These air fryer buffalo chicken wings are supremely juicy and crispy. No deep frying or splattering oil required!
If you’re a purist and want to keep it simple, try our simple crispy air fryer chicken wings!
Buffalo chicken wings in the air fryer are an absolute game-changer. Not only are they one of the most foolproof air fryer recipes, but they are also just as good as the deep-fried version. That’s a win-win in my book!
In addition, they only require a super tiny amount of cooking spray to turn insanely crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. For you health nuts out there, this means you get to enjoy wings with a fraction of the fat and zero-guilt. WHAT?!
Grab your favorite bottle of blue cheese dressing for dipping, slice up some carrot and celery sticks, and let’s get to it!
How to Make Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Wings
Making buffalo chicken wings in an air fryer only requires a handful of simple ingredients and a few simple steps. The air fryer will do most of the work for you!
- Season the Wings: Season the chicken wings liberally with salt and pepper.
- Air Fryer the Chicken Wings: Next, coat the air fryer tray with a bit of cooking spray. Transfer the seasoned wings into the air fryer basket in a single layer (no stacking!). Turn the air fryer to 380°F and cook them for 10 minutes. Flip the wings over and air fry for 10 more minutes.
- Turn Up the Heat to Crisp: Increase the temperature to 400°F and cook the wings for 6 more minutes to give the skin a final crisp.
- Make the Buffalo Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the sauce ingredients.
- Toss the Wings: In a large bowl, toss the chicken wings with the buffalo sauce until evenly coated. Enjoy!
Air Fryer Recommendation: Shopping around for an air fryer? I have been singing the praises of my COSORI Air Fryer Max XL. It has a huge basket (feeds four) and a ton of useful presets.
Tips for the Best Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Wings
Below, find a collection of tips and tricks to help you make the best air fried buffalo chicken wings.
- Pat the wings down of any excess moisture. Before air frying your wings, blot them of any excess moisture with a paper towel. This will help them get ultra-crispy!
- Air fry the wings in a single layer. Although tempting, avoid stacking and crowding the wings in the air fryer basket. The more the hot air can circulate around them, the better!
- Flip the wings halfway through. To ensure all sides of the wings get enough hot air flip them halfway through the first round of cooking. Additionally, you can give the the basket a little shake here and there if you feel like your wings are crisping up as much as you’d like.
- Hit the wings with high heat at the end. Cranking up the heat to 400°F at the very end will give the skin the perfect crisp.
- Toss the wings immediately after air frying. Once you pull the wings out, transfer them to a mixing bowl and toss them in the buffalo sauce right away. This will warm the sauce up and ensure it sticks to the hot wings.
- Increase or decrease the cooking time depending on the size of the wings. Wings can come in all shapes and sizes so adjust the cooking time in either direction when necessary.
Serving Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Wings
Serve air fryer buffalo chicken wings with a side of air fryer french fries or a homemade caesar salad. You already have the air fryer out, so you might as well use it! Also, don’t forget to slice up some carrot and celery sticks and whip up some light ranch dressing for dipping.
Storing Buffalo Chicken Wings
- Refrigerating: Store leftover air fryer buffalo chicken wings in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When stored properly, they should stay fresh for 3-5 days.
- Freezing: Freeze leftover air fryer buffalo chicken wings by placing them in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Next, place the entire baking sheet in the freezer uncovered. Once the wings are fully frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.
Reheating Tip: Air fryer buffalo chicken wings are best reheated in – you guessed it – the air fryer! Reheat them in 3-5 minute intervals at 380°F. In between each round, give them a good flip. This should return them to their crispy, “fresh-out-of-the-fryer” state.
FAQ
Can you air fry wings with sauce on them?
You should not air fry wings with sauce on them. For the juiciest, most well-coated wings, always toss them in the dressing after air frying.
Should wings be thawed before air frying?
Yes, wings should ideally be thawed before air frying. Frozen wings don’t air fry quite as well as fresh. They also take a lot longer!
How long does it take to cook wings in an air fryer?
Air fry buffalo wings for 20 minutes at 380°F. Halfway through cooking time, flip them over. Next, turn the heat up to 400°F and cook the wings for 6 more minutes to crisp the skin up.
How long do you air fry frozen buffalo wings?
If you are using frozen buffalo wings, cook them for 30-35 minutes at 400°F. Every 8-10 minutes, shake the tray and flip them over.
Can I put foil in an air fryer?
You can put foil in an air fryer. However, it’s not always a smart idea. Foil can prevent the ultra-hot air from fully circulating, limiting the appliance’s ability to make the wings super crispy.
More of Air Fryer Recipes
- Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower (No Breading) – Vegetarian cauliflower wings with a tangy sauce
- Baked Chicken Wings – Crispy, 3-ingredient chicken wings
- Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan – No-guilt crispy chicken with marinara and cheese
- Easy Air Fryer Baked Potatoes – Crispy and fluffy
- Air Fryer Steak Bites with Mushrooms – Tender, juicy steak bites
Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lb chicken wings
- 1/2 tbsp salt adjust to taste
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup hot sauce
- 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter melted
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Season chicken wings with salt and pepper.
- Coat the air fryer basket with cooking spray. Place chicken wings in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Air fry them for 10 minutes at 380°F. Flip the wings over and air fry them for 10 more minutes. Turn up the heat to 400°F and cook the wings 6 more minutes.
- While the chicken is finishing cooking, whisk together the hot sauce, melted butter, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder.
- Remove chicken wings from the air fryer basket and place them into a large mixing bowl. Pour sauce over the top and toss to coat.
- Serve alongside your favorite dipping sauce and enjoy!
Good recipe like it is here I like to use about Double the amount of sauce ingredients here for 2 lb of wings and add plain white Vinegar ( about a Quarter Cup to a DOUBLED batch of this sauce ). It really adds that little Extra Zip to them Or just use Malt Vinegar at the table as a condiment and sprinkle on the finished wings that you Cook Exactly like this recipe says. ...... all wings are Good. Wings Thanks
Hi Jax, Thanks for the awesome suggestions!
Amazing recipe! Was easy to follow and the result was delicious on my first try! Added some honey to the sauce to add a little sweetness! It was excellent!
Hi Lynn, The touch of honey sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
First time ever making wings in the air fryer and these were a 10/10!!! So yummy, waaaay better than any restaurant - hubby agrees!
Hi Sarah! Yay! That's the best compliment! Glad you enjoyed them! 🙂
Absolutely best buffalo wings recipe I’ve tried. Fast and simple. Tastes delishous! Thank you!
Hi Karolina, Thanks for sharing your feedback!
These turned out better than any I've had in a restaurant. The perfect air fryer wing is something I've been trying to figure out for a while, so I guess my life is complete now. 🙂
Hey Steve, Thanks for the awesome feedback! I love the enthusiasm! Enjoy!
Buffalo gal here-true wings use Franks Hot Sauce (no Worcestershire)
Hey Ellen- we use Franks as well, that's our hot sauce of choice! You can omit the Worcestershire if you'd like, we love what it adds though 😀
I used maple sirup and still it was great😉
Hi this sauce is about the ebst I have ever tasted. That even gooes for good bar wings. Thanks for sharing.
Hey Mark, thanks so much! I love this buffalo sauce too.
How much is considered one serving?
Hi Nellie- I'd say around 2-3 wings. It depends how big the wings are, per google a pound of wings can be anywhere from 8-12 wings. I'm sorry I can't be more specific, it really comes down to the size of wings you buy! Hope you love the recipe, it's a really tasty one!
Very tasty wings! Next time I'm gonna use less salt. Just personal preference. But some good dang wing!!! Thanks
Hi Jim, thank you for sharing your feedback. Yes, some salt can be saltier than other so I can see where you are coming from. Thanks for sharing this feedback.
Fantastic recipe! Easy peasy and picky-teen approved!
Hi Andrea, That makes my soul so happy to hear!! It's the best compliment, truly! Thank you for your feedback, enjoy!
Best wings ever. My family enjoyed these wings so much. Printed and framed the recipe!
Hi Emily! You are so funny! I am so delighted to hear y'all loved the recipe! Thank you so much for your feedback!
This is by far the best wings and to top it off no clean up mess.
Hi Betty, I am so glad to hear you love them! Thank you for the feedback, Enjoy!
Just tried them out and man, they were GREAT!!
Hi Brady, I am so glad to hear it! Enjoy!
Hi Magna, I saw how many reviews you had and said iam in the right place, my friend said how great the air fryer is ,I made them as you explain and was blown away, they were awesome, I treid your sauce, and Frank Wing sauce, both are great, iam looking forward in trying more of your recipes, its so nice you donot have too turn on the oven in the summer,Thank You!!!
Hey Dave, I am 100% with you! Air fryer has been such a life safer and it really cooks food so well. Have you tried bacon in the air fryer? It's totally mess free. We love it!
First time using my air fryer and wanted to try your wings. YUM! My air fryer couldn't set to 380 degrees, but 375 worked just fine. Now I wish I had a bigger air fryer as I could only get 1 1/2 pounds in it without stacking wings to still allow for air to flow. My husband and I devoured all the wings so I'll need more than 2 pounds for 6 people since these are SO GOOD. Thank you!
Hi Megan- I'm so happy you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for taking the time to leave feedback. Enjoy your next round of wings! 🙂
what kind of hot sauce ?
Hi Elizabeth - Franks Red Hot works best! Hope this helps. 🙂
These were GREAT!!! 👌🏾👌🏾
Thanks for the feedback, Nikki!
I loved this recipe so much .Its really awesome
Glad you loved it, Chris! Buffalo wings are always a great go-to appetizer!
Store was out of wings.. can I use frozen wings and just defrost and follow the recipe still? Will it taste the same?
Hey, Laur. The recipe post answers a few questions regarding using frozen wings, including expected cook times. You can definitely use frozen wings, it'll just take longer. Please refer to the full post to get all the details regarding using frozen wings. Hope this helps! Enjoy!
Honestly the best buffalo wings I’ve ever tried wow!!
Thank you, Emma. Happy to hear you enjoyed them so much! We have another crispy wings (air fryer) recipe you might like too: https://momsdish.com/easy-air…
Amazing wings, thank you for all you recipes and fantastic videos.
Hi Donna, I am so glad you find the recipes and videos helpful, thank you for your feedback!
These are truly some of the best wings I've ever had! We couldn't get enough, so yummy!!!
So glad to hear that, thank you for your feedback!
These turned out so delicious and without all the mess of traditional deep frying. SO SO yummy!
I am so glad you loved the recipe, thank you for taking the time to comment!
These are so yummy! Thanks for all the great tips! I used Frank's red-hot sauce and they were terrific!
You're welcome, glad you enjoyed them!