Hot wings cooked in the air fryer are amazing! Get crispy wings without all the oil using this method. This is the best air fryer hot wing recipe around, you’re going to love it!
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We are big fans of hot wings around here, regardless of the time of year. I switched from frying to oven baking a while ago, which works well, but it’s time consuming and the clean up is a huge pain.
Enter: the air fryer! Air fryer hot wings are so much easier to make, and more importantly, clean up after, than traditional frying or oven-baking. All you have to clean out is the basket, which is designed to be easy! No oil to dispose of or attempting to clean clingy chicken skin off a baking rack.
Which air fryer should I get?
I did a lot of research when I was choosing my air fryer. There are a bunch on the market and several that are well reviewed, but I ended up going with Instant Pot’s model and I’ve been really happy with it! It preheats so fast, is lightweight (although it is large), and the basket is incredibly easy to clean.
What time and temperature for air fryer hot wings?
To get that crispy skin we all want for our hot wings, you want to cook on the hotter side of things! 400 degrees F is typically the hottest an air fryer will get, and that’s the temperature we want. Cook air fryer wings at 400 degrees F for 20-25 minutes, until crispy and golden brown. At the 12 minute mark, you’ll want to remove the basket and flip all the hot wings for even cooking.
What type of wings should I use?
To make the type of wings you’d get at a restaurant, you do not want to get whole wings. Instead, you want to get “party wings”, where the drumette is separated from the flat. This way, you’ll make smaller, more manageable wings. It’s very difficult to eat a full sized wing covered in buffalo sauce!
How to Make Air Fryer Hot Wings
Start out by removing the hot wings from the their packaging and patting completely dry with paper towels or clean dish towels. Then add the wings to a large bowl and add cornstarch, kosher salt, and pepper. Toss to coat. We use cornstarch to get extra crispy skin!
Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees F. Once it’s preheated, add the wings to the basket and spray with cooking spray. Toss to make sure they’re coated.
Cook for 12 minutes, then flip all the wings, and cook for another 8-12 minutes. There will be a lot of liquid in the bottom of the basket, so be careful when removing it.
To make the buffalo sauce, I stick with the classic recipe: Frank’s Red Hot and butter. We like things really spicy, so I add a few dashes of Tabasco Sauce.
Add the cooked wings to a large bowl, add the sauce, and toss to coat.
What should I serve with the air fryer hot wings?
I like to serve a variety of veggies and LOTS of blue cheese dip. This time, we went with sliced radishes and steamed broccoli florets. To make blue cheese dip, I simply combine sour cream, blue cheese crumbles, salt, and Italian seasoning. Easy!
Air Fryer Hot Wings Recipe
Want more recipes like this?
- Traditional Hot Wings
- Chorizo and Pimento Cheese Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers
- Queso Fundido
- Instant Pot Ribs
If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to rate it and leave a review! This helps other people find it, too. And don’t forget to tag me on Instagram so I can give you a shout out: @aducksoven
You can also view this recipe as a step-by-step web story.
Get the Recipe:
Air Fryer Hot Wings
Ingredients
- 20-25 party wings
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- Cooking spray
- 1 1/2 cups Frank's Red Hot
- 1/3 cup butter
- Several dashes Tabasco, optional
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees F.
- Remove party wings from packaging and pat thoroughly dry with paper towels or a clean dish towel.
- Add wings to a large bowl and toss with cornstarch, salt, and pepper until evenly coated. I recommend just using your hands!
- Add wings to air fryer basket and spray with cooking spray. Toss and spray again.
- Add wings to air fryer and cook for 12 minutes. Flip all the wings, then cook for another 8-13 minutes, until crispy and golden brown.
- While the wings are cooking, add Frank's Red Hot, butter, and Tabasco if using to a saucepan over low heat. Cook until butter is melted.
- When wings are done, add to a clean, large bowl. Pour sauce over the wings and toss until every wing is completely coated with sauce.
- Serve with veggies and blue cheese dip.