Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray and preheat it to 380 °F, then lay the wings on paper towels and pat them completely dry. The skin should feel tacky and dry to the touch, not wet or glossy.

Place the wings in a mixing bowl and toss them with olive oil, salt, pepper, and baking powder until every piece is evenly coated. You should see a thin, pale layer on the skin rather than clumps of powder.

Arrange the wings in the basket, spray the tops with cooking spray, and cook them at 380 °F for 18 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through. As they cook, the skin will start tightening and small bubbles will form across the surface.

Raise the heat to 400 °F, spray the wings again with cooking spray, and cook for 5 more minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 °F. The final minutes should sound lively with a little hiss and pop, and the wings should turn deep golden brown without drifting into dark brown.

While the wings cook, stir the melted butter or ghee, basil, garlic, parmesan cheese, parsley, and pinch of salt and pepper together in a large bowl. The mixture should look loose enough to coat hot wings and smell strongly of garlic and herbs.

Transfer the fully cooked wings to the bowl of sauce and toss until coated. The hot skin should grab the sauce while still keeping its crackly surface.

Finish with fresh parsley and serve with ranch if you like. The wings are ready when the coating looks glossy, the edges stay crisp, and the aroma is rich and savory.

Heat the oven to 400 °F and set a wire rack over a baking sheet, then spread the wings out on the rack. Elevating the wings helps hot air reach more of the skin so the bottoms do not sit in rendered fat.

Pat the wings dry with paper towels before seasoning. Dry skin is the difference between crisp edges and soft, steamed patches.

Toss the wings in a mixing bowl with olive oil, salt, pepper, and baking powder until coated all over. The seasoning should cover the wings evenly with no heavy pockets.

Place the wings on the rack and bake for 15 minutes, then pull the tray out and turn each wing. The first side should look lightly golden and a little tightened before you flip.

Return the wings to the oven and cook for 20 more minutes or until crisp and the internal temperature reaches 165 °F. Look for a burnished golden color and skin that looks blistered in spots, not pale.

Mix the melted butter or ghee, basil, garlic, parmesan cheese, parsley, and pinch of salt and pepper in a large bowl while the wings finish cooking. The sauce should be well combined so the cheese and herbs are evenly distributed.

Add the hot wings to the sauce and toss to coat, then serve with ranch if you like. The surface should stay crisp around the edges even after the sauce goes on.

Set the smoker to 225 °F, choose your wood pellets, and toss the wings with salt, olive oil, pepper, and baking powder. The coating should look even and the wings should go into the smoker dry on the outside.

Smoke the wings until their internal temperature reaches 155 °F, which takes about 1 hour. At this stage the skin will be lightly bronzed and the meat will smell deeply smoky.

Increase the smoker temperature to 375 °F and cook for another 15 to 20 minutes until the wings reach 165 °F inside. The hotter finish tightens the skin and brings the color from light bronze to crisp golden brown.

While the wings finish, combine the melted butter or ghee, basil, garlic, parmesan cheese, parsley, and pinch of salt and pepper in a large bowl. The sauce should be smooth enough to coat without turning pasty.

Toss the hot smoked wings in the sauce and serve with ranch if you like. You want glossy, well-coated wings with smoky edges and a fresh garlic aroma.