These Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Wings are always a hit! Making wings in the air fryer is the best way to make crispy, flavorful wings without a huge mess, excessive amounts of oil, or deep frying.
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Buffalo Wings In The Air Fryer Made Easy!
I absolutely love making my wings in the air fryer because they come out nice and crispy without having to deep fry them! Plus, making air fryer buffalo wings is super easy. First, you’ll season the wings with a few spices and cook them in the air fryer. Then, you’ll cover them in buffalo sauce and place them in the air fryer once more to seal in all the flavor. The final result is saucy wings that are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside!
Wings are totally my thing and whenever I make them my family DEVOURS them! I like to make these buffalo wings for game nights or whenever I have a gathering at my home and want something quick and easy for everyone to enjoy! There’s always a debate about which wings I should make. Whether it’s these buffalo wings, my Honey Lemon Pepper Wings, Mango Habanero Wings, or Air Fryer Barbecue Wings — everyone loves them all!
Ingredients Needed To Make These Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Wings
- Chicken Wings– Butcher Box is my favorite! It is quality free-range organic chicken delivered straight to your door! (how amazing is that!?)
- Seasonings– Make a quick dry rub by mixing together a few spices
- Buffalo Sauce– I use Sweet Baby Ray’s Buffalo Sauce, it’s gluten-free! Frank’s RedHot® Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce is also a good option and is dairy-free, vegetarian, kosher, free from high fructose corn syrup and gluten-containing ingredients.
- Butter- Use vegan butter (for dairy-free wings) or regular butter.
Spices For The Chicken Wings
The key to making the most flavorful buffalo wings is to season the chicken before cooking them! I make a simple dry rub mixture. It is a combination of spices you probably have at home in your pantry or cabinet: smoked paprika, dried thyme, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Of course, you can skip the spices and just season your wings generously with salt and pepper. OR you can add different spices like onion powder, chili powder, mustard powder, or cayenne pepper.
How To Make Buffalo Chicken Wings In The Air Fryer
Start by cleaning your wings and pat them dry. Making sure your wings are dry is key so that the spices stick to the wings. Add your wings to a large bowl and coat them in the spices.
Place the chicken in a single layer in the air fryer and cook for 20 minutes, flipping the chicken wings halfway through. Keeping space between the wings helps the chicken cook evenly and ensures you get crispy wings. Work in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding the air fryer.
While the wings are cooking, prepare the buffalo sauce by mixing the butter and buffalo sauce together in a saucepan over medium-low heat for about 2-3 minutes. When the chicken wings are done, transfer them to a large clean bowl and pour the sauce on the wings, making sure to reserve about 1/4 (one-fourth) cup of the sauce to serve with the finished wings.
Place the wings back into the air fryer and cook at 350°F for 2-3 minutes to seal in the flavor. Transfer the wings to a plate and serve with celery, the remaining buffalo sauce, and your favorite dipping sauce. Enjoy!
Tips To Make The Best Air Fryer Buffalo Wings
- Season generously before cooking. The seasonings give the wings incredible flavor. Don’t skip this step and only rely on the buffalo sauce to provide the flavor. If so, you may be sorely disappointed.
- Coat the wings with 2 teaspoons of aluminum-free baking powder before seasoning to get extra crispy wings.
- The real secret is coating the wings in the buffalo sauce and placing them back in the air fryer to seal in the flavor. It is an absolute game changer!! I do this when I make my barbecue wings and they are THEE BEST! Remember, when the wings are done, you can add more buffalo sauce before serving if you like your wings dripping with sauce.
- Make sure your chicken is thawed entirely before cooking to ensure the best results.
- To get the best crispy wings, do not overcrowd the air fryer when cooking the wings. If you are cooking the wings in batches, you can keep the cooked chicken warm by placing them on a sheet tray and storing them in a warming drawer or oven set to 170°F.
- If you are using whole chicken wings, cut them into drumettes and flats by using a sharp knife and cut between the joints. You can discard the wings or save them to make homemade chicken stock!
Common Questions
How Long Does It Take To Cook Chicken Wings In the Air Fryer?
It generally takes about 20 minutes to cook chicken wings in the air fryer, but greatly depends on the air fryer you use. Be sure to always check for doneness using a thermometer. Inserted into the thickest part of the chicken, it should read 165°F if it is fully cooked. For extra crispy wings cook the wings for 25 minutes.
How To Store Any Leftover Buffalo Wings?
I have a feeling you won’t have any wings left! BUT, if you do, you can store any leftover wings in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
How To Reheat Buffalo Wings In The Air Fryer?
To rewarm, place the chicken into the air fryer at 370°F for 2-3 minutes.
No Air Fryer? No Problem! You Can Make These Buffalo Wings In The Oven.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Season the wings with the dry rub mixture (add 1 tbsp baking powder for extra crispy wings). Place the seasoned wings on an oven-safe wire rack in a single layer. Bake for 40 minutes, flipping halfway through. Then toss the wings in the buffalo sauce and bake for another 7-10 minutes, or until the wings are fully cooked and reach an internal temperature of 165°F. Toss the wings in more buffalo sauce and enjoy! Follow my Buffalo Old Bay Wings Recipe for more details on how to make crispy oven-baked buffalo chicken wings.
What To Eat With With Your Buffalo Wings:
- WINGS AND FRIES: Make Crispy Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries or Garlicky Accordion Potatoes.
- WINGS AND PIZZA: Have a movie night with wings and pizza. Try our Pesto Pizza or Spinach Dip Pizza Recipe!
- WINGS AND SALAD: Try Our Caesar salad or tasty Superfood Salad for a healthy option.
- WINGS AND BREAD: Eat your crispy chicken wings with a biscuit. Our Vegan Buttermilk Biscuits and Jalapeno Cheddar Biscuits are DELISH or get creative and serve your wings with our Sweet Potato Cornbread.
Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Wings (Gluten-Free)
Ingredients
Dry Rub Mixture
- 2 tsp Smoked Paprika or regular paprika
- 1 tsp Dried Thyme
- 1 tsp Herbs De Provence (or Italian Seasoning)
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Sea Salt, optional or to taste
- 1/2 tsp Freshly Ground Pepper or to taste
Buffalo Sauce Mixture
- 1/4 cup Butter (vegan or regular)
- 1/2 cup Buffalo Sauce, plus more if desired
Instructions
- Clean and pat dry your chicken wings with a paper towel. Add the chicken to a large bowl and season with the dry rub mixture (and baking powder if using). Make sure all the wings are coated in the seasoning.
- Preheat the air fryer to 380°F for 3 minutes.
- Lightly spray the air fryer basket with oil. Place the chicken in a single layer into the air fryer basket. Do not overcrowd the air fryer basket or place chicken on top of each other. Make sure there is space between each wing.
- Cook at 380°F for 10 minutes. Then, flip the chicken and cook for another 10 minutes, until no longer pink and an instant thermometer reads 165°F. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to work in batches so that the wings are not overcrowded.
- While the wings are cooking, prepare the buffalo sauce. In a small saucepan, over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Then, add the buffalo sauce and mix well. Warm over medium-low heat for about 2-3 minutes. Pour 1/4 cup into a small bowl to reserve for later.
- Transfer the chicken wings to a {clean} large bowl. Then, pour the remaining buffalo sauce onto the wings and mix until all the wings are coated.
- Place the chicken coated in buffalo sauce back into the air fryer and heat for 2-3 minutes at 350°F.
- Place the wings back into the bowl and top with the 1/4 cup of buffalo sauce that was set aside.
- Serve with celery and your favorite dipping sauce! Enjoy!
Notes
No Air Fryer? No Problem! You Can Make These Buffalo Wings In The Oven.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Season the wings with the dry rub mixture (add 1 tbsp baking powder for extra crispy wings).
- Place the seasoned wings on an oven-safe wire rack in a single layer. Bake for 40 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Then toss the wings in the buffalo sauce and bake for another 7-10 minutes, or until the wings are fully cooked and reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Toss the wings in more buffalo sauce and enjoy!
Nutrition
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More Air Fryer Recipes To Try!
- Air Fryer Turkey Legs
- Gluten-Free Chicken Wings
- Best Chicken Lollipops Recipe + Video
- Crispy Gluten-Free Air Fryer Fish
- Crispy Air Fryer Okra
- Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Breast (Gluten-Free)
- Air Fryer Lobster Tail with Lemon Garlic Butter
- Air Fryer Chicken Thighs (Crispy & Juicy!)
I consider myself a wing aficionado, and these exceeded my wildest expectations! The dry rub (salt included), were perfect. Thank you!
I love to hear it!! Thank you for leaving a review, Calvin. I am glad you like the recipe, esp as a wing aficionado 🙂