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Just 4 ingredients and 30 minutes stand between you and ultra-crispy, air fryer Buffalo wings. All the tangy, spicy flavor you crave—none of the deep-frying drama. Perfect for pizza night or game day celebrations!
My Air fryer Buffalo wings deliver the same crave-worthy crisp and tangy heat as the deep-fried kind—minus the grease, mess, and side of regret. As someone who grew up just north of Buffalo (yes, I take my wings seriously), I was skeptical you could pull off the real deal without a vat of oil. But trust me, it works—and it works well. All it takes is 4 ingredients, 30 minutes, and a craving. Let’s make some air fryer chicken wings that would hold their own at any sports bar.
But first, if you’re looking for more tasty air fryer appetizers that snub the grease bath, I’ve got you covered. I have the best air fryer French fries for you, and they require just 3 ingredients! You’ll also love these breaded air fryer mushrooms, air fryer chicken nuggets, and pickle-brined air fryer chicken tenders.
Table of Contents
Recipe Modifications
- Seasoning—My recipe calls for none, because it’s really not needed. But if you want, you can rub your wings with a bit of salt and black pepper, and even amp it up with some garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne pepper.
- Baking powder—Some folks like tossing their chicken wings in baking powder to enhance crispiness. This might help when baking, but I’ve never felt it made much difference when air frying or even deep frying. But if it’s a step that’s ingrained in you, I totally get it, and you can use it.
Ingredient Notes
Exact measurements are in the recipe card below.
- Chicken wings—Leave the skin on. I prefer them with no tips. You can cut those off, freeze them, and save them for making a nice Instant Pot chicken stock.
- Hot sauce—Frank’s® RedHot is the only option if you’re looking for authentic Buffalo wing sauce. Unless, of course, you have a bottled sauce from a restaurant in the Buffalo area that serves the good stuff.
- Butter—Melted butter does more than just adding a silky, buttery mouthfeel to your wing sauce—it tones down the heat. The more butter you add, the less fiery the wings will be. Of course, you still want to add a bit, even if you want your wings to kick you in the tastebuds.
- Distilled white vinegar—This is the ticket to that Buffalo sauce tang we all lust over. You know, the aroma that opens up our sinuses the moment those wings are set in front of us. Don’t skip out on the vinegar.
How Long Do You Cook Buffalo Wings in the Air Fryer?
With this recipe, a perfect crispy batch takes just 30 minutes at 375º F. You’ll flip the wings every 10 minutes to ensure an even crisp on all sides, but that’s it! Easy peasy.
How to Make Air Fryer Buffalo ChickenWings
This is a quick how-to for this recipe to give you an idea of how it’s done at a glance. Find the full details in the recipe card below.
Prep the wings—Gently pat the wings dry with paper towels. This removes excess moisture and ensures you get that nice crisp.
Air fry the wings—Place the wings into the air fryer basket. Be sure to space them out so they aren’t crowded. Cook them at 375º F for 30 minutes, flipping them over every 10 minutes. For the last 5 minutes of cook time, you can increase the heat to 400º F for ultimate crispness if you feel it’s necessary.
Make the sauce—While the wings are air frying, pour the Frank’s® RedHot into a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring it to a low simmer. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter into the sauce, stirring often. Once it’s melted, give it a taste. For less heat, add a bit more butter. Keep adding butter until you achieve the level of heat you prefer. Then stir in the vinegar. Bring the heat to low to keep it warm while the wings finish cooking. Stir the sauce every once in a while so that a film doesn’t develop over your sauce. (If this happens, don’t worry about it. Just keep stirring.)
Bring it all together—When done, place wings into a large bowl and drizzle the sauce over the top. Toss the wings with tongs while whirling the bowl around, evenly coating them in that luscious velvety sauce.
What to Serve With Buffalo Wings
- Pizza—A good pizza, whether it be a nice cast iron pizza, a simple caprese pizza, or this delicious, easy grandma pizza (which is my family’s current obsession) is always the perfect pairing for Buffalo wings. I’ve got a lot of easy pizza recipes to choose from.
- Salad—My pizza night salad is a great option as it mimics pizza joint salads and offers up a ton of flavor.
- Veggies—Carrot & celery sticks are a classic pairing that typically come with wings whenever they’re served at bars.
- Dipping sauce—Blue cheese dressing is the classic choice, but if you’re not a fan of that sort of funk, go for some dill pickle buttermilk Ranch, or my homemade Caesar dressing!
Frequently Asked Questions
1. First, pat the wings dry with paper towels prior to cooking to remove excess moisture.
2. Place the wings in a single layer and make sure they have space between them in the air fryer basket. You don’t want them crowded on top of one another, or they’ll end up more steamed than crisped.
3. Cook the wings at 375º F for 30 minutes, flipping them every 10 minutes. You can increase the heat to 400º F during the last 5 minutes if you feel it’s necessary, for ultimate crispness.
Only put the sauce on cooked wings. Air frying the chicken wings with sauce will prevent them from becoming crisp. The wings will come out soggy, the sauce will have lost its quality of texture, and your air fryer will be a mess.
Air-fried chicken wings are better, no contest. I’ve never had Buffalo wings come out of the oven crispy, and I’ve tried many methods. The air fryer is the only method that promises that deep-fried crisp every time.
Place the wings, uncrowded, into the air fryer basket and cook at 375º F for 5-7 minutes, or until warmed through and crisped. Typically you don’t have to flip them halfway through, but you can if you want to guarantee an even crisp.
Storage, Freezing, & Reheating
- Store leftover air fryer Buffalo wings in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 4 days.
- To freeze, wait until the wings have cooled. Then pop them into a gallon-sized freezer bag, push as much air out as possible, seal, and pop them in the freezer for up to 4 months. Transfer them to the fridge to thaw the night before you plan on eating them.
- To reheat, you can either pop them in the microwave for 15-second increments until warmed through, or you can cook them in the air fryer at 375º F for 5-7 minutes for extra crisp. However, I think they’re delicious cold!
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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
- Spread the chicken wings out onto a flat surface like a cutting board, and gently pat them dry with a paper towel 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. Just make sure they aren't sitting on top of one another.
- Close the air fryer basket and cook the wings at 375º F for 30 minutes, flipping them over every 10 minutes to ensure an even crisp. If you think it's necessary, you can increase the heat to 400º F for the last 5 minutes to ensure a good crisp.
- While the wings cook, 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 and decrease the heat to low. Let the sauce simmer on low, stirring occasionally.
- When the wings are done, transfer them 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!
These are far better than I’d even anticipated! Wanted to make a quick batch of wings for a football draft gathering and figured I’d give these a shot. The photo made them look crispier and saucier than any other of the recipes I came across. Glad I chose this one. They had a perfect crisp, still tasted fried somehow and the Buffalo sauce was perfect. Simple, not messed with, just a great authentic Buffalo wing. Thank you, Dana. I will be making these again. Everyone raved!
Love this air fryer Buffalo wings recipe, so easy and turn out so crispy and delicious. Thanks for sharing :)
You’re so welcome, Elisa!
My family loved these spicy wings!
Awesome :)
My new favorite way to make buffalo wings! Perfectly cooked with the best flavor!
Right? I was floored the first time we did wings in the air fryer. I really didn’t think we’d get that same deep-fried crisp. So happy with how these turn our every time.