Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Wings cook up amazingly crispy and juicy without deep frying. Then they’re tossed with a spicy buffalo wing sauce that can be made mild to hot, depending on your taste preference.
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Great simple recipe that turns out better-than-restaurant quality buffalo wings! Would never know they weren’t deep-fried, they turn out perfectly done – crispy outside, tender and juicy inside – and can be tossed with any sauce you like – not just buffalo sauce, though that’s my favorite. Made this many times over the past few years, and it’s always a hit!
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I grew up just about an hour South of Buffalo, New York and I have definitely consumed my fair share of Buffalo Wings. We would eat them every Friday night…
Everyone in town had their opinion on who made the best hot wings in town. In our house, the wings almost always came from The Cherry Lounge. But, I’ve never actually been there… Being that it was a “lounge” and I was in high school, I was never actually allowed in. So, my mom would just get a to-go order and bring them home for us.
I love them super spicy, and they have to be served with ice cold celery sticks and blue cheese (not ranch dressing).
PS – Never order boneless wings in the vicinity of Buffalo, New York. It’s just not a thing.
The traditional wings are always served on the bone, and it’s up to you whether you prefer the drumettes or the wingettes. I tend to grab the drumettes because they’re easier to eat, but the wingettes seem to have a lot more flavor.
You can also make whole wings, which will have the drum and wing attached together. The cook time will remain the same.
Want more ways to get your buffalo wing fix? Be sure to try my Buffalo Potatoes, Buffalo Chicken Chili and Buffalo Cauliflower Bites!
Even though our wings came from The Cherry Lounge in Jamestown, New York. The best chicken wings, in my opinion, are from Guppy’s in Bemus Point, NY. Guppy’s was owned by my Aunt Sally and Uncle Mike and theirs were always the best. Crispy and spicy, with just the perfect kiss of butter. They’ve since sold the restaurant, but I was back a few summers ago and I have to say that the wings are still amazing.
My favorite wing sauce is simple, and it’s always been the authentic way to make buffalo wings – using Frank’s Red Hot Sauce and butter. I also add in a dash of Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco.
As you probably guessed, the authentic way to make buffalo wings has always been to deep fry them, but I’ve discovered that you can make chicken wings just as crispy in the Air Fryer, plus it saves some calories, meaning that you’ll feel a little less guilty about the aforementioned butter/Frank’s Red Hot Sauce. You can also make baked buffalo wings.
This easy recipe results in extra crispy wings that are the perfect appetizer for game day entertaining. But they’re so good, that you’re going to want them at least once a week!
Ingredient notes
- Chicken Wings – You’ll want about 20 separated wings & drumettes, or 10 whole chicken wings.
- Butter
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Tabasco Sauce
How to make air fryer hot wings
Step 1
Cook the Wings
- Pat wings dry with paper towels.
- Spray air fryer basket with cooking spray.
- Place chicken wings in basket and cook at 380 degrees for 25 minutes, shaking the basket every 5 minutes. After 25 minutes, increase the temperature to 400 degrees and cook for 5-15 minutes longer. Shake every 5 minutes and begin checking for doneness at 5 minutes. Remove when the wings are crisped to your liking.
Step 2
Make the Sauce
- While the wings are cooking, combine the Frank’s Red Hot Sauce, butter, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
Step 3
Toss with Sauce
- In a large bowl, toss the shrimp with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook, flipping once. Transfer it to a plate and cover with a layer of foil to keep it warm.
Customize your homemade buffalo sauce
Have fun creating your own buffalo sauce to suit your tastes. Here are some starter basics:
How to make mild buffalo wing sauce
- Use 8-ounces Frank’s Red Hot Sauce, 8 tablespoons butter, and a dash of Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco.
How to make medium buffalo wing sauce
- Use 12-ounces Frank’s Red Hot Sauce, 6 tablespoons butter, and a dash of Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco.
How to make spicy buffalo sauce
- Use 14-ounces Frank’s Red Hot Sauce, 4 tablespoons butter, and a dash of Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco (or cayenne pepper).
Not a buffalo sauce fan? You can also toss your wings in this homemade bbq sauce. Or, make lemon pepper wings by tossing your wings in lemon pepper seasoning before adding them to the air fryer. You can also oil your wings and apply a dry rub mixture like this cajun seasoning or Italian seasoning.
Or, here are 25+ more wing sauce recipes to try!
Recipe tips
- Pat your wings dry with paper towels before adding them to the air fryer. This helps get them extra crisp.
- Spray the Air Fryer basket with olive oil spray before adding the chicken. It helps prevent sticking and the tiny bit of oil makes the wings extra crisp.
- There’s no need to preheat your Air Fryer. Just turn it on and go!
- It helps to cook your wings in a single layer if you have room. If not, you can work in batches. You can also overlap the wings, they just won’t be as crispy.
- Start the wings at a lower temperature and then increase the temperature for the last 5-15 minutes to get them extra crispy. The total time will vary depending on how big your wings are.
- Shake the basket throughout the cooking process to help the chicken wings brown more evenly.
Tools used for making air fryer buffalo wings
- Air Fryer – You likely already have an air fryer since you are reading this post. But in case you’re in the market to buy a new one, here are my TOP 5 Favorite Air Fryers!
- Paper Towels – Used to blot the wings dry before adding them to the air fryer basket.
- Tongs – I use these when tossing the wings with the buffalo sauce.
- Large Bowl – Perfect for making your buffalo sauce and big enough to toss those wings in.
FAQs
Yes! You’ll honestly never believe these wings weren’t fried in the deep fryer. They are some of the most crispy chicken wings I’ve ever tried! The hot air circulating around the wings is what makes them so crisp. This is the type of Air Fryer I have.
The cooking time for chicken wings in the air fryer is 30-40 minutes.
Yes! The air fryer is great for cooking wings. They become deliciously crispy in about 30 minutes.
Yes! To make air fryer chicken wings from frozen, begin cooking the wings for 10 minutes at 350 degrees, to help them thaw. Then, give them a toss then increase the temperature to 380 degrees and follow the recipe below.
Spray the air fryer basket with a little oil and cook at 400-degrees for 5-10 minutes, until heated through and crispy.
You don’t need to thaw chicken wings before air frying. To cook chicken wings from frozen, begin cooking the wings at a lower heat (350-degrees) for 10 minutes. Then increase the heat and continue cooking.
It’s best to sauce your wings after air frying so that the sauce doesn’t burn. Plus, your air fryer will stay cleaner this way. When the wings finish cooking, add them to a bowl and toss them with the sauce.
Air fried chicken wings are much healthier than deep fried wings. Because they are not cooked in oil, they have less fat and calories.
What to serve with them
- MORE → 35+ BEST sides for wings
Buffalo wing dipping sauce recipes
Want a yummy dipping sauce for your wings? Try one of these:
- Blue Cheese Dressing – my favorite dipping sauce for wings, hands down!
Erin’s wine pairings for buffalo wings
- To tame the heat of these buffalo wings, look for a wine with a hint of sweetness. Riesling and Gewurztraminer make great options.
- Even though I usually give wine pairings, I’d also suggest pairing a light beer, like a pilsner with these buffalo wings.
More buffalo wing-inspired recipes
Did you try these air fryer chicken wings with sauce?
If you enjoyed these air fryer buffalo chicken wings, I would appreciate it so much if you would give this recipe a star review! Also, be sure to snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #platingsandpairings and tagging me @platingsandpairings.
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Full Recipe
Air Fryer Buffalo Wings
Equipment
- Tongs
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken wings (about 20 separated wings & drumettes, or 10 whole chicken wings***)
- Cooking spray
Medium Buffalo Wing Sauce:
- 12 ounces Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
- 6 Tablespoons butter (melted)
- Few dashes Worcestershire sauce
- Few dashes Tabasco
Instructions
- Pat wings dry with paper towels.
- Spray air fryer basket with cooking spray.
- Place chicken wings in basket and cook at 380 degrees for 25 minutes, shaking the basket every 5 minutes. After 25 minutes, increase the temperature to 400 degrees and cook for 5-15 minutes longer. Shake every 5 minutes and begin checking for doneness at 5 minutes. Remove when the wings are crisped to your liking.
- While the wings are cooking, combine the Frank’s Red Hot Sauce, butter, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
- When the wings are finished, dump them into the mixing bowl with the sauce and toss to coat. Serve immediately.
Notes
-
Use 8-ounces Frank’s Red Hot Sauce, 8 tablespoons butter, and a dash of Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco.
-
Use 12-ounces Frank’s Red Hot Sauce, 6 tablespoons butter, and a dash of Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco.
-
Use 14-ounces Frank’s Red Hot Sauce, 4 tablespoons butter, and a dash of Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco (or cayenne pepper).
-
Pat your wings dry with paper towels before adding them to the air fryer. This helps get them extra crisp.
-
Spray the Air Fryer basket with olive oil spray before adding the chicken. It helps prevent sticking and the tiny bit of oil makes the wings extra crisp.
-
There’s no need to preheat your Air Fryer. Just turn it on and go!
-
It helps to cook your wings in a single layer if you have room. If not, you can work in batches. You can also overlap the wings, they just won’t be as crispy.
-
Start the wings at a lower temperature and then increase the temperature for the last 5-15 minutes to get them extra crispy. The total time will vary depending on how big your wings are.
-
Shake the basket throughout the cooking process to help the chicken wings brown more evenly.
- Spray the air fryer basket with a little oil and cook at 400-degrees for 5-10 minutes, until heated through and crispy.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in 2018. It was updated in 2022 to add new content. The air fryer hot wings recipe remains the same. Enjoy!
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