Air Fryer chicken wings are crispy, delicious, and easily made in 20 minutes. Tossed with finger-licking homemade buffalo sauce, it's a match made in heaven. The crunchiness provided by the hot air of the fryer elevates your chicken wing experience to a whole new level. You may never make wings any other way again!
I’ve been baking chicken wings since 2001. What I’ve learned from my experience, the key to crispy chicken wings is a method of preparation and sauce. Since I started using my air fryer, I noticed a big difference in taste and the crispiness of the wings.
I love how they are done in half the time than baking them in the oven. These wings are coated with homemade sticky, sweet, and spicy Buffalo sauce, where you can easily adjust the spicy kick and sweetness to your taste. If you’re a wing lover, like me, please give our Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings and Garlic-Parmesan Chicken Wings a try.
Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings Recipe:
The Air Fryer wings come out crispy, juicy, and tender in 20 minutes from start to finish. The crispiness seals the chicken wings in their entirety, leaving the inside meat juicy and tender. Once you bite through the crisp, the meat slides off the bone in one easy delicious mouthwatering crispy bite. These buffalo wings are perfect for a quick weeknight dinner, a weekend with family and friends, or a game day watch party. These chicken wings make an appearance in all scenarios!
Please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for a complete list of ingredients, step-by-step directions, nutrition info, and tips.
Chicken Wings Variations
The essential equipment for this delicious recipe is an air fryer. I personally use and love the Ninja Foodi 6-in1, and Cuisinart Air Fryer. I guarantee that you won't look back once you try the air fryer method. However, if you don’t currently own an air fryer, you can still enjoy this easy chicken wings recipe with variations:
Oven - Use a regular oven with a broiler function. Broil the wings for 30 minutes, with occasional flipping in between.
Instant Pot - You can place a wire rack at the bottom of the instant pot and cook for 7 minutes in high-pressure mode. The wings will come out fantastic with a fall-off-the-bone feel. Check out our instant pot crispy chicken wings recipe.
Serving
These saucy sweet and spicy wings are great on their own. Serve them with celery and dip them in our homemade blue cheese dressing.
A light and crisp coleslaw is always a great side for chicken wings. I feel that celery, blue cheese, or coleslaw complement and contrast the heat in the same bite.
My son loves wings dipped in our homemade chipotle sauce or BBQ sauce. As for the appetizers, please try:
How to Store Leftover Air Fryer Chicken Wings?
It’s best to enjoy crispy chicken wings fresh on the day you cook them. However, if you need to store any leftovers, you need to place them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Then, reheat them in either microwave or in the air fryer at 380 degrees Fahrenheit for 2 minutes per side to bring the outer crisp back.
Can I cook Chicken Wings from Frozen?
Absolutely! Frozen chicken wings are the perfect ingredient for a quick weeknight meal. It may take a few extra minutes (around 5-10 minutes depending on the size of your wings). And please make sure they are not stuck together (easily separated. Follow these easy directions on how to cook frozen wings in the air fryer.
Tips for the Best Chicken Wings in the Air Fryer
For perfectly crisp skin, lightly pat down with paper towels before adding them to the air fryer.
Season your wings beforehand with a blend of spices you love. Or use salt and pepper to taste and garlic powder.
Aim for an optimal 390-400 degrees Fahrenheit (200C) and 20-25 minutes of cook time (depending on the size of the wings) - flipping them mid-way through!
If you're not sure the wings are cooked through, use a meat thermometer and check for the internal temperature to be 165 degrees F.
Finally, drizzle over your freshly prepared homemade Buffalo sauce or honey BBQ glaze and let the drooling commence!
How to Adjust the Spice Level of Buffalo Sauce?
Homemade spicy buffalo sauce is a delicate balance of spices that have to be just right in order for it to truly sing on your chicken wings. Of course, the heat level can vary depending on your preference.
- Simmer it slowly. This allows all of the seasonings to come out and mingle with each other as they simmer, making a complex sticky-sweet-spicy-vinegary-garlicky blast combined with some heat that will make your taste buds dance like no other sauce ever could.
- Don't fear adjusting the sauce up or down by adding more heat or toning it down with adding a little water at a time, if needed – after all, you're in total control!
More Air Fryer Wings You'll Love:
- Salt & Vinegar Chicken Wings
- Masala Chicken Drumsticks
- Korean Air Fryer Wings
- BBQ-Chipotle Wingettes
Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings with Homemade Buffalo Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken wings Approx 24 pieces of Wingettes and drummettes. Ends cut off
- ½ teaspoon salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Homemade Buffalo Sauce
- ¾ cup Franks Hot Sauce or you can use a hot sauce of your choice
- 3 tablespoon Butter
- 1 TBS flour or corn starch to thicken
- 2 TBS Molasses
- 1 TBS Brown sugar
- 1 TBS Raw Honey
- 1 teaspoon Maple Syrup
- 1 teaspoon Tabasco
- ½ teaspoon Liquid smoke optional
- 1 TBS ketchup
- 1 TBS bbq sauce
- Paprika - a pinch of to taste
- Cayenne - a pinch of to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 390 degrees F° (195 degrees C°).
- Sprinkle and toss the wings with salt and pepper for taste, and garlic powder.
- Arrange wings in the air fryer basket or tray in a single layer, spacing them evenly and air fry for 20 minutes, flipping each wing halfway. 10 minutes per side. Until chicken wings are crisp and golden brown.
Make Chicken Wing Sauce:
- While the wings are cooking, in a small or medium saucepan, mix the following:Begin by melting butter over low heat. Once it’s melted, add flour to it – it helps to thicken the sauce. Then add the remaining ingredients, one at a time. Cook the sauce by stirring it frequently over low heat until it thickens and caramelizes. It should take about 10 minutes. If the sauce comes out too thick, you can add water (a little at a time). However, don’t overdo it. We don’t want the sauce to be too liquid.
- When the AirFry program is complete, with the help of kitchen thongs, toss wings with the sauce and serve hot.
Irina
If you're having a Super Bowl party or not these Air Fryer Chicken wings are to die for. Crispy to perfection. And the sauce is the KEY!