This post may contain affiliate links to products I use and highly recommend. You can read my full disclosure . As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
These air fryer buffalo wings are crispy on the outside and coated in a buttery, spicy Buffalo sauce. I season the wings before air frying, then toss them in sauce right before serving so they stay crisp instead of getting soggy.
These air fryer buffalo chicken wings are great for game day or an easy weeknight dinner. If you’re making wings for a crowd, serve them alongside my Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Wings or Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings. My Baked Buffalo Wings are another option when you’d rather use the oven.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Crispy without deep frying: Baking powder helps the seasoned chicken skin crisp up beautifully in the air fryer.
- Classic Buffalo flavor: The wings get coated in a buttery Buffalo sauce after cooking, giving you a crispy, saucy finish.
- Easy to adjust the heat: Enjoy traditional Buffalo wings or add smoked ghost pepper for a much spicier version.
Ingredients You’ll Need
You only need chicken wings, a few pantry seasonings, and ingredients for a quick Buffalo sauce. The exact amounts are in the recipe card below.
- Chicken wings: I use thawed wings separated into flats and drums. If yours are frozen, my Frozen Chicken Wings in the Air Fryer recipe explains how to cook them from frozen.
- Baking powder: Helps create extra crispy skin without breading. Use baking powder, not baking soda.
- Seasonings: Sea salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. I like the extra smoky flavor that the smoked paprika adds.
- Avocado oil: Optional for lightly coating the wings before air frying. Olive oil also works.
- Frank’s RedHot Wing Sauce: The base of the Buffalo sauce. I combine it with melted butter for a richer, buttery finish.
- Smoked ghost pepper chiles: Optional, but great when you want extra-spicy wings. I like the smoked ghost pepper seasoning from Trader Joe’s.
You can get the full list of ingredient amounts and instructions from the full recipe card at the end of the post.
How to Make Air Fryer Buffalo Wings
Season the Chicken Wings
Pat the wings dry with paper towels. Mix the seasonings with the baking powder, then toss the wings until they’re evenly coated.
Air Fry Until Crispy
Arrange the wings in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Drizzle with oil if using it. Air fry at 400°F for 15 minutes, flip, then cook for another 10–15 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
Toss with Buffalo Sauce
Whisk the Buffalo wing sauce with melted butter and the optional smoked ghost pepper. Toss the crispy wings in the sauce just before serving. I like these with celery sticks and my homemade blue cheese dressing.
Tips for the Best Air Fryer Buffalo Wings
- Don’t crowd the basket: Give the wings room to crisp. If you’re making a larger batch, cook them in batches rather than stacking them.
- Adjust the cooking time: Air fryers and wing sizes vary. Start checking the wings after 25 minutes and add a few more minutes if you want them crispier.
- Choose your heat level: The smoked ghost pepper is completely optional. I’ve also swapped Frank’s for ghost pepper hot sauce when I want a much hotter version.
What to Serve with Buffalo Wings
Buffalo wings go with everything from classic game-day sides to vegetables for an easy dinner.
- Dips: My Blue Cheese Dressing is a favorite. You can also serve them with Homemade Ranch Dressing or Cottage Cheese Ranch Dip.
- Classic sides: Add celery and carrot sticks, Homemade Air Fryer French Fries, or Southern Coleslaw.
- Vegetable sides: For a low-carb meal, I like pairing wings with Air Fryer Roasted Broccoli or Buttery Green Beans.
Storage and Reheating
- Storage: Keep leftover Buffalo wings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: Warm the wings in the air fryer until heated through. The skin may be softer after storing, but reheating in the air fryer helps restore some crispiness.
More Chicken Wing Recipes
If you love chicken wings, try my Hot Honey Chicken Wings for a sweet-and-spicy option or Air Fryer Ranch Chicken Wings for a different seasoning. My Slow Cooker Buffalo Wings are another way to make Buffalo wings without using the air fryer.
If you try this recipe, please stop back and leave it a star rating and/or a review in the comments. Stay connected & share photos of your creations with me & others on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest!
Air Fryer Buffalo Wings Recipe
Use DRDAVINAHS at checkout to save on some equipment & ingredients!
Recommended Equipment
- Air fryer (I use my Ninja Foodi)
Ingredients
Chicken Wings
- 1.5 lbs Chicken Wings, sectioned into flats and drums
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
- 1 tbsp Baking Powder, Use baking powder, not baking soda.
- 2 tbsp Avocado Oil, or olive oil; optional
Buffalo Wing Sauce
- 1/2 cup Frank’s RedHot Wing Sauce
- 1 tbsp Butter, melted
- 1/4 tsp Smoked Ghost Pepper Chiles, optional; add a little at a time for extra heat
For Serving
- 1 Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing, optional
Instructions
- Prepare the wings: Pat the chicken wings dry with paper towels.
- Mix the seasonings: Combine the sea salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and baking powder in a small bowl.
- Season the chicken: Sprinkle the mixture over the wings and toss to coat evenly.
- Arrange the wings: Place them in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
- Add the oil: Drizzle the wings with oil or lightly spray with cooking oil, if using.
- Air fry: Cook at 400°F for 15 minutes. Flip the wings, then cook for another 10–15 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
- Make the Buffalo sauce: Whisk the wing sauce, melted butter, and optional smoked ghost pepper chiles until combined.
- Toss and serve: Coat the crispy wings in Buffalo sauce and serve immediately with homemade blue cheese dressing, if desired.
Save This Recipe for Later
I’ll email you a link to this recipe so it’s easy to find when you’re ready to make it.
Recipe Notes
- Cooking time: Start checking the wings after 25 minutes. Continue cooking for a few more minutes if you prefer extra crispy skin.
- Baking powder: Use baking powder, not baking soda.
- Serving size: Makes about three servings, or approximately 4–5 wing pieces per person, depending on size.
- Extra heat: Omit the smoked ghost pepper for traditional Buffalo flavor, or add a little at a time for more heat.
Nutrition Details
The nutrition facts come from entering the recipe ingredients into a database of food ingredients. They may vary for any recipe based on the exact product used.
Mark says
I am very late to the air fryer game and this was the first real recipe I tried. The wings came out great! I did not deviate from the recipe and made the traditional Franks with butter for my first shot at it. This will be great to experiment with hotter, sauces and other variations. Thanks so much for this recipe. I’m going to be trying out many more on this site.
Davinah Cenou Montezuma says
So happy that you enjoyed these, Mark! Yes to trying other hot sauces. We really like heat in my house so I’ve swapped franks with ghost pepper hot sauce too!
Lori Coleman says
You are awesome!! I LOVED this chicken wing recipe! They came out so good!! Anyone that tries it will absolutely love it!
Davinah Cenou Montezuma says
Lori,
I’m so happy that you enjoyed these! Thanks for stopping back to give this review!
-Davinah
Suziek says
I made these last night in my new air fryer and they exceeded my expectations. I look forward to trying more of your recipes. I have tried other wing recipes, but these stayed crispy when you add the sauce. Perfect! Thank you!
Davinah Cenou Montezuma says
Thanks so much, Suziek!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed these 🙂
Best,
Davinah
Andrew says
I will definitely try these as I just got an air fryer. One question, you gave nutrition info but not the portion size…..?
Davinah Cenou Montezuma says
Hi Andrew,
One serving is for 0.5lbs of meat. This is about 4-5 wing parts per person.
Hope that helps.
Chris says
This recipe turned out amazing! I’m not a fan of franks red hot so I used moore’s spicy habanero sauce (first time trying this) instead. I think the smoked paprika made a world of difference. I’ll have to experiment with this in other recipes 🙂 thanks for sharing!
Davinah says
Hi Chris!
I’m happy that you were able to make this and substitute your favorite sauce. I’ll have to check out that brand as we loooooove spicy food in my house.
Best,
Davinah
Sisley White says
This makes me so happy we can start seeing friends and family again so we can feast on delicious treats like this!
Amy says
Oh wow these wings looks so good!!
Christian Guzman says
I love that I got to use the Air Fryer again, especially for something so delicious! Thank you!
Biana says
Love that you are using the air fryer for this, makes it so simple to make delicious Buffalo wings!
Pam Proffitt says
New air fryer for me. Tried this recipe and now is my only recipe that i will use. So easy. Thanks
Davinah says
Hi Pam!
Happy that you got to make these in your new air fryer! Really appreciate you for letting me know how it worked!
I’m looking forward to making some more air fryer recipes this month! Hopefully, you’ll stop back to check them out! Happy New Year!
Best,
Davinah
Danielle says
Is there a way they can be cooked in a regular oven? First time hero and I want to finally lose some weight.
Davinah says
Hi Danielle,
The air fryer doesn’t use any oil and cuts down on time. There’s a section in the blog post that shares oven directions – 425 at 25-30 minutes per side.
Thanks,
Davinah