Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings (Printable)
Golden, crispy wings cooked air fryer style with spicy Buffalo sauce, perfect for sharing and snacking.
# What You'll Need:
→ For the Chicken Wings
01 - 1.5 lbs chicken wings, separated into flats and drumettes
02 - 1 tbsp baking powder (aluminum-free)
03 - 1 tsp garlic powder
04 - 1 tsp onion powder
05 - 1 tsp paprika
06 - 1/2 tsp kosher salt
07 - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
→ For the Buffalo Sauce
08 - 1/3 cup hot sauce (such as Franks RedHot)
09 - 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
10 - 1 tsp honey (optional, for sweetness)
11 - 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
12 - 1/4 tsp garlic powder
→ For Serving
13 - Celery sticks
14 - Carrot sticks
15 - Blue cheese or ranch dressing (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Pat the chicken wings very dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture, which helps achieve maximum crispiness during cooking.
02 - In a large bowl, toss the wings with baking powder, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper until evenly coated on all sides.
03 - Arrange the wings in a single layer in the air fryer basket, ensuring they do not touch each other to allow proper air circulation. Cook in batches if necessary.
04 - Air fry at 400°F for 24-26 minutes, flipping the wings halfway through cooking, until golden brown and crispy with an internal temperature of 165°F.
05 - While the wings cook, combine hot sauce, melted butter, honey, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir constantly until smooth and warmed through.
06 - Transfer the cooked wings to a clean bowl. Pour the warm Buffalo sauce over the wings and toss thoroughly to coat each piece evenly.
07 - Serve immediately with fresh celery sticks, carrot sticks, and your choice of blue cheese or ranch dressing on the side.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The baking powder trick creates restaurant quality crispiness without deep frying
- You can adjust the sauce heat level exactly to your comfort zone
02 -
- Crowding the air fryer basket will steam the wings instead of crisp them
- The sauce needs to be warm so it clings properly to the crispy skin
03 -
- Use aluminum free baking powder to avoid any metallic taste
- A dash of honey in the sauce creates that restaurant style balance