the Scoville Scale and Chili Pairings.

Variations

• The Chicken - Use other parts of the chicken, such as chicken breast or chicken thighs.

Equipment

• Resealable Bag - Used to marinate the shredded vegetables conveniently.
• Immersion Blender - To blend the vinaigrette.  I developed this recipe using the KitchenAid Cordless Variable Speed Hand Blender, which comes with its own blending jar.
• Air Fryer - The air fryer is a faster alternative to deep-frying chicken wings. I use the 4-quart Ninja AG301 Foodi 5-in-1 Indoor Electric Grill and develop my air fryer recipes to cook them.
  • If you're using an oven instead, I recommend baking the wings on a baking sheet with a wire rack at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 to 45 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Depending on the size of the wings, it may take up to 60 minutes to bake them thoroughly.
• Paper Towels - To pat dry the whole chicken wings.
• Large Bowl - This is used to mix the shredded vegetables with the baby arugula.

Kitchen Must Haves - Find other tools I use here.

Storage

• Refrigerator - To store in the fridge, you can place the chicken wings in a shallow 2-inch container to cool down quickly. Then, store it in an airtight container.
  • You have a choice to place the dressing back with the shredded vegetables or to keep them separate.  I suggest not mixing the arugula and shredded vegetables separately since the arugula needs to be kept dry to last longer.  
  • As a result, the meal will last up to three days.  
  • However, if you keep the vegetables marinated, it can last up to a week.
• Freezer - Follow the refrigeration process for the chicken wings mentioned above.  Then, place them in the freezer in a labeled, airtight container.  I use a labeled resealable freezer bag.

Airtight Food Containers - I interchange glass food storage containers with plastic clipping lids or wooden push-ins. I always suggest using glass storage containers because you can microwave them, they hold food without staining, and the glass maintains a more stable temperature, keeping food fresher for longer.

Try the OXO Good Grips Smart Seal Glass Rectangle Food Storage Containers or the Pyrex Freshlock Glass Food Storage Containers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Air Fryer Recipes

Looking for other air fryer recipes like this? Try these: 

Poultry Recipes

Looking for other poultry recipes like this? Try these: 

📖 Recipe

Subscribe to my YouTube Channel

SUBSCRIBE: 👈To my YouTube Channel to Get Notifications of New Videos.

Have a Comment or Question?

If you have a question or comment about this citrus chicken wings recipe, please post it below. You will definitely get a quick response. It also helps our other readers to stay informed. Thanks!