How to Cook Chicken Wings in a Convection Microwave
There are different types of microwaves, but a convection microwave has several great advantages over the others.
There is so much you can cook in a convection oven, and the full heating effect allows for more even cooking, as well.
If you’re curious as to how a convection oven works, when to use it and when not to, as well as how to cook chicken wings in a convection microwave, we’ve got your back.
Also, there are many people who can’t decide which is better between an air fryer and a convection oven. As such, we’d decided to include the pros and cons of each here.
Convection vs. Conventional Microwave Oven
A convection microwave is different from a conventional microwave in many ways, from its method of operation to how it cooks food and what you can do with it.
1. Cooking Method
The basic idea of a convection microwave is that it uses microwave energy to cook the food in the same way that a regular microwave does.
Additionally, the convection current also has a heating element and a fan to circulate the hot air around and cook the food better.
Because of these added features, you can do so much more with this type of oven.
Most conventional microwaves, on the other hand, have a few standard functions. These include reheating, boiling, and defrosting.
These microwaves also have sensors that detect moisture so that you can adjust cook time, cooktop lighting, and ventilate your kitchen.
All of these features and capabilities are also present in the convection microwave.
Additional functions are the ability to preheat the oven and to roast, bake, and crisp your food. Many newer models also allow you to control the appliance using a connected device.
It is evident that there is so much more you can do with your food in this case.
2. Size and Capacity
Convection ovens also come in different sizes, but even in the smaller models, there is enough room to cook multiple dishes.
There are usually at least two oven trays.
3. Cook Settings
When you cook food in a convection oven, depending on the settings you choose, the food will come out quite differently.
The additional heating and circulation functions of the oven mean that food can be cooked more thoroughly from the inside out.
These functions also ensure that the oven cooks the food at a much faster rate.
The preheating option speeds up the cooking time, as well. The advantages of this are that you can save time when preparing meals, and you can also reduce your energy bills.
Whether you decide to use a convection oven, a regular oven with a convection setting, or a convection microwave, you can achieve great results as long as you know how to use them.
How to Cook Chicken Wings in a Convection Microwave
It’s easy to learn how to cook chicken wings in a convection microwave.
Chicken wings are a much-loved snack, whether you are hosting a game party, birthday party, or having a light meal.
Aside from the many flavors that you can add to your chicken wings, there are so many different ways to cook them, too. You can deep fry, air fry, or roast your chicken wings in a convection oven.
If you are going for a healthier and less oil-saturated version of chicken wings, using an air fryer or convection oven is a great way to go.
Cooking chicken wings in a convection oven still produces a similar deep-fried taste but without the excess oil that comes with it.
When you want your chicken wings to have a crunchier and crispier texture, using a convection oven is a great idea.
The dry air produced in the convection oven allows for the perfect sugar caramelization during roasting.
Step 1: Find Your Recipe
To cook chicken wings in a convection oven, you can start with any traditional oven recipe.
Find your favorite one that produces a result that matches your texture and flavor preferences.
You might have cooked chicken wings in a traditional oven before and still be familiar with the method and settings.
From there on, you just need to adjust the cooking temperature and the cooking time.
Step 2: Preheat the Oven
Once you have prepared your recipe, preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit before you put the meat in.
Step 3: Prepare the Wings
To prepare your wings, start by placing them in a bowl and adding some vegetable oil.
Toss the wings thoroughly to coat the skin fully with the oil. You can also add some salt and pepper at this point for seasoning.
The oil serves an important purpose to prevent the wings from sticking to the baking tray, but you do not have to use a whole lot.
Step 4: Bake
After you have tossed the wings fully, you can spread them evenly onto a baking sheet and place them in the preheated convection oven.
To get the best results from cooking chicken wings in a convection oven, it is recommended that you lower the cooking temperature by 25 degrees Fahrenheit. This allows you to enjoy the 25% faster cooking time.
It might take a little trial and error to get the recipe just right, but it is worth it.
You are going to prepare a delicious meal and enjoy the wings without the guilt of eating deep-fried foods.
How Do You Air Fry in a Convection Oven?
Air frying is cooking food using hot air circulation around the food. This is a convection mechanism.
There are health benefits to air frying foods such as snacks because no oil is used, and it is an alternative approach to the traditional deep frying method that uses plenty of oil.
With air frying, you get food with less fat and fewer calories. The taste and texture of air-fried food are comparable to deep-fried food, too.
You can buy a dedicated appliance known as an air fryer to cook foods in this way. These are small units that are ideal for preparing items such as crispy snacks.
An air fryer is, in essence, a smaller version of a convection oven. They are handy because they are small and inexpensive.
How It’s Done
A convection oven can also air fry food. This is ideal because if you already have one, you can use it instead of buying a separate air fryer.
To air-fry crispy and crunchy snacks in a convection oven or microwave, you can use a roasting rack or pan to allow air to circulate around your food while it is cooking.
You simply have to use the baking setting on your convection oven or microwave, and you can get air-fried food.
In many taste tests, food cooked in a convection oven was rated higher than food from a standalone air fryer.
If you have both a convection oven and an air fryer, you can achieve the same cooking effect, thanks to convectional current.
The primary considerations you have to make are around cooking capacity and energy usage.
If you are cooking crispy snacks for a large group of people, you probably want to use your oven because it has more room in it.
If you are preparing only a small amount of food, using your air fryer is better because it is smaller and uses less energy than a larger oven.
FAQs
1. How long does it take to cook chicken wings in the microwave?
In general, according to the Appliances Connection, foods cooked in a convection oven are ready about 25% faster than when using a regular oven.
Your food can cook faster, and you can save energy at the same time. This is great for the environment.
It takes about 35 to 40 minutes for the wings to be ready.
Alternatively, you can check for when the skin on the wings is crispy and nicely caramelized.
According to the USDA, chicken wings are fully cooked when their internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you have a food thermometer, you can also use this to check that your food is prepared.
Eating food that is fully cooked can save you from food poisoning and an upset stomach, so allow the meat to cook well for the full time.
2. Does a convection oven make food crispy?
These types of oven cook food more evenly and are great for roasting.
The all-round heating effects of a convection oven ensure that your meat is cooked evenly and that it achieves a great outward browning and crisp.
If you want a well-cooked interior and a crispy exterior, then a convection oven is a great choice.
This applies to meat and other crispy snacks, too.
3. When should you not use a convection oven?
There are times when it’s not ideal to use a convection oven. One of the key ones has already been mentioned, which is when cooking small quantities of food.
If you have an air fryer, you are better off using it than using a full convection oven for cooking small amounts of food.
This is because the larger oven takes a lot of energy to run and could drive up your electricity bill unnecessarily.
A convection oven is not ideal when you are cooking or baking very delicate foods, too. Some examples of these include cake, soufflés, custard, flan, and bread.
In this oven, the main operating method is air circulation using convection currents.
For foods such as cake, this air circulation can actually hinder the setting process and hamper the turnout you are hoping for.
The batter might not rise properly, and the whole dish might be ruined.
There is some debate around whether convection ovens are really so bad for bread.
On one hand, there is the argument that convection is great for browning the bread and creating a lovely crust. On the other hand, many people believe that the convection oven dries out the bread’s interior.
Depending on how you want your bread to come out, you can decide whether it’s better to use a convection oven or stick to the conventional type.
When cooking traditional American baked goods such as cakes, cookies, and biscuits, many experts recommend that people steer clear of a convection oven unless the recipe specifically calls for one.
The reason for this is that the hot air circulation in the oven makes the crust of the baked goods form faster than you want it to.
You could end up with cookies, cake, or biscuits that have not risen well, are flat, and lacking in fluff.
Conclusion
Convection ovens are perfect for making lots of dishes, including air-fried chicken.
For crispier chicken and shorter cooking time, you can use a baking tray with lower sides.
The method is easy, and the results are worth it.
It is quite clear that having a convection oven, convection microwave, or oven with a convection setting is an asset. There is a lot more versatility in what you can cook.
These ovens usually have more room than a regular microwave or an air fryer, for example.
This means that if you are entertaining company, you might want to use your larger and faster convection oven.
