Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Wings

5 from 2 votes

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If you need a final tipping point reason to buy an air fryer, people, these Buffalo chicken wings just might be it.

Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Wings

Most of us love fried food but aren’t big fans of deep frying. But with plenty of time playing with my air fryer, there have been some very nice little fried moments. These Buffalo chicken wings were one of them…so easy to make, so, so amazingly crispy, crunchy on the outside, and tender on the inside. (Hello, Super Bowl!). Less oil, more crispy treats, and better game day eats! Don’t forget the Blue Cheese Dip. Blue cheese dip and buffalo sauce are some of the greatest gifts to humankind.

Also, think about serving up some Sweet Potato Fries with New Bay Seasoning and Guacamole with tortilla chips for a great game day spread.

Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Wings in a white serving dish.

The Ultimate Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Wings: With a crunchy cracking exterior, and tender juicy chicken, these buffalo chicken wings are hard to beat.

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Why Air-Fry Chicken Wings?

Deep frying is hard to justify on a regular basis, and it’s also messy. Then you have to figure out if you’re going to try and strain and salvage the oil or if it just needs to be tossed. This is often the case if you are frying something with a flavor that you don’t want to carry over to the next deep-fry extravaganza, like fish. Cooking wings in the oven is also awesome, but it’s hard to get the crispy, crunchy exterior you get with an air fryer.

Buffalo Sauce for Air Fryer Chicken Wings

Did you know that classic Buffalo sauce is just melted butter and hot sauce? Usually, Frank’s Red Hot Sauce has just the right amount of vinegar and a moderate amount of heat, so you can glug that red love on those wings and not worry about blowing your taste buds out. Want it spicier? Add more Frank’s and maybe a bit of cayenne pepper or a bit of another hotter hot sauce.

Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Wings in a serving dish with blue cheese dip and sticks of carrots and celery.

How to Make Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Wings

  1. Air fry the wings: In a large bowl, toss the chicken wings with the oil, salt, and pepper. Place the chicken wings into the basket of the air fryer. Cook for about 20 to 25 minutes at 400 degrees if your air fryer has temperature settings or the dual cook setting if it doesn’t. Turn the wings halfway through the cooking, if you remember. Remove them when they are browned and crisp.
  2. Make the Buffalo sauce: While the wings are cooking, combine the butter and hot sauce.
  3. Toss the wings with the sauce.
  4. Serve: Serve with the Blue Cheese Dip and carrot and celery sticks.
Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Wings in a serving dish with blue cheese dip and sticks of carrots and celery.

FAQs

How long does it take to cook wings in an air fryer?

Chicken wings take about 25 minutes at 400 degrees in an air fryer.

What temperature do you air fry chicken wings?

I like to air fry chicken wings at 400 degrees F.

Why are my wings not getting crispy in the air fryer?

Your heat might not be high enough, or you might just need to cook them longer.

Do you add Buffalo sauce to wings before or after cooking them?

For the best crunchy texture, it’s best to cook the chicken wings first until they are crispy on the outside, then toss them with the Buffalo sauce.

Tips

  • You do not have to preheat your air fryer for chicken wings, which is a game changer!
  • While the chicken wings are frying, make the Blue Cheese Dip and the super simple Buffalo sauce.
  • Turn the wings halfway through the cooking, if you remember, which will allow them to become more evenly crispy.
  • You can skip making the blue cheese dip and just buy one. But buy a good one — I love Marie’s Extra Chunky Blue Cheese Dip, available in the refrigerated produce section of the market. You made your own Buffalo chicken wings; give them the sauce they deserve.
Celery dipped in blue cheese dressing on a plate.

What to Serve With Air Fryer Buffalo Wings

The carrots and celery are a way to make us all feel better about the wings. One wing, one carrot, one wing, one piece of celery. But don’t forget to dip not just the wings but also the vegetables in that blue cheese dip. Tomorrow, you can have a salad (P.S. leftover blue cheese dip thinned out with a bit of milk makes great blue cheese salad dressing, which kind of defeats the cleansing salad thought, but there you have it).

Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Wings on a yellow plate with celery, carrots, and some blue cheese dip.

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5 from 2 votes

Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Wings

If you need a final tipping point reason to buy an air fryer, people, these Buffalo chicken wings just might be it.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 6 People

Equipment

Ingredients 

For the Chicken Wings

  • 2 pounds chicken wings (flat part and “drummies” separated; tips saved for stock)
  • 2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)

For the Buffalo Sauce

  • cup Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)

To Serve

Instructions 

  • In a large bowl, toss the chicken wings with the oil, salt, and pepper. Place the chicken wings into the basket of the air fryer. Cook for about 25 minutes at 400 F if your air fryer has temperature settings, or the dual cook setting if it doesn’t. Turn the wings halfway through the cooking. Remove them when they are browned and crisp.
  • Meanwhile, make the Buffalo sauce. Combine the Frank’s Red Hot Sauce and the melted butter in a large bowl.
  • Transfer the wings to the bowl and toss with the buffalo sauce. Transfer them to a serving platter and serve with the Blue Cheese Dip and carrot and celery sticks.

Notes

  • You do not have to preheat your air fryer for chicken wings, which is a game changer!
  • While the chicken wings are frying, make the Blue Cheese Dip and the super simple Buffalo sauce.
  • You can skip making the blue cheese dip and just buy one. But buy a good one — I love Marie’s Extra Chunky Blue Cheese Dip, available in the refrigerated produce section of the market. You made your own buffalo chicken wings; give them the sauce they deserve.

Nutrition

Calories: 289.43kcal, Carbohydrates: 0.01g, Protein: 15.05g, Fat: 25.28g, Saturated Fat: 9.1g, Cholesterol: 82.94mg, Sodium: 878.32mg, Potassium: 127.37mg, Sugar: 0.01g, Vitamin A: 353.26IU, Vitamin C: 0.57mg, Calcium: 12.04mg, Iron: 0.78mg
Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!

About Katie Workman

Katie Workman is a cook, a writer, a mother of two, an activist in hunger issues, and an enthusiastic advocate for family meals, which is the inspiration behind her two beloved cookbooks, Dinner Solved! and The Mom 100 Cookbook.

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4 Comments

  1. An “air fryer” is really not much more than a convection oven, so if your kitchen is equipped with one already (or you have a toaster oven with a blower) you can pretty much translate any air fryer recipe to “oven fried”.

    During hockey season “Puck Luck Pizza & Wings” is our game night go-to, so we make a LOT of wings. As a consequence I invested in a small deep fryer, which I get is not something everybody would do, and leave the oil in it. (Before you go into fits of pearl clutching, you should know this is EXACTLY what happens at your favorite restaurant — and probably with less care that you’d take at home.)

    That said, I’ve always been on the lookout for a somewhat healthier option and if I ever decide I need an air fryer (or upgrade to a convection oven), this is bookmarked for reference. It would save me having to store (and clean!) the deep fryer and the used oil.

  2. Sigh…Frank’s Red Hot Sauce is NOT BUFFALO WING SAUCE! Sure, if you want, you can add it to the sauce for heat. But it is NOT the flavor of Buffalo Wing sauce.

  3. Yield on 32 oz of chicken is 16 oz. Divided by six people that’s what 2 and 1/2 oz per person?. 35 minutes?
    I own and kind of enjoy an air fryer. But they’re really just the flash in the pan, pun intended.
    Save your 70 to $150 buy some groceries