American · 400°F · 24 min
Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Dry-brined flats and drums with shatter-crisp skin: the base wing page before Buffalo or honey garlic.
Air Fryer Buffalo Wings
Dry-brined wings, hot basket, Frank's and butter at the end. No baking-powder circus if the skin is dry and the basket is not packed. This is the weeknight wing people actually search for: crisp first, sauce last.
Dry skin wins
Pat hard, salt ahead if you can and leave space in the basket. Moisture is why wings steam instead of crackle.
Sauce off-heat
Toss cooked wings in warm Frank's-butter so the skin stays crisp. Saucing too early softens everything.
Batch for parties
Keep finished batches on a rack in a 200°F oven while the next round cooks.
Air Fryer Buffalo Wings
Prep 15 min · Cook 24 min · Total 39 min · 4 servings
Crowding. The number-one Buffalo failure. If they touch, they steam. Batch.
From frozen. From frozen: 400°F, 28-32 minutes. Flip at 16. Sauce after they are fully crisp. Frozen wings weep early.
Step-by-step instructions
Follow each step in order. Photos show what to look for so the basket finish matches the plate.
Prep
Pat the wings very dry with paper towels. Toss with salt, garlic powder and paprika. If you have time, rest them uncovered in the fridge for 30 minutes so the skin dries further.
Cook
Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (204°C). Arrange the wings in a single layer. Crowding steams the skin.
Seasoned wings in a single layer in the air fryer basket Cook 12 minutes. Flip each wing. Cook 10-12 minutes more until the skin is taut and spotted brown and the joint reads 175-185°F (79-85°C).
Sauce
Melt the butter with the hot sauce in a bowl or small pan. Toss the hot wings until every piece is coated. For a stickier finish, return them to the basket for 1 minute.
Crispy wings tossed in Buffalo sauce in a bowl Serve right away with blue cheese or ranch and celery sticks.
