Best Crispy Air Fryer Buffalo Wings
These are hands down the best crispy air fryer Buffalo wings! Same authentic flavor without the oil and deep frying.
Saucy, Vinegary, Buttery Goodness.
Buffalo wings are my kryptonite. I grew up right outside of Buffalo, so my family and I are purists and all agree that the farther away you get from Buffalo, the more poseur-ish the wings get.
You can imagine my dismay during my 7 year stint in North Carolina. Yeesh.
Luckily my father and I spent some time perfecting the recipe when I was still living back home, so I’ve been able to enjoy true Buffalo wings no matter where I’ve lived!
And now I’m thrilled to bring you this easy, quick, and mess-free recipe done in the air fryer.
Air Fryer Buffalo Wings Are the Way to Go!
Traditionally wings are deep fried, and that’s what gives them that beautiful golden crisp we all covet. This is great for restaurants and all, but deep frying at home is a bit scary, a lot messy, and pretty smelly—not to mention you have to dispose of all that oil afterward.
To put it simply, deep frying is a pain in the ass.
With the air fryer, you don’t even need oil! The process is clean, easy, quick, and you still get that crispy skin and deep-fried flavor without the hassle (and extra calories).
It’s a total win/win.
Only Four Ingredients Needed.
Sometimes simplicity is best, and that’s definitely the case with Buffalo wings. Here’s a rundown of what you need:
- Chicken wings. If you can get wings without the tips, go for those. If you’re snagging wings from your butcher, ask them to cut the tips off of the flats, that way you’ve got your nice flats and drummies ready to go. You could cut the tips off yourself, but you’ll need a really sharp knife and you’ll want to be very careful. Bone isn’t always easy to snap through and the skin is slippery!
- Frank’s® RedHot. Just the original kind. They do have the “Wings” variation, which has butter added to it already, but I prefer to add my own butter because it allows me to control the heat level and flavor, so plain ol’ Frank’s is what you’re looking for.
- Butter. There is no set amount of butter for you to use. Once you get familiar with making your own Buffalo sauce you’ll see that it’s just a matter of winging it (ha). The point of the butter is, again, to tame the heat. The more butter you use, the less hot the wings will be.
- Distilled vinegar. About a tablespoon is all you need, and it just gives the sauce that mouthwatering vinegary goodness that triggers those salivary glands and infiltrates the nostrils.
How to Make Buffalo Wings in the Air Fryer.
- Pat the wings dry. Use some paper towels and gently pat the wings to remove excess moisture. There’s no need to season them!
- Air fry those suckers. Place the wings into the air fryer basket skin-side up. Space them out as much as possible, but if some are slightly touching, that’s okay. Pop the airfryer basket into the air fryer and cook the wings at 375º F for 10 minutes. Open the basket, carefully flip the wings using tongs, and pop them back into the fryer for another 10 minutes. Then, open the fryer up, flip the wings again, and cook them for 5 minutes. Finally, open the fryer once more, flip the wings, and pop them back in for 5 minutes at 400º F.
- While the wings are cooking, start the sauce. Pop the Frank’s into a small saucepan over medium-high heat and bring it to a low simmer.
- Stir in the butter, starting with about 2 tablespoons, and let it melt into the sauce. Give it a taste. If you want less heat, add a bit more butter until you achieve the level of heat you prefer.
- Finally, stir in some vinegar and bring the sauce to a low simmer. Stir occasionally while your wings are cooking so that a film doesn’t develop over your sauce. (If this happens, don’t worry about it. Just keep stirring and heating.)
- When the wings are done, transfer them to a large mixing bowl and drizzle the sauce on top. You can toss the wings with tongs while whirling the bowl around to evenly coat them in that luscious velvety sauce.
- Dig in. Serve with your favorite blue cheese dip and carrots and celery if you’d like. You know, for a good and healthy balance ;)
Useful Tools for This Recipe:
- Air Fryer (at least a 7 quart is suggested)
- Tongs
- Mixing Bowls
- Saucepan
- Paper towels
- Dipping cups (optional, but fun to serve dip in!)
Recipe Tips + Tricks.
- Keep the wings and the air fryer basket dry! It’s tempting to brush the wings with oil, or at least the basket, but you don’t need to. Your wings will come out perfectly crispy and won’t stick to the fryer pan.
- Pat the wings dry with paper towels to reduce moisture. Less moisture means a crispier wing.
- The amount of butter in the wing sauce controls the heat level, so add a bit at a time until you achieve your preferred spiciness.
- These are good in the fridge for up to two days in a sealed container (and they’re excellent cold).
Have You Made This Recipe?
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Awesome Pizzas to Serve With Air Fryer Buffalo Wings:
- Peppadew Pizza with Honey and Cracked Pepper
- Easy Caprese Pizza
- Veggie Deluxe Pizza
- Sausage and Red Pepper Pizza
Best Crispy Air Fryer Buffalo Wings
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken wings
- 1 cup Frank's RedHot® Original
- 2 TBSP butter
- 1 TBSP white vinegar
Instructions
Crispy Air Fryer Buffalo Wings.
- Spread the chicken wings out onto a flat surface like a cutting board, and gently pat them dry to remove excess moisture.
- With tongs, place the wings into the air fryer basket skin-side up. Space them out as much as you can. If some are touching a bit, that's okay.
- Place the airfryer basket into the air fryer and cook the wings in the following time increments:
- 375º F for 10 minutes; open the air fryer, then carefully flip the wings.
- Cook them for another 10 minutes; open the air fryer and flip the wings.
- Cook the wings for 5 minutes this time. Finally, open the air fryer once more, and flip the wings. Cook for another 5 minutes.
- Transfer the wings to a large mixing bowl.
- Pour the wing sauce over the wings and toss them around with tongs to evenly coat them.
- Serve with your favorite blue cheese dip, and carrots and celery!
Buffalo wing sauce.
- Heat the hot sauce in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the butter and stir it in as it melts. Give the sauce a taste. If it's too spicy, add a bit more butter. The more butter you add, the less heat you'll end up with.
- Once the heat level is to your liking, stir in the white vinegar.
- Bring the heat to low, and leave the sauce on a low simmer stirring occasionally while the wings cook in the air fryer. When the wings are done, remove the saucepan from the heat.
148 Comments on “Best Crispy Air Fryer Buffalo Wings”
We love that they are quick, easy and so delicious!! Thanks for a great recipe!!
It’s about to get REAL for the big game! I can’t wait to make these again on Sunday! Thank you!!
This was a huge hit at my house!! SO perfect for game day!
These were so good!! they’re definitely going on our game day menu!
These are so easy and crispy in the air fryer! I love all the Buffalo add-ins.
Simple & delicious!!!
These wings were the best! Perfectly crispy and the sauce was incredible. Will definitely make them again!
So glad you loved them!
My family loves wing night and this just got easier by using my air fryer. Finer licking good!
So glad, Gina!
This sauce is absolutely amazing! Great dish for a family dinner or for the weekend when friends coming over. Definitely a keeper!!
I’m so glad you think so, Elena!
Enjoyed these for dinner last night and they were a hit all around the table! Turned out lightly crisp, easy and packed with flavor! Excited to serve these again for game day!
Very happy to hear it, Sara!
Just in time for my super bowl party!! Haha I tried these out and they were a hit so def serving these for the game!
Yes!! So perfect for game day.
These are the best wings I’ve ever tried! I’ve made them several times and my family requests them often.
Awesome to hear!
I need to get an air fryer just so I can make these wings…and fries! They look so delicious, I’m drooling!
Yes you do, ma’am! Fries are also great in the air fryer.
These came out so good. New favorite at home chicken wing recipe.
Yes! Love to hear it.
These wings turned out sooo good, crispy, and over-delicious, and the sauce was so flavourful. Loved the recipe.
Great to hear!
These buffalo wings are better than the ones at our local pub. And so much healthier in the air fryer. Love these!
My family and I have said the same—better off just having them at home!
Glazed in that thick Buffalo sauce, these wings are calling to me! What a delicious idea to ring in the New Year! Sounds so good…I could go for some now!
Me too, haha.
These were perfect. Thanks for the awesome recipe!
My pleasure.
Love how crispy these wings turn out and that you’ve given us a homemade buffalo sauce recipe. It’s incredible! Can’t wait to make these again on game day!
The sauce is the key ;) They’re perfect for game day! Enjoy :)
Perfect! I love this recipe! I haven’t made one in ages. Thanks for the idea!
You’re welcome!
Yum! Love how easy it is to make these wings in the air fryer. Your wings are delicious.
Thank you so much, Biana!
Made these on Sunday when we had friends over for football and everyone raved about them. I’ve been asked to make them again for this week’s game. GREAT RECIPE.
Awesome, Damian! Football Sundays are a perfect excuse to make these :)
These were so amazing! Perfectly crispy. The sauce had just the right kick. Definitely going to be a staple in this house!
This is great! I’m so happy you loved them :)
Love this recipe. Tastes just like when you get wings at the bar.
That’s what we always say. Can’t go wrong with this one, and to think it’s better for you!
These air fryer buffalo wings are perfect for fall. I love how crispy the skin of the chicken turns out.
The skin turns out surprisingly crispy! Honestly I was never expecting air fryer chicken wings to turn out this amazingly, but here we are.
Moist and juicy. Air Fryer is healthy. Perfect side dish too.
Agreed!
My husband is constantly requesting these air fryer wings. They really come out perfect all the time and are going to be a staple during game days!
Ugh, yes! I am really looking forward to serving these on game days :)
I will never make another buffalo wing recipe! They came out so crispy, spicy, and flavorful!
Yessss, this makes me so happy!
This recipe was so easy to make and turned out great!! We served it as an appetizer when we had friends over for dinner and it was a hit!
Great to hear, Anjali!
Obsessed with this recipe. I can’t believe how easy and on point it is. And healthier! Crazy. Thanks for an awesome recipe.
I’m so glad!
So tasty. I will be making these a lot!!
Awesome!
It was so delicious and everyone loved it! Thank you for this amazing recipe!
My pleasure :)
These buffalo wings are so easy and full of flavor!
Aren’t they? I crave them!
Best air fryer wings I’ve had yet. That sauce is ridiculous!
Thanks, Dalton!
These were so good! They turned out super crispy thank you!
You’re welcome!
The texture of the wings looks absolutely incredible, especially paired with the wing sauce. Yum! I love how you made them using the air fryer.
Glad you enjoyed them, Tara!
Tried these last night and they were delicious! My boys kept going back for more! Love how crisp and flavourful the wings were. Thank you!
Happy to hear it :)
My husband said that these were the best wings I have ever made! They were fantastic and so easy!
I’m so glad, Amy!
This has been an all-time favorite at my house! Thanks so much for the recipe!
You’re so welcome!
I’ve made these wings several times, and they always turn out perfectly! Such a great recipe
So happy to hear this, Tayler.
I haven’t used my air fryer to make wings yet. Looks like I need to try that asap! :)
Heck yes you do!
I finally got an air fryer this weekend and was craving some buffalo wings and boy am I happy I found this recipe! These tasted better than the restaurants! Thanks so much for sharing!
Wow, that’s awesome, Joyce! It’s nice to have a version that isn’t deep-fried yet equally delicious.
Never wanted to get a deep fryer for home so settled for baking wings in the oven. Never again! So glad I came upon this recipe. Perfect, crispy, and the sauce, you nailed it. Thank you so much for this recipe.
Yay! Thrilled to hear this. I’m not a fan of deep frying at home either. The air fryer is a beautiful thing.
These are way too good!
Agreed! :) Glad you enjoyed them.
Air Fryer sounds healthy. These wings looks tempting hot and juicy.
Thanks!
This is such a great way to make wings! They were nice and crispy, and the air fryer made the whole process clean and convenient.
Yes! So much cleaner and easier than deep frying :)
So good. Love air fryer wings and the sauce is perfect. Franks and butter = ultimate buffalo sauce!
Girl you know it!
I’ve never tried wings in the air fryer, but I can see how delicious they’ll be! My family is going to love this recipe because we’re all huge wing fans.
They’re so so so crispy :)
The flavors are so perfect and the wings came out so good. Overall it was a perfect recipe and a nice variation for my family.
I’m so glad!
Fantastic tasting! Have made these twice already – easy and delicious!
Aren’t they the best? Addicting, too.
These were so good! Only making wings in the air fryer from now on!
I am 100% with you on this!
I made these for my family over the weekend and they LOVED them! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!
I’m so glad, Tayler!
These wings were so easy to make and turned out to be tender and spicy! They were the perfect appetizer for our family picnic this past weekend!
That’s awesome! What a great picnic add on :)
My mouth waters just from looking at these images. I mean, these are the tastiest buffalo wings I have ever seen!
Thanks, Elaine! A new favorite here :)
Quick, easy and full of my favorite Buffalo sauce. These are my kind of wings.
Happy to hear it :)
Enjoyed these for dinner last night and they did not disappoint! Quick, easy and delicious; worthy of a restaurant, indeed!
Aw, thanks Sara! That’s a huge compliment!
Absolutely phenomenal.
So glad you enjoyed them!
Unbelievable!!
Thank you :)
Moved from Buffalo to AZ a few years ago, can’t find good wings anywhere. This is a game changer. You have no idea how happy our family was to be able to kick back with Buffalo wings that tasted like home. There might have been a few happy tears. Thank you very much for this recipe, Dana.
This comment made my damn day <3
These air fryer buffalo wings come out so crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. A great quick appetizer or snack.
Yes! The crisp is awesome.
These buffalo wings are my family’s favorite. I double up the chicken cause they tend to go quickly with just one batch.
Haha, I hear that. Extra is always good :)
That homemade buffalo sauce is absolutely incredible, and these wings turn out so crispy! I’ll definitely be making this again soon!
So happy to hear this, Nathan!
Seriously so good! This is one of my favorite air fryer recipes hands down.
Yay!
Looks so juicy and golden brown. I’m sure they’re delicious
Oh, they are :)
These are AWESOME.
Glad you love them, Marco!
I love how I don’t need oil to fry these wings. So much crispier and healthier in the air fryer!
100%!!
I use my air fryer all the time because food cooks up quickly and with less oil. I love the fact that you can make crispy wings like this in the air fryer. My family will love these!
It’s such a win!
I’ll never make wings another way after trying this recipe! Perfectly crispy and so delicious!
That’s where I’m at with wings—air fryer only!
Recipes like this are why I love using the air fryer. We get all the texture and flavor of fried wings but without all the grease and the cleanup.
Yes! It’s incredible.
Delicious and so easy! Love how crispy they were. Better results than we have ever gotten out of an oven!
Oh yeah, the days of attempting wings in the oven are over.
Wow, these look incredible! They’re the perfect Super Bowl snack, but honestly, we’d eat them all the time in my house. I can’t wait to try them.
We definitely make these often :)
So good! Love how crispy the AF makes the wings and can’t beat the classic buffalo sauce for the ultimate enjoyment!
Agreed!
I’m so happy that I’ve found this recipe! A must-try for Super Bowl Sunday. Simple ingredients and perfect for my new air fryer.
You’ll love’em!
This was a huge hit at my house! It was so good!
Awesome!
I can’t believe how good these turned out!! I’m never frying wings again. Perfect timing for the Superbowl!
The perfect app!
These turned out perfect!
I’m so glad!
Wow. Previous deep frying guy here to tell you that you’re right, these are better than deep fried! My wife just got an air fryer and I figured I’d give it a spin and make Buffalo wings. Definitely making these again. The sauce is on point. Thanks!
Isn’t it nuts? My dad and I were floored at how much better these were air fried. I’m so glad you think so too!