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Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings Recipe 3 Easy Buffalo and BBQ Sauces

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This recipe delivers perfectly crispy chicken wings with juicy meat, cooked quickly in an air fryer and tossed in your choice of three easy sauces: classic Buffalo, vinegar BBQ, or sweet & smoky BBQ.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 pounds fresh chicken wings, separated into flats and drumettes
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder (not baking soda)
  • 1 teaspoon salt (kosher preferred)
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
  • For the Buffalo Sauce:
  • ½ cup hot sauce (Frank’s RedHot recommended)
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 tablespoon honey or brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • Pinch of garlic powder
  • For the Classic Vinegar BBQ Sauce:
  • ½ cup apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon ketchup
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • For the Sweet & Smoky BBQ Sauce:
  • ½ cup ketchup
  • ¼ cup molasses or maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Pat the chicken wings dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture and place in a large bowl.
  2. Sprinkle baking powder, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika over the wings. Toss well to coat evenly and let rest for 10 minutes.
  3. Preheat the air fryer to 380°F (193°C) for 5 minutes.
  4. Arrange wings in a single layer in the air fryer basket, skin side up if possible, avoiding overcrowding.
  5. Air fry wings for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway through at about 15 minutes. Wings should be golden brown and reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
  6. While wings cook, prepare your choice of sauce: For Buffalo, melt butter and whisk with hot sauce, honey, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder. For BBQ sauces, combine ingredients and simmer briefly if desired.
  7. Transfer cooked wings to a large bowl, pour sauce over, and toss gently but thoroughly to coat evenly.
  8. Serve immediately with celery sticks and optional dips like ranch or blue cheese.

Notes

Pat wings dry thoroughly before seasoning to ensure crispiness. Use baking powder, not baking soda, to crisp skin without off-flavors. Avoid overcrowding the air fryer basket for even cooking. Toss wings in sauce just before serving to keep skin crispy. For extra crispiness, increase air fryer temperature to 400°F during last 5 minutes but watch closely to prevent burning. Leftovers keep well refrigerated for 3-4 days; reheat in air fryer or oven to restore crispiness. Use almond flour instead of baking powder for gluten-free crisp. Swap butter for dairy-free margarine for dairy-free sauces.

Nutrition

Keywords: air fryer chicken wings, crispy chicken wings, buffalo sauce, BBQ sauce, easy chicken wings, party wings, game day recipe

Find it online: https://blixfood.com/crispy-air-fryer-chicken-wings-recipe-3-easy-buffalo-and-bbq-sauces/