Amazing Air Fryer Hot Wings Recipe
This is my go-to air fryer hot wings recipe! They come out crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, while offering the perfect mix of seasoning and sauce. Get ready to enjoy the best chicken wings EVER.
Total Servings: 2
Total Cost: $23.41
Cost Per Serving: $11.70
Table of Contents
Ingredients & Costs*
1.5 lbs chicken wings (approx. 12) ($12.58)
1 ½ tsp paprika ($1.12)
1 tsp onion powder ($1.12)
1 tsp garlic powder ($1.12)
½ tsp salt ($0.67)
½ tsp pepper ($3.12)
6-8 oz buffalo sauce ($3.68)
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*Food costs may vary and can change over time. The prices listed were the current prices of these ingredients when this recipe was made at the time of this post. Almost all our ingredients are purchased from Walmart as we live in a small town without any other options. If you notice a significant price difference, please let us know at hello@freshgains.com so we can update this post.
FAQs About This Air Fryer Hot Wings Recipe
Can I make these wings in an oven?
Yes, you can use an over if you don’t have an air fryer… or if you’re making a big batch of wings. In the oven, these wings take 25 to 35 minutes to cook at 400°F. I recommend flipping them about halfway through. Once the wings reach an internal temperature of 165°F, switch the oven to broil and move them to the top rack for about 3 minutes. This will make the outside of the chicken wings crispier, like the air fryer does.
Do I need to flip the wings halfway through cooking?
When you fill your air fryer in a single layer, make sure to leave space between the wings and avoid overlapping. Then about halfway through, use tongs to flip the wings. This helps to ensure the wings cook evenly. If you don’t want to flip each wing, you’ll at least want to give the air fryer basket a nice shake or two. This will help ensure the wings get browned and crispy evenly.
Why do you increase the temperature of the air fryer?
Turning up the temperature toward the end of the cooking process ensures the outside of the wings get nice and crispy while leaving the inside of wings nice and moist.
Can I use frozen wings?
Yes, you can use frozen wings if you’re in a pinch. But, if you can, I would use fresher wings or let frozen wings thaw before air frying them. Frozen wings will take longer to cook and will have a bit of a different flavor and texture than fresher wings. And, if you season the wings prior to cooking, it’ll be more difficult to get the seasoning to adhere to the chicken.
Why do you sauce the wings after they’re cooked?
I’ve found that a lot of the sauce will burn and/or fall off the wings during the cooking process if you put sauce on the wings before air frying them. Plus, it’ll make the air fryer messier and more difficult to clean up. If you’re like me and enjoy a saucy wing, then you’ll want to sauce the wings once they’re cooked.
How long will these wings stay good in the refrigerator?
Once cooked, these air fryer hot wings can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days. You can reheat them in the microwave, oven or the air fryer.
What do you serve your hot wings with?
I typically serve my hot wings with a side of chopped celery and ranch. When I need a bigger side dish, I usually go with fries, nachos or onion rings.
Tips to Make the Best Hot Wings
Separate your wings: The only place I can find decent non-frozen wings where I live is Walmart. Unfortunately, these wings aren’t separated and need to be cut into drums and flats prior to cooking. If you are cooking whole wings, make sure you use a sharp knife to separate them at the joints first.
Adjust the flavor: I usually use Buffalo Wild Wings Medium Sauce for my hot wings (it can be found at Walmart). I’ve also used Sweet Baby Rays (my second favorite) and Melinda’s Ghost Pepper Hot Sauce. My wife loves these wings in Buffalo Wild Wings Asian Zing Sauce.
Pat the wings dry: For crispier wings, pat them with a paper towel to remove excess moisture before adding any seasoning.
Cook times may vary: Depending on the number and size of the wings you’re cooking; the cook time may vary. When cooking wings, I usually set the air fryer to 30 minutes to ensure it doesn’t cut off if the wings need to cook a little longer. Use a meat thermometer to know when your wings have finished cooking (the internal temperature needs to reach 165°F).
Toss the wings quickly: I’ve found tossing the wings in sauce quickly once they’re cooked is best. This helps heat up the sauce and produces the best flavor, in my opinion. When the wings are cooked, add about 4 or time to a bowl and toss or mix the wings in sauce using tongs. Add more sauce as necessary.
Amazing Air Fryer Hot Wings Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Air fryer
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs chicken wings cut into flats and drums
- 1 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 6-8 oz buffalo sauce
Instructions
- Cut to separate the drums and flats, if necessary.
- Dry wings with a paper towel if you prefer crispier wings.
- Preheat air fryer to 300ºF.
- In a small bowl (or an empty seasoning bottle), combine the paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir (or shake) to combine.
- Season all sides of the wings with the seasoning blend. I lay the wings on a cutting board for this.
- Once preheated, add wings to air fryer. Ensure the wings aren’t touching or overlapping. Cook in batches, if necessary.
- Cook for 10 minutes.
- Increase air fryer temperature to 400ºF. Cook for 5 additional minutes, or until the internal temperature of the wings reaches 165ºF.
- Remove 3-4 wings from the air fryer at a time and place them in a small to medium bowl. Toss in Mike’s Hot Honey sauce until all sides are coated. Remove from the bowl and place them on a plate. Repeat until all wings are coated in sauce, then serve.
