I make these Air Fryer Wings all the time because they come out shockingly crispy in my Ninja Foodi Grill and the three ingredient hot honey buffalo sauce is almost embarrassingly simple.
I’ve chased the crispiest buffalo wings forever and finally cracked it with a ridiculously simple trick. Using cold chicken wings and a punchy splash of Frank’s RedHot, these cook up with skin that snaps and a sauce that clings like glue.
If you’ve been hunting Air Fried Buffalo Chicken Wings or sighed over another Buffalo Wings Recipe Air Fryer that promised crunch but failed, this will change your mind. I test it on my Ninja Foodi Grill and still can’t believe how much texture we get at home.
It’s messy, loud, addictive and yeah you will eat way too many.
Ingredients
- Chicken wings: Rich in protein and iron, but also high in fat if skin kept on.
- Baking powder: Helps crisp the skin and raises pH, no real nutrition, small sodium boost.
- Kosher salt: Just sodium, boosts flavor, use little for health, not much else.
- Garlic powder: Gives savory depth, contains small amounts of fiber and vitamins, tasty.
- Vegetable oil: Source of fat for browning, high in calories, pick healthier oils if worried.
- Frank’s RedHot: Main tangy heat for buffalo sauce, mostly vinegar and peppers, low calories.
- Unsalted butter: Makes sauce rich and silky, adds saturated fat, brings mouthfeel and flavor.
- Honey: Sweetens and balances heat, adds carbs, gives glossy sticky finish to sauce.
Ingredient Quantities
- 2 lb chicken wings (about 900 g)
- 1 tbsp baking powder (aluminum free if you got it)
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika (optional)
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup Frank’s RedHot or other cayenne hot sauce
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp honey
- cooking spray or extra oil for the air fryer (optional)
How to Make this
1. Pat the 2 lb chicken wings very dry with paper towels, trim tips if you want, and separate drumettes from flats if theyre different sizes so they cook more evenly.
2. In a big bowl mix 1 tbsp baking powder, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder and 1/2 tsp smoked paprika if using.
3. Toss the wings with 1 tbsp vegetable oil, then add the baking powder spice mix and massage it into the skin until every piece is well coated. The baking powder is the trick to extra crisp, so dont skip it.
4. Preheat your air fryer or Ninja Foodi Grill to 400 F (200 C) for about 5 minutes. If your basket tends to stick, lightly spray or brush with a little oil.
5. Arrange wings in a single layer in the basket, not overcrowded. Cook for about 25 to 30 minutes total, flipping or shaking the basket every 8 to 10 minutes so they crisp evenly. If you need to do batches, keep cooked wings warm on a rack in a low oven.
6. Cook until skin is deeply golden and crisp and the thickest part reaches at least 165 F on an instant‑read thermometer. If you want them extra rendered and crispier, letting them hit 175 F is fine, just watch so they dont burn.
7. While wings cook, make the hot honey buffalo sauce: melt 3 tbsp unsalted butter in a small saucepan over low heat, then whisk in 1/2 cup Frank’s RedHot and 2 tbsp honey until smooth and glossy. Taste and adjust honey if you want it sweeter.
8. When wings are done, toss them straight into the warm sauce so the heat helps it cling to the skin. Reserve a little sauce for dipping if you like.
9. Serve immediately while piping hot and crispy. Quick tips: use aluminum free baking powder if you got it, dont skip drying the wings, and dont overcrowd the basket or youll lose crisp.
Equipment Needed
1. Paper towels for drying the wings
2. Large mixing bowl
3. Measuring spoons (tbsp and tsp)
4. Kitchen tongs or a big spoon for tossing
5. Air fryer or Ninja Foodi Grill with basket
6. Instant read thermometer to check doneness
7. Small saucepan and whisk for the hot honey buffalo sauce
8. Wire rack and baking sheet to hold wings while keeping them warm
9. Cooking spray or a little oil and a pastry brush (dont forget this if your basket sticks)
FAQ
Crispiest Homemade Buffalo Wings Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Baking powder (1 tbsp): if you don’t have it mix 3/4 tsp baking soda + 1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar to equal 1 tbsp baking powder, works great for crisping.
- Vegetable oil (1 tbsp): swap with canola or avocado oil for a neutral, high-heat option, or use light olive oil if that’s all you got, just avoid extra virgin at high temps.
- Frank’s RedHot (1/2 cup): any cayenne-style hot sauce is fine (Crystal, Louisiana, Tabasco), or use a custom mix of hot sauce + a little honey if you want it sweeter.
- Unsalted butter (3 tbsp): salted butter is fine, just reduce the kosher salt; for dairy-free use vegan butter or coconut oil, or use ghee for a richer flavor (note ghee is still dairy).
Pro Tips
1. Pat them really dry, then leave the wings uncovered in the fridge for at least an hour, overnight if you got the time. It pulls moisture out of the skin so the baking powder can do its job and you get much better crunch.
2. Use aluminum free baking powder and coat the skin evenly but lightly. Massage it in, then let the wings sit 10 to 15 minutes before cooking so the powder starts working. Too much will give a weird aftertaste, so dont overdo it.
3. Dont overcrowd the air fryer basket. Cook in a single layer or small batches and flip or shake every 8 to 10 minutes so they brown evenly. If you want extra rendered, crispy skin, bump the temp to 425 F for the last 3 to 5 minutes but watch them closely because they can burn fast.
4. Make the sauce low and slow so butter emulsifies, then whisk in the hot sauce and honey and let it reduce a bit to thicken. Toss the wings in warm sauce so it sticks, but if keeping max crispness is the goal, reserve some sauce for dipping instead of drowning every piece. For leftovers, reheat in the air fryer 2 to 3 minutes at 375 F to bring back the crunch.
Crispiest Homemade Buffalo Wings Recipe
I make these Air Fryer Wings all the time because they come out shockingly crispy in my Ninja Foodi Grill and the three ingredient hot honey buffalo sauce is almost embarrassingly simple.
4
servings
608
kcal
Equipment: 1. Paper towels for drying the wings
2. Large mixing bowl
3. Measuring spoons (tbsp and tsp)
4. Kitchen tongs or a big spoon for tossing
5. Air fryer or Ninja Foodi Grill with basket
6. Instant read thermometer to check doneness
7. Small saucepan and whisk for the hot honey buffalo sauce
8. Wire rack and baking sheet to hold wings while keeping them warm
9. Cooking spray or a little oil and a pastry brush (dont forget this if your basket sticks)
Ingredients
-
2 lb chicken wings (about 900 g)
-
1 tbsp baking powder (aluminum free if you got it)
-
1 tsp kosher salt
-
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
-
1/2 tsp garlic powder
-
1/2 tsp onion powder
-
1/2 tsp smoked paprika (optional)
-
1 tbsp vegetable oil
-
1/2 cup Frank's RedHot or other cayenne hot sauce
-
3 tbsp unsalted butter
-
2 tbsp honey
-
cooking spray or extra oil for the air fryer (optional)
Directions
- Pat the 2 lb chicken wings very dry with paper towels, trim tips if you want, and separate drumettes from flats if theyre different sizes so they cook more evenly.
- In a big bowl mix 1 tbsp baking powder, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder and 1/2 tsp smoked paprika if using.
- Toss the wings with 1 tbsp vegetable oil, then add the baking powder spice mix and massage it into the skin until every piece is well coated. The baking powder is the trick to extra crisp, so dont skip it.
- Preheat your air fryer or Ninja Foodi Grill to 400 F (200 C) for about 5 minutes. If your basket tends to stick, lightly spray or brush with a little oil.
- Arrange wings in a single layer in the basket, not overcrowded. Cook for about 25 to 30 minutes total, flipping or shaking the basket every 8 to 10 minutes so they crisp evenly. If you need to do batches, keep cooked wings warm on a rack in a low oven.
- Cook until skin is deeply golden and crisp and the thickest part reaches at least 165 F on an instant‑read thermometer. If you want them extra rendered and crispier, letting them hit 175 F is fine, just watch so they dont burn.
- While wings cook, make the hot honey buffalo sauce: melt 3 tbsp unsalted butter in a small saucepan over low heat, then whisk in 1/2 cup Frank's RedHot and 2 tbsp honey until smooth and glossy. Taste and adjust honey if you want it sweeter.
- When wings are done, toss them straight into the warm sauce so the heat helps it cling to the skin. Reserve a little sauce for dipping if you like.
- Serve immediately while piping hot and crispy. Quick tips: use aluminum free baking powder if you got it, dont skip drying the wings, and dont overcrowd the basket or youll lose crisp.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 280g
- Total number of serves: 4
- Calories: 608kcal
- Fat: 48g
- Saturated Fat: 17.1g
- Trans Fat: 0.1g
- Polyunsaturated: 8g
- Monounsaturated: 22.5g
- Cholesterol: 180mg
- Sodium: 761mg
- Potassium: 576mg
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Sugar: 11g
- Protein: 41.5g
- Vitamin A: 250IU
- Vitamin C: 1mg
- Calcium: 45mg
- Iron: 1.3mg