These Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Wings are sweet, sticky and extra crispy. Have these easy party wings ready in just 35 minutes!
If you love my super popular Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches and Air Fryer Chicken and Waffles, you will love these BBQ chicken wings! They're equally as crispy and just as easy to whip up for dinner or hosting.
🌟Why You'll Love this Recipe
- Extra crispy chicken without oil. Although deep-fried chicken is delicious, it isn't the healthiest because it's made crispy with a lot of excess oil. These wings are made crispy without any oil at all.
- Made with 6 super simple ingredients. I love making meals from scratch that are not only flavorful but easy and fast because life is busy enough as it is. All you need for these wings is chicken, BBQ sauce, spices, plus salt and pepper. If you love BBQ sauce, check out my BBQ Chicken Nachos and Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Thighs!
- Make as the main dinner protein or easy snack/appetizer. These wings are great for game days, summer BBQs, or family dinners. They are guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser amongst both kids and adults. Serve them alongside Air Fryer BBQ Ribs at your next party.
🥘Ingredients and Substitutions
- Chicken wings. Skin-on wings are the best wings to use for the crispiest results. If you remove the skin or use skinless chicken, the wings will still have great flavor but will not be as crispy.
- BBQ sauce. Use your favorite BBQ sauce here. This is where a majority of the flavor will come from. You can use homemade barbecue sauce or storebought.
- Spices. This recipe uses cayenne pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. Try using smoked paprika for extra smoky barbecue wings.
See the recipe card below for quantities.
📖Substitutions & Variations
- Mix up the spices. The dry rub I created for this recipe is very simple and can be made at home with just a few staple spices. If you have a pre-mixed dry rub you know and love, feel free to use it. Similarly, you can use more or less of each spice to your liking.
- Use your favorite BBQ sauce. Depending on the BBQ sauce used, the flavor of these bbq chicken wings can vary greatly. Try a sweet honey BBQ sauce, a North Carolina BBQ sauce for simple flavor, or a tangy Kansas City BBQ sauce.
- Make a hot buffalo version. If you like spicier wings, try using half buffalo sauce and half BBQ sauce. Or try my buffalo chicken drumsticks.
🔪Instructions
These BBQ chicken wings are ready in just 35 minutes and are best served hot. Plan to make them as close to your meal time as possible.
Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, toss the wings in the spices to evenly coat.
Step 2: Add the wings to the fryer in a single layer. Cook for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through. Toss in BBQ sauce and enjoy!
💭Recipe FAQs
This is going to depend on the model you own because each air fryer is slightly different. Keep the wings in a single layer in the basket to prevent overcrowding. If you need to work in batches it is better to do so than try to cook too many wings at once.
No, the only way your chicken will be dry is if you overcooked it. I recommend using a meat thermometer to read the internal temperature of your meat and determine its doneness. This will help you learn if your model runs on the hotter or cooler side and will help you adjust cooking time as needed.
This recipe was specifically developed with thawed chicken and has not been tested with frozen chicken. Frozen chicken wings would take longer to cook through and would need an adjusted cooking time.
👩🏻🍳Chef Tips
- Pat the wings dry with paper towels for the crispiest chicken skin. The paper towels are going to soak up any excess moisture and allow the skin to become crispy as opposed to steamed.
- Keep ample space between the wings in the fryer basket to help the hot air circulate. If the basket is too crowded and the wings are packed in tightly, the air won't circulate well.
- Cook just until the internal temperature reaches 165-175 degrees F.
🥗Serving
I recommend serving immediately after cooking and tossing in the bbq sauce. Serve additional barbecue sauce on the side for dunking. There is nothing better than finger-licking, saucy wings.
🥣Storage & Reheating
- BBQ chicken wings can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- Reheat leftovers in the air fryer or oven, as desired.
- If you have leftovers, check out my tips on How to Reheat Wings here!
More Air Fryer Chicken Recipes You'll Love
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📋 Recipe
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Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Wings
KITCHEN TOOLS NEEDED
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds chicken wings
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup barbecue sauce
- Green onions, optional for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F.
- Pat the chicken wings dry with a paper towel, then add the wings to a large bowl with the spices and mix with your hands until wings are fully coated with the spices.
- Add the wings to the air fryer basket or rack and cook for 20-25 minutes, checking and flipping halfway through.
- Remove the wings from the air fryer, toss in bbq sauce and enjoy!
Sarah's Tips
- Pat the wings dry with paper towels for the crispiest chicken skin. The paper towels are going to soak up any excess moisture and allow the skin to become crispy as opposed to steamed.
- Keep ample space between the wings in the fryer basket to help the hot air circulate. If the basket is too crowded and the wings are packed in tightly, the air won't circulate well.
- Cook just until the internal temperature reaches 165-175 degrees F.
- BBQ chicken wings can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- Reheat leftovers in the air fryer or oven, as desired.
The cookbook is packed with easy-to-follow recipes that require only 6 ingredients to help you simplify your weeknights. Includes kitchen tips, ingredient swaps & grocery lists!
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