Juicy Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Wings
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At the time of writing this I’ve actually only made these juicy air fryer buffalo chicken wings twice: once when I first had them, and the second time while recording this video and sharing this recipe with you! Sometimes recipes take lots of trial and error (ahem, poutine, which is still in the works as I’m writing this!), and sometimes you just know that the recipe is perfection - so much so that you absolutely must share it with the world as soon as possible!
That’s how I felt the first time I made these Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Wings! I made them as an easy appetizer one special Saturday evening when I was making a meatball sub and vanilla custard. If you want to see this you can actually go to my Instagram profile and find IGTV Sunday Funday Episode 15! Sunday Funday is my series where I showcase my special weekend dinners I love cooking! These give me an opportunity to expand out of what I usually make and test out some exciting creations! So if you’re not already following me on Instagram to be a part of those exciting weekly specials, then I really recommend you go follow me right now to be a part of the behind the scenes fun! That’s okay, go do it now! I’ll wait for ya!
With that being said, I must say that I think those were the best wings I’ve ever had in my life. Yes, not just at home, but in my life! Perhaps you’ve seen my Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings recipe. While those chicken wings are pretty darn delicious and indeed they are crispy, I feel I don’t get that amazing juiciness on the inside from the oven as I do in the air fryer. The air fryer is such a game changer! You’ll have such succulent wings that will melt in your mouth! Pair them with a quick buffalo sauce that I’ll show you in this recipe and you’ll never want the wings to keep coming your way!
Why Make Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Wings
Well, I don’t know why not! Baking your wings in the oven is pretty great, but there are some downsides! Here’s why I recommend you use an air fryer instead of the oven:
Shorter cook time! Baking chicken wings takes about an hour. Here, we’ll cut that time in half!
No pre-heating! I believe some air fryers require you to pre-heat, but I know mine doesn’t at least! If yours does, then I believe you don’t have to preheat for as long as a traditional oven. Correct me if I’m wrong!
The taste is closer to deep-fried in an air fryer than it is in the oven!
There’s less clean-up than using an oven! When making chicken wings in the oven, I place the wings on a wire rack and put the wire rack over a baking tray. Placing the wire rack over the baking tray helps prevent a mess in your oven because the juices from the chicken wings will drip onto the baking tray. But we’ll have to clean that and the wire rack up after cooking! It’s so easy to clean the tray and basket of the air fryer! So much easier!
Now why make your wings in the air fryer instead of deep frying? Well, I think we all know the answer to this - no oil! Yes, no oil at all! However, if your air fryer basket is not non-stick like mine is, then I would recommend you spray the basket with some spray oil or drizzle a bit of olive oil to prevent sticking.
How to Make Juicy Air Fryer chicken wings
This air fryer chicken wing recipe is unbelievably easy! Let’s get to it!
Season the chicken wings with salt and pepper
Set the air fryer temperature to 350 F. Add the wings in your basket for 13 minutes.
Flip the wings and cook for another 13 minutes.
After 26 minutes total, toss the wings in the basket. Increase the temperature to 390 F and and cook for another 5-6 minutes.
To serve, add your wings to a large bowl and pour the sauce over. Toss the wings until they are evenly coated. Serve hot and enjoy!
To Make the Sauce
While the wings are cooking, prepare the sauce. Melt 3 Tbsp butter in a saucepan and add 2 cups of hot sauce to the saucepan. Bring it up to a simmer.
Once the sauce has come up to a simmer, turn off the heat.
How Do I Know the Wings Are Ready?
The wings are ready when they have a crisp golden brown crust on the outside. If you really want to be sure that they are cooked, they should reach an internal temperature of 165 F.
Can I Cook the Wings from Frozen?
I’m going to just say it straight up and tell you that I wouldn’t do it! The answer here is going to be a hard no.
For best results, I strongly urge you to fully defrost your chicken wings overnight before cooking. I really recommend that you plan your meals in advance or buy your wings the day you ‘ll be making them for the freshest and tastiest wings! There are too many variables at play if you’re working with frozen meat, which is why I never do it and won’t be doing it.
Tips & Tricks
Pat the wings dry before cooking.
You do not need to use tricks like baking powder or cornstarch to develop that beautiful crispy skin. The skin has enough fat to render and develop a crispy exterior. I have tried these tricks in the past, and I think they take away from the natural flavour of the chicken.
Flip the wings after 13 minutes to ensure both sides to get evenly coloured.
Make sure not to stack the wings on top of each other. If you don’t have enough space in your basket, then I recommend you make your wings in two batches. It’ll be worth it! You can always quickly reheat the wings from the first batch in the air fryer by selecting the reheat setting.
Serving Suggestions
Chicken wings are so much fun! I’m sure I’m not the only one who thinks this, but once you get started munching on them, you can’t stop! I always wish there were more! They’re just super satisfying and loads of fun to eat!
You can have chicken wings as an appetizer before pretty much any main dish! Some classic suggestions would be before having pizza or a burger. If you’d like some burger recipe ideas, then be sure to check out my burger recipes!
Chicken wings are pretty much a mandatory snack while watching the Super Bowl. I believe I made this recipe right after Super Bowl Sunday! You may also have your wings with some French fries or Cajun potato wedges. My air fryer potato Cajun wedges recipe will be coming a few days after this, so stay tuned! Other great options are celery sticks, fried mozzarella sticks, or coleslaw!
I’ll be tossing these wings in my buffalo sauce to finish off, and serving some extra on the side. I also recommend some ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing on the side.
Let me know in the comments how you like to enjoy your chicken wings!
What Air Fryer Do You Recommend?
Oh my, there are so many out there! I only purchased my air fryer about two months ago, and there were a lot of factors to consider!
I have the Ninja Foodi 6-in-1 2-Basket Air Fryer. I like this air fryer because there are two baskets! This came in so handy this day because I actually filmed this recipe and my Cajun potato wedges simultaneously! I wouldn’t be able to do this otherwise! If you want an entire air-fried meal with different components, then this is the air fryer for you! You can set the two baskets to different temperatures, cook times, and even cook settings! You can also ensure that both baskets stay warm and finish cooking at the same time.
I honestly have only really used the air fry and bake settings in my air fryer, but there are six! The other settings are: dehydrate, air broil, reheat, and roast. So if you’re looking to get very creative with your air frying, then this really is the air fryer for you!
The reason I purchased this air fryer was honestly because of the brand. I have the Ninja Prep Blenders for making my purees and sauces, and the Ninja Professional Blender for smoothies, smoothie bowls and protein ice creams! But I know there’s a more basic Ninja air fryer. I like to have the best of the best, so it was love at first sight when I saw this air fryer on sale at Canadian Tire!
I Don’t Have an Air Fryer!
Well, don’t worry! I didn’t either for the longest time! I was quite late to the party!
If you’re on the fence about purchasing an air fryer, my recommendation to you is to get one! It’s really changed - seriously it has! If you want more details about my very first impressions after a week of using the air fryer, then definitely check out this First Impressions Ninja Foodi Air Fryer Review! The day after I had purchased my air fryer, I literally used it every single day! I’m a guy who loves his crispy chicken and French fries, and while I love the taste of deep fried, I know I can’t do that every day! So while I would often bake my Panko-crusted chicken or have my go-to Baked Homemade Crispy French Fries as a side, ever since making these recipes in the air fryer, I don’t think I’ll ever use the oven again! There’s just no need to because it’s much less effort to do in the air fryer, and you save so much time! Plus, they taste closer to deep fried in the air fryer than in the oven. So if you’re asking me if it’s worth investing in one, I really say YES if you want to get as close to the deep fried taste as possible in your cooking!
So while you’re still deciding whether or not to get an air fryer, or you’re waiting for it to ship to your home, then be sure to check out my Classic Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings recipe in the meanwhile! We’ve still got our nice buffalo sauce, and you’ll still have some delicious wings! The downside is that it will just take double the time!
Watch how to make Air Fryer BufFALO Chicken Wings here:
Let me know what you think of this recipe in the comments! If you’ve tried this recipe, be sure to post it on social media and tag it with #cookingwithanadi and mention me @cookingwithanadi. Thank you!