Crispy, juicy, and bursting with spicy tang from the 5-minute buffalo sauce (you can make it in a pan or microwave). These wings are perfect as a party food or a fun weekend dinner. Make my mild and creamy blue cheese dip to go with them – even blue cheese haters (that’s me!) love it!
Nicky’s Recipe Notes
I can’t stop eating these chicken wings! Our family is a like a swarm of locusts when these things are put in front of us. Forty wings, gone in 5 minutes. They didn’t even make it to the table on our last test – they were eaten right at the kitchen counter 🙄
This is my air fryer version (I’ve got an oven-baked version if you prefer) and they cook in about 30 minutes (about half the time it takes to bake them). They’re served tossed in the most dreamy-spicy buffalo sauce that can be made in the microwave or pan in just a few minutes.
I also serve them with the classic blue cheese dip – except I use a really mild soft blue cheese (Saint Agur blue crème – not sponsored – that’s just my personal preference), because I’m not a strong blue cheese lover AT ALL.
Table of Contents
📋 Ingredients – chicken wings
- I buy full chicken wings (20 of them), then cut off the wing tips and chop the remaining part in half resulting in 20 mini-wings and 20 drumettes (the fatter bits)
- We coat the wings in baking powder (for crispness) and pepper. I usually use a little salt when making chicken wings, but the buffalo sauce is salty enough.
Abbreviated recipe instructions
***Full recipe with detailed steps in the recipe card at the end of this post***
Toss the wings with baking powder and pepper and air fry at 210C/410F for 30-35 mins, tossing every 10 minutes. Mix the buffalo sauce ingredients and heat (pan or microwave) until the butter melts and stir together. Toss the wings with this sauce.
Mix together the blue cheese sauce ingredients to serve with the wings, alongside celery and carrot sticks.
Pro Tip
Toss the wings in the sauce right before serving, so they maintain their crispness.
Look at that shine 🤩
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Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Wings
Equipment
- Double Stack Air Fryer – you can of course use a regular single-basket air fryer, but you'll likely need to cook in two batches
- Spray Oil – I use avocado oil
Ingredients
Air Fryer Chicken Wings:
- 1 kg (2.2 lbs) chicken wings
- 1 level tbsp aluminium-free baking powder It has to be baking powder NOT baking soda – see further notes on baking powder below
- ½ tsp pepper
Buffalo Wings Sauce:
- 150 ml (2/3 cup) Frank’s hot sauce
- 120 g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter chopped into small chunks
- 1 tbsp cider vinegar
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 1 tbsp honey
- ¼ tsp salt
Blue cheese sauce
- 120 g (1/2 cup) sour cream
- 3 tbsp mayo
- 75 g (1/3 cup) soft blue cheese use Roquefort, or you can use Saint Agur blue crème for a milder taste
- ½ tbsp cider vinegar
- ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
- pinch dried parsley
To Serve:
- 2 medium carrots peeled and cut into 2-inch (5cpieces
- 2 sticks celery cut into 2-inch (5cpieces
Instructions
- Cut each wing at the joint so you have a mini wing and a drumette. Place in a large bowl and add the baking powder and pepper. Toss to combine.1 kg (2.2 lbs) chicken wings, 1 level tbsp aluminium-free baking powder, ½ tsp pepper
- Add to the air fryer basket (you may need to cook in two batches depending on the size of your air fryer), cook for 30-35 minutes at 210C/410F, shaking the basket every 10 minutes.
- To make the Buffalo sauce, place the hot sauce, butter, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, honey, and salt in a microwave-safe bowl (if making in the microwave) or a saucepan (if making on the stovetop). Microwave Method: Cover loosely with a microwave safe lid or use a small plate and cook on high for 2-3 minutes, stirring every minute, until the butter melts. Then stir together to combine.Saucepan Method: Place over a medium-high heat and bring to a gentle simmer whilst stirring. Turn off the heat.150 ml (2/3 cup) Frank’s hot sauce, 120 g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, 1 tbsp cider vinegar, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp honey, ¼ tsp salt
- Mix the blue cheese sauce ingredients together in a bowl until smooth.120 g (1/2 cup) sour cream, 3 tbsp mayo, 75 g (1/3 cup) soft blue cheese, 1/2 tbsp cider vinegar, 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce, pinch dried parsley
- Toss the Buffalo sauce with the wings and serve with the blue cheese sauce, carrots and celery.2 medium carrots, 2 sticks celery
Notes
Note on baking powder:
I get lots of messages on my other crispy wings recipe on how delicious the wings are, but also the occasional message that the wings tastes bitter – despite assurances the recipe was followed to the letter and baking POWDER not baking soda was used.After doing a little research, it seems that some people can be sensitive to the taste of sodium aluminum sulfate – which can be an ingredient in some baking powders. People who are sensitive to it notice a bitter taste. If you are sensitive to it, you may have noticed certain cakes taste bitter. However, cakes contain a lot less baking powder then this recipe, so you may not have noticed it before and still been sensitive to it. My tips would be to:
- Thoroughly dry the wings before dusting with the baking powder – so they only get a light coating.
- Measure the amount of baking powder used exactly, and discard any excess left after tossing together with the wings.
- Use aluminium-free baking powder – make sure it has no aluminum sulfate in it.
Can I make Buffalo wings ahead?
I prefer these wings fresh out of the air fryer, but you can make the wings ahead – without the sauce- then cool, cover and refrigerate for up to a day. Reheat them in a single layer in the air fryer for about 5-6 minutes at 200C/400F until they’re crisp again. You can also mix the Buffalo sauce ingredients together, then cover and refrigerate (uncooked). Microwave or pour into a pan and boil as per instructions before serving. The blue cheese sauce can also be made ahead, covered and refrigerated for up to a day. Give the dip a stir before serving, as the Worcestershire sauce may separate upon refrigeration. Nutritional information is per wing (approx 40 wings in this recipe), with a small serving (i.e a 1/40th serving) of blue cheese dip.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
? Frequently Asked Questions
I prefer these wings fresh out of the air fryer, but you can make the wings ahead – without the sauce- then cool, cover and refrigerate for up to a day. Reheat them in a single layer in the air fryer for about 5-6 minutes at 200C/400F until they’re crisp again.
You can also mix the Buffalo sauce ingredients together, then cover and refrigerate (uncooked). Microwave or pour into a pan and boil as per instructions before serving.
The blue cheese sauce can also be made ahead, covered and refrigerated for up to a day. Give the dip a stir before serving, as the Worcestershire sauce may separate upon refrigeration.
Of course – crispy air fryer chicken legs or air fryer chicken breast would be lovely smothered in the buffalo sauce!
Yes – here’s my recipe for baked buffalo chicken wings.
🍲 More air fryer recipes
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