Crispy Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Wings

These Crispy Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Wings are the ultimate game-day appetizer or weeknight treat!

Tossed in a thick and savory barbecue sauce, these wings are sticky, sweet, and better than any take-out version you may have tried.

Why this recipe works.

Cooking in an air fryer means that you are not getting the added oil from frying. It also means that there is an easier clean up!

Here is what else you will like about this recipe.

• This recipe is made with simple ingredients that you may already have on hand.
• The seasonings used in this recipe offer the perfect balance to the buffalo sauce.
• BBQ Chicken Wings are perfect as an appetizer, party food, snack, or a meal.
• Personalizing these wings is as easy as swapping out your sauce.

Have you tried my recipe for Skillet Buffalo Chicken Thighs?

Made with boneless chicken thighs and served coated in a tangy marinade, those chicken thighs are juicy, tender, and full of spicy goodness. Both this recipe for Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Wings and that recipe for Skillet Thighs are great tasting 'as good as take out' version of chicken that you can make at home.

Choosing the right kind of barbeque sauce to use in this recipe can be the secret to the success of the recipe. You can find all kinds of barbecue sauces here.

Ingredients you will need.

• Chicken Wings. The wings should be separated between flats and drum when air frying.
• Baking Powder Used for the coating.
• Seasonings Salt, Pepper, Smoked Paprika, Garlic Powder, and Onion Powder.
• Barbecue Sauce. Use the barbecue sauce of your choice.

How to make BBQ Wings in Air Fryer

• Prep Time 10 minutes .
• Air Fry Time 30 minutes .
• Servings 12 .
• How to serve : Serve with Blue Cheese or Buttermilk Ranch Dressing and Dip on the side.
• Notes: You will need a large bowl, small bowl and a whisk . My chicken wings were made in a convection oven style air fryer, cooking times may vary depending on the air fryer you use.

1. Prepare Preheat your air fryer to 375°F. Also, prep your basket as needed for nonstick. My basket was taken out of the air fryer and sprayed with nonstick.
2. Chicken Use a clean paper towel to blot off the chicken to remove liquid etc. This will help the coating to stick to the chicken . Then place the chicken into a large bowl
3. Coating. In a small bowl, use a whisk to combine together the baking powder, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder and onion powder. Sprinkle half of the seasoning over the chicken in the bowl, toss the ingredients, and then repeat the process with the remaining seasoning.
4. Air Fry Place the seasoned chicken into your air fryer so that there is room between the wings for the air to circulate. Air fry the drumsticks for about 18 minutes, flip and cook for an additional 15-18 minutes or until crispy and cooked through. Flats should be air fried for flats for 15 minutes, flipped and air fried for another 15 minutes. Note that flats and drumsticks should be air fried separately as their size difference makes for different cooking times.
5. Coat Transfer your air fried chicken to a large bowl. Then pour half of the sauce over the chicken, toss the ingredients, and then repeat with the remaining sauce and serve.

Tips for making the best BBQ Chicken.

This recipe is for chicken wings that have been separated between flats and drums. When air frying them, note that because the flats cook faster than drums, it is best to air fry them in different batches, a batch for flats and a batch for drum

More helpful tips for you.

1. Do not skip the first step where we blot the chicken dry with paper towels. This is an important step as it removes the excess moisture from the chicken before adding the seasonings, resulting in perfectly crisp skin.
2. When placing the chicken into the air fryer, leave enough space between the chicken pieces for the air to circulate. Arrange the chicken in a single layer with space between them. If the chicken overlaps, they will 'steam' instead of getting crisp and also they may not cook uniformly. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to make this recipe in batches.
3. Your chicken is done cooking when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F before serving it.

FAQ

• Do I need to preheat my air fryer? I find that preheating the air fryer in a recipe such as this one helps the chicken start searing the moment it hits the basket, leading to better browning. It also helps the warm air circulate for cooking your chicken.
• Can I use frozen chicken wings? I would not do this. It is best to thaw them first for even cooking and to ensure the coatings sticks properly and for the chicken to cook evenly. If decide to do this note that cooking from frozen means it will take longer for the chicken to properly cook.
• Why are my air fryer wings not crispy? The most common reasons are overcrowding the basket (which traps steam) or not drying the skin thoroughly before cooking. Ensure the wings are in a single layer with space for air to circulate.
• Do I need to use oil? Oil is not necessary for this recipe. However, for wings that are more crisp, you can lightly spray them with oil before seasoning and air frying.

Variations.

• Turn this into a Buffalo Chicken recipe by swapping out your barbecue sauce for Buffalo Sauce and add a bit of honey to the sauce.
• Swap in a Honey Garlic Glaze using a mix of honey, minced garlic, and a splash of soy sauce .
• Use chicken breasts instead of wings (air fry times may vary)

How to store chicken wings

Once the chicken wings have fully cooled, they can be stored in an airtight container. When properly stored and refrigerated, chicken wings should keep for up to a few days when refrigerated or frozen for up to a few months. Thaw the wings in the refrigerator overnight before reheating and reheat in a skillet over medium heat or in the microwave until warmed through.

You may also be interested in these air fryer recipes.

• Perfect Air Fryer Cheese Scones
• Air Fryer Lemon Garlic Drumsticks
• Air Fryer Cornbread Recipe
• Air Fryer Chicken Asado Tacos Recipe
• Air Fryer Whole Chicken Recipe
• 15 Things You Didn’t Know You Could Make in an Air Fryer