Air Fryer Buffalo Wings: Can You Make Them?

Buffalo wings are a popular snack, often served at parties or sports events. They can be made in an air fryer, which is a healthier alternative to deep-frying. The air fryer's hot air circulates around the wings, making them crispy without the need for oil. This method produces wings with a crunchy exterior and a moist interior.

To make buffalo wings in an air fryer, you will need chicken wings, butter, hot sauce, and some basic seasonings. The wings should be patted dry and placed in the air fryer basket in a single layer. They are then cooked at a high temperature for around 20-30 minutes, depending on the desired level of crispness. While the wings cook, a sauce can be made by mixing butter and hot sauce. Once the wings are cooked, they are tossed in the sauce and served immediately.

Some recipes suggest using baking powder or olive oil to make the wings even crispier. Others recommend specific sauces, such as lemon pepper sauce or a classic buffalo sauce made with Frank's RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Hot Sauce.

How to make buffalo wings in an air fryer

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 pounds of chicken wings
• 1/2 cup of Frank's RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Hot Sauce
• 1/3 cup of melted butter
• Salt
• Lemon pepper seasoning
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Blue cheese dressing
• Ranch dressing
• BBQ sauce
• Hot honey

Method:

• Prepare the chicken wings: If desired, rinse your chicken wings under cold water. Pat them dry with paper towels. If your wings are whole, separate them into drumettes and flats by slicing through the joint that connects the two. Remove the wing tips and discard or save for stock.
• Season the chicken wings: Transfer the wings to a large mixing bowl. Season with salt, lemon pepper seasoning, and extra virgin olive oil. Seal the bowl and shake to coat the wings evenly. Alternatively, you can season the wings in a large bowl and toss to combine.
• Air fry the wings: Preheat your air fryer to 360ºF. Spray the air fryer basket with non-stick cooking spray. Place the wings in the basket in a single layer, making sure they don't overlap. Air fry the wings for 18 minutes, shaking the basket every 6 minutes, until they are golden brown.
• Increase the temperature: Turn up the heat to 390ºF and cook for another 5-6 minutes, shaking the basket every 2 minutes, until the wings are brown and crispy.
• Make the buffalo sauce: While the wings are cooking, mix the melted butter and Frank's RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Hot Sauce in a large bowl. You can also add additional ingredients to the sauce, such as Worcestershire sauce and garlic powder.
• Toss the wings: Once the wings are cooked, transfer them to a large mixing bowl. Pour the sauce over the wings and toss to coat evenly. Wear an apron as the sauce may splatter. You can also toss the wings in batches if needed.
• Serve: Serve the buffalo wings immediately with blue cheese and celery sticks on the side, if desired.

Tips:

• Don't overlap the wings in the air fryer basket. Air circulation is important to ensure crispy wings.
• Be flexible with the cooking time. Wings come in various sizes, so you may need to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
• For the crispiest skin, dunk the wings in the sauce instead of tossing them in a bowl.
• Blot the wings with a paper towel before air frying to remove excess moisture and help them get ultra-crispy.
• Flip the wings halfway through cooking to ensure even cooking.
• Increase the heat to 400ºF at the end of cooking to give the skin a final crisp.

How to make extra crispy buffalo wings

Ingredients:

• 2-4 pounds of chicken wings (about 16-20 whole wings, yielding 32-40 flats and drumettes)
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 stick melted butter
• 1/2 cup Frank's hot sauce
• 1/2 cup blue cheese dressing
• 3 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese or gorgonzola (optional)

Method:

• Rinse your chicken wings under cold water (optional). Pat them dry with paper towels.
• Separate the wings into drumettes and flats. Remove the wing tips and discard (or save for stock).
• Transfer the wings to a large mixing bowl.
• Season with smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, and black pepper. No added salt is needed as the hot sauce will provide enough saltiness. Marinate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight for more intense flavour.
• Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (200°C).
• Place the wings in the air fryer basket in a single layer, being careful not to overcrowd the basket. Cook in batches if needed.
• Air fry the wings for 22-25 minutes. For juicier wings, air fry for 22 minutes. For crispier wings, air fry for the full 25 minutes.
• While the wings are cooking, make the buffalo sauce by whisking together the melted butter and hot sauce until emulsified.
• If desired, prepare a blue cheese dipping sauce by combining the blue cheese dressing with crumbled blue cheese or gorgonzola.
• Once the wings are cooked to your desired level of doneness, transfer them to a large mixing bowl.
• Pour the buffalo sauce over the wings and toss well with a wooden spoon or tongs. Wear an apron to avoid splatters.
• Serve the extra crispy buffalo wings with the blue cheese sauce on the side.

Tips:

• If you are using an air fryer with a toaster oven-style heating element, place the wings on the bottom level of the air fryer, as placing them too close to the heating element may cause charring.
• Don't let the cooked wings sit in a heap as they will steam up and become soggy. Cook and toss the wings in batches if you are making a large quantity.
• For even crispier wings, spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray or olive oil spray before adding the chicken.

How to make mild buffalo wings

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 pounds chicken wing pieces
• 1/2 cup Frank's RedHot® Original Cayenne Pepper Hot Sauce (or Frank's hot sauce)
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• Salt
• Pepper
• Lemon pepper seasoning (optional)
• Extra virgin olive oil (optional)
• Blue cheese dressing (optional)
• Carrot and celery sticks (optional)

Method:

• Spray the basket of your air fryer with a non-stick cooking spray.
• Preheat your air fryer to 400°F.
• Pat the wings dry with paper towels.
• Season the wings with salt and pepper. You can also add lemon pepper seasoning and a drizzle of olive oil for extra flavour.
• Place the wings in the fryer basket, ensuring they are not overcrowded. Cook in batches if needed.
• Air fry for 25-30 minutes, or until the skin is crispy and the wings are cooked through. Shake the basket or toss the wings with tongs every 5 minutes during cooking.
• While the wings are cooking, mix the butter and hot sauce in a large bowl.
• Once the wings are cooked, add them to the bowl with the sauce and toss to coat.
• Serve immediately with blue cheese and celery sticks, if desired.

Tips:

• For crispier wings, increase the heat to 400°F and cook for an additional 5-6 minutes.
• If you prefer your wings on the juicier side, reduce the cooking time by a few minutes.
• Don't overlap the wings in the air fryer. This will prevent them from getting crispy.
• If you like your wings saucy, toss them in the sauce before serving. For crispier skin, dunk the wings in the sauce instead of tossing.

How to make spicy buffalo wings

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds of chicken wings (about 20 separated wings and drumettes, or 10 whole chicken wings)
• 1/2 tablespoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
• Hot sauce (Frank's RedHot is a popular choice)

Method:

• Season the chicken wings: Liberally season the chicken wings with salt and pepper. You can also add other spices like smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, and black pepper for extra flavor.
• Air fry the chicken wings: Coat the air fryer basket with cooking spray. Place the seasoned wings in a single layer in the basket, making sure they are not overlapping. Set the air fryer to 360-380°F and cook for 10-12 minutes.
• Flip the wings: Use tongs to flip the wings over and air fry for an additional 10-12 minutes.
• Increase the heat: Turn up the temperature to 390-400°F and cook the wings for 5-15 more minutes to crisp up the skin.
• Make the buffalo sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the hot sauce, melted butter, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder. You can adjust the measurements to your taste preferences.
• Toss the wings: Place the cooked chicken wings into a large mixing bowl and pour the sauce over them. Toss until the wings are evenly coated.
• Serve: Enjoy your spicy buffalo wings with your favorite dipping sauce, such as blue cheese or ranch dressing, and some carrot and celery sticks on the side.

Tips:

• Blot the wings with a paper towel before air frying to remove any excess moisture, as this will help them get crispier.
• Avoid stacking or crowding the wings in the air fryer basket. It's important to allow hot air to circulate around each wing for even cooking and crispiness.
• Flip the wings halfway through the first round of cooking to ensure even cooking on all sides. You can also shake the basket occasionally to prevent sticking.
• Increase the heat to 400°F at the end of the cooking process to give the skin that perfect crispness.
• Toss the wings in the buffalo sauce immediately after air frying while they are still hot so that the sauce warms up and sticks to the wings.
• Adjust the cooking time depending on the size of the wings. Larger wings may require a bit more time, while smaller wings may need less time.

How to make buffalo wings in an air fryer without sauce

Ingredients:

• Chicken wings
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Lemon pepper seasoning
• Salt

Instructions:

• Preheat your air fryer to 360ºF.
• Place the chicken wings into a gallon-size Ziplock bag. Drizzle with roughly a tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil, lemon pepper seasoning, and salt. Seal the bag, keeping the air inside. Shake the bag to evenly coat the wings.
• Add the wings to the air fryer basket sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange in a single layer so they’re not overlapping – it's fine if they touch.
• Air fry the wings for 18 minutes, shaking the basket every 6 minutes, or until the chicken wings are golden brown.
• Increase the heat to 390ºF then cook for another 5 to 6 minutes, shaking the basket every 2 minutes, until the wings are brown and crispy.
• Serve with your choice of dips and don't forget the carrots and celery sticks!

Tips:

• Don’t overlap the wings. Air fryers make foods crispy by circulating air around them, so if there’s no room for air to circulate, the wings won’t crisp up. You may need to cook in batches.
• Be flexible with the cooking time. Wings come in various sizes so you might need to increase or decrease the cooking time at 360ºF to render the fat and cook the wings all the way through.
• For the crispiest skin, dunk your wings in the sauce of your choice instead of tossing them in a bowl.

Storing and Reheating:

• You can store any leftover air fryer wings in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days.
• Reheat in the Air Fryer at 360ºF.

Frequently asked questions