Air Fryer Buffalo Wings Recipe

Learn how to make buffalo chicken wings in the air fryer! Tangy and crispy but without the breading, deep-frying, or mess to clean up afterward. Air fryer chicken wings give you crispy skin on the outside while still juicy and tender on the inside.

Toss them with Frank’s red hot buffalo sauce and serve with blue cheese or ranch dressing for dipping. These can be made in under 30 minutes!

Continue reading for recipe details, cooking tips, reheating/storing info, and more.

These make a great appetizer for gamedays! Serve these with other delicious finger foods like a charcuterie board, spinach and artichoke dip, and nachos for an awesome spread!

There’s something about tangy buffalo wings that get me every time! Instead of picking these up at a restaurant, recreate these delicious chicken wings at home and save some money.

Air Fryer Wings

This recipe is similar to my oven baked chicken wings recipe. But, instead of baking, you are air frying.

An air fryer is like a small convection oven that cooks all kinds of foods evenly and perfectly done every time. This is the air fryer model I use and I absolutely love it! We use ours several times a week. It’s definitely worth the investment.

The thing I love the most about air-frying foods is that there is no wet batter, breading, or any of the mess and complications you get when deep frying. Just a little seasoning and olive oil and you can have restaurant-quality, food in minutes.

If you are looking for another great chicken dish in the air fryer, try out these air fryer chicken breasts for a lean entrée!

The Best Hot Wings Recipe

The cooking time will vary slightly depending on the size of your chicken wings. Be aware that you may need to adjust your cooking time accordingly.

Recipe Notes to Remember

• This recipe uses fresh, thawed, uncooked chicken wings. See below for information on using pre-cooked chicken wings.
• Frank’s Hot Sauce is a crowd favorite, but you can use any type of sauce you like, if preferred.
• Air fryer units and chicken wing sizes vary across the board. Keep this is mind when preparing this recipe.
• Find my air fryer unit here.
• Use a meat thermometer to ensure the inside of the chicken is cooked thoroughly.

Step 1: Apply Chicken Dry Rub

Add the thawed chicken wings to a mixing bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Then, mix together the garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle the mixture onto the chicken, and rub on to each wing so that they are well-coated with the seasoning.

Step 2: Air Fry the Wings

Place the wings in the basket of the air fryer (it’s ok if they overlap). Set the unit to 400F for 25 minutes, tossing every 5 minutes. Tossing at frequent intervals helps each piece of chicken to cook and crisp evenly.

Step 3: Toss with buffalo sauce

While the chicken cooks, whisk together the hot sauce, butter, and garlic powder in a large bowl.

Make sure the bowl is large enough for the wings to be added when they are cooked. After the wings are cooked and read 165F degrees internally, add to the large bowl of sauce, toss, and serve!

How long to air fry chicken wings at 400

Depending on the size of the chicken wings and your air fryer unit, cooking times may vary. This recipe has been tested at 20-25 minute cooking time at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Because of this, it’s important not to overfill your air fryer and to toss the chicken wings frequently throughout the cooking process.

How to Make Buffalo Sauce

The buffalo sauce makes these wings! This is a simple combination of Frank’s Red Hot Sauce, butter, and a little garlic powder.

While the wings are cooking in the air fryer, whisk together the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Toss in the cooked wings and stir to coat. If your mixing bowl has a lid, even better! Pop the lid on and shake up the wings until they are coated and saucy.

Recipe Variations

Use pre-cooked chicken.

Pre-cooked chicken nuggets, tenders, and wings are a great option to keep in your freezer. It can be prepped quickly on a busy night and can be served with veggies or over a quick salad.

To make this recipe with pre-cooked chicken, follow the directions on the package of pre-cooked chicken for a convection (or toaster) oven, then toss with the sauce and serve with a side dish or dipping sauces. You may need to rotate the chicken pieces every so often to achieve even cooking.

Try a variety of sauces.

Many favorite wing restaurants also sell their own sauces. Some are even in the grocery store. Add a few other sauces to your grocery list and experiment with different flavors.

Or, skip the sauce altogether and use this homemade dry rub for simple chicken wings.

What to serve with chicken wings

• Baked sweet potato or regular baked potato
• Side salad
• Roasted asparagus
• Sautéed green beans
• Pasta salad
• Caprese salad

Tips for reheating, leftovers, and storing

• To reheat prepared chicken wings, place them in the air fryer at 375 for about 10-15 minutes or until heated through.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
• Use the leftover chicken wings to top salads or reheat in the air fryer.

FAQ: Air Fryer Buffalo Wings

Air Fryer Buffalo Wings Recipe

Anna Kate

Learn how to make buffalo chicken wings in the air fryer! Tangy and crispy but without the breading, deep-frying, or mess to clean up afterward. Air fryer chicken wings give you crispy skin on the outside while still juicy and tender on the inside. Toss them with Frank's red hot buffalo sauce and serve with blue cheese or ranch dressing for dipping. These can be made in under 30 minutes!

5

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Print Recipe

Servings 6 people

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Equipment

• Air Fryer

Ingredients

  

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For the Wings:

• 2 ½ pounds chicken wings (thawed and uncooked; about 20 wings)
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• olive oil (for drizzling)
• kosher salt
• black pepper

Buffalo Wing Sauce Ingredients:

• 1 cup Frank’s RedHot® Original Cayenne Pepper Hot Sauce
• ½ cup butter (unsalted and melted)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

 

• Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for about 5 minutes.
• While the air fryer is preheating, combine garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
• To a large mixing bowl, add the chicken wings and drizzle with olive oil. Toss until lightly coated.
• Then, sprinkle the dry rub mixture onto the chicken and rub on to each wing so that they are well-coated with seasoning.
• Spray the air fryer basket with non-stick cooking spray. Add wings to air fryer basket, being careful not to over-fill.
• Air fry at 400°F degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, shaking the basket or tossing wings with tongs every 5 minutes during cooking. The wings are cooked through when an internal meat thermometer reads 165°F.
• While the wings are cooking, mix the butter, hot sauce, and garlic powder in a bowl large enough to accommodate the wings. Add cooked wings and toss to coat.*
• Serve immediately.

Notes

• Cook in batches, if needed, depending on the size of your air fryer.
• Instead of coating the wings with sauce, serve the wings plain with the sauce on the side for dipping.
• Experiment with different sauces and dry rubs for your own take on these wings!

Nutrition

Calories: 368kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 19gFat: 32gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 119mgSodium: 1424mgPotassium: 186mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 0.1gCalcium: 18mgIron: 1mg