Chicken wings are the ultimate snack that doubles as a meal. (Or is it the other way around?) Either way, Air Fryer Chicken Wings are going to change your wing game for life. Crispy skin on the outside, tender meat inside, all coated in the best buffalo wing sauce outside Buffalo. Just don’t get caught smuggling them into your favorite sports bar.
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When one is from Buffalo, one has lots of thoughts – very strong thoughts – about chicken wings. So much so, that one may simply avoid eating them once they leave town, because if it’s not a Buffalo-Buffalo wing, how good can it be?
Truth is, on the whole, not great. Yes, of course, there are places that do chicken wings well outside Western New York, but you gotta dig deep.
Otherwise, they’re never crispy enough or the sauce is half-assed or the actual meat quality is often times questionable. (If I wanted jumbo wings that looked like they were on steroids, I’d eat chicken legs.)
So what’s a Buffalo (lovin’) gal to do? A little homegrown quality control. First, we know how to pick a good wing. Second, we know you need a bit of starch. And third, we know the real secret to the secret sauce. (Psst… it ain’t the butter. Everyone knows that.)
But now there’s a fourth trick to add to this “bucket” list – the Air Fryer (this is an affiliate link to the one Danielle uses and loves. It’s an affordable and compact countertop air fryer. Anna uses the Instant Pot Duo Crisp and wants to marry it).
Up Your Homemade Wings BIG TIME with the Air Fryer!
Being able to cook chicken wings in the air fryer is the single greatest reason to get one. No joke.
And following the air fryer chicken wing recipe below to the letter will get you the best crispy homemade wings every time. All in about 15 minutes per “order.” No more fussing with baking sheets stacked with cooling racks and foil. Thank goodness.
That being said, there is a catch… Depending on the size of your air fryer, you’re probably going to max out cooking a single 1 pound batch (approximately 8-10 wing pieces) at a time. But the balance between breathing room and air circulation is absolutely key to achieving crispy skin and properly cooked meat.
How to Cook Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Crispy, tangy Air Fryer Chicken Wings are a must for any serious snacker. In fact, these Buffalo wings are so good, you may never hit up half-price wing night again. Bonus Buffalo sauce recipe and our best wing tips included.
- PREP. Separate drums and flats as needed and pat very dry. Place in a large bowl or Ziploc bag. Sprinkle with dry seasonings and cornstarch. Work dry mix into each chicken wing until evenly coated.
- COOK. Preheat air fryer if needed. Spritz basket with olive oil and arrange half the chicken in a single layer. Cook 10 minutes at 370°F. Flip and cook 4 minutes longer, or until the internal temperature reads 165°F using an instant read thermometer. Remove the wings and repeat with the second batch.
- SAUCE. Make the hot sauce. (See recipe card.)
- FINISH. Toss the wings with half the hot sauce and serve immediately. Reserve the other half of the hot sauce for dipping, or make a half batch.
Chef’s Tips!
- Start from fresh or defrosted frozen wings. Other recipes may allow for using frozen chicken wings in the air fryer; this one does not.
- Pat. That. Chicken. Dry. There should be little to no sign of moisture on your towel by the time you’re done.
- Don’t sub out flour for the cornstarch. They just won’t get as crispy. (If you are looking for keto air fryer chicken wings, this works out to 3 net grams of carbs per serving. Use your judgement. If you’re looking for paleo wings, substitute arrowroot powder.)
Wanna Know our Secret Ingredient?
We’ll say it loud for the people in the back – USE TWO KINDS OF HOT SAUCE!
Any Buffalo sauce aficionado will tell you, one of ’em has to be Frank’s, but feel free to go nuts – just make sure to use two. The recipe featured below (which is Grade A delish and surprisingly did not come from a Buffalonian) works perfectly for these air fryer chicken wings.
Can I Double the Recipe?
While the air fryer is ideal for personal sized servings on demand, you can serve ’em up for a crowd with one small adjustment – heat the oven to 200°F and keep cooked wings in the warm oven on a baking sheet. Once you’ve cooked all the wings, sauce ’em and serve ’em!
Biggest Mistake?
The worst thing you can do to a wing is them too long. If you undercook, they can always go back in, but wings are not all that dense and can dry out easily.
The second worst thing you can do is cook them at the wrong temperature. We tested this recipe at 370°F and 400°F. At the higher temperature, the wings dried out too quickly before reaching the proper internal temperature of 165°F for safe eating.
The cook time for air fryer chicken wings in this recipe is spot on if you want the perfect balance of crisp skin and tender meat – 370°F for 12 minutes. Definitely flip once for the all-around crispy experience!
More Game Day Favorites
Did you try buffalo wings in the air fryer?!? We want to hear all about it! Leave a comment below, or share a photo and tag us on Instagram using @thesnackblog and #thesnackblog.
Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Crispy, tangy Air Fryer Chicken Wings are a must for any serious snacker. In fact, these Buffalo wings are so good, you may never hit up half-price wing night again. Bonus Buffalo sauce recipe and our best wing tips included.
Equipment
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Air Fryer
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Mixing Bowl
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1-quart Saucepan
Ingredients
- 2 lb chicken wings
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
Buffalo Sauce
- ½ c Frank’s Red Hot
- ½ c Texas Pete’s
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
Instructions
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Pat the wings very dry, then place into a large bowl or ziplock bag. Sprinkle with baking powder, paprika, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and ground pepper. Work the cornstarch and seasonings into the chicken wings until evenly coated.
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Preheat the air fryer if required. Spritz the basket with olive oil, then arrange half the chicken in a single layer. Cook 8 minutes at 370°F. Flip the wings and cook 4 minutes longer, or until the internal temperature reads 165°F using an instant read thermometer. Remove the wings and repeat with the second batch.
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Make the hot sauce. Combine the hot sauces, butter, onion powder, garlic powder and paprika in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Simmer, whisking occasionally, until butter melts and sauce thickens, 5 minutes.
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Toss the wings with half the hot sauce and serve immediately. Reserve the other half of the hot sauce for dipping.
Nutrition
Serving: 0.5pound | Calories: 566kcal (28%) | Carbohydrates: 4g (1%) | Protein: 42g (84%) | Fat: 42g (65%) | Saturated Fat: 14g (88%) | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 185mg (62%) | Sodium: 2013mg (88%) | Potassium: 41mg (1%) | Fiber: 1g (4%) | Sugar: 0g | Vitamin A: 75IU (2%) | Vitamin C: 12mg (15%) | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 15mg (83%)