These buffalo chicken wings in the air fryer turn crisp before they meet a buttery, tangy hot sauce. Preheat the air fryer to 380°F (193°C), cook the wings for about 18–22 minutes, and flip them halfway through. Toss them with sauce after cooking so the skin has a chance to brown. It’s an easy way to make a small batch of classic Buffalo wings without deep-frying.
Ingredients
- 1 pound raw chicken wing pieces (flats and drumettes), thawed
- 1 teaspoon neutral oil
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup cayenne-style hot sauce
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Use a vinegar-forward cayenne hot sauce rather than a prepared Buffalo wing sauce: the melted butter turns the hot sauce into the silky coating for these wings. If your hot sauce is especially salty, you can reduce the salt on the chicken.
How To Make It
- Preheat the air fryer to 380°F (193°C). Pat the wings dry with paper towels, then toss them with the oil, salt, and pepper. Drying the skin helps it brown instead of steam.
- Arrange the wings in a single layer in the basket, leaving a little room between pieces. Air-fry for 18–22 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the skin is browned. Check the thickest part of a few wings with a food thermometer, keeping the probe away from bone. The chicken must reach at least 165°F (74°C); cook it longer if needed.
- While the wings cook, whisk the hot sauce and melted butter together in a clean bowl. Transfer the cooked wings to the bowl and toss until coated. Serve right away while the skin is still crisp beneath the sauce.
Tips
- Give the wings space. If your basket cannot hold all the pieces in one layer, cook them in batches. Crowding makes it harder for the hot air to crisp the skin.
- Let the thermometer decide. Wing size and air fryer models vary, so the time is a guide, not proof that the chicken is done. There is no additional food-safety rest required once the wings reach 165°F (74°C).
- Keep the sauce for last. Coating the raw wings in butter and hot sauce would make crisping more difficult. Whisk the sauce again just before tossing if it starts to separate.
Bring these saucy wings to the table hot, with napkins close by!
