If you love wings, then this Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Wings recipe is a must-try. It’s easy, requires minimal ingredients, and is perfect as a Super Bowl party appetizer or even a main course with a tasty side dish. Plus, it’s incredibly simple to make this recipe your own!
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The wings stay so juicy on the inside, while the skin becomes brown and crisp. I love how the BBQ sauce caramelizes on the wings as they cook in the air fryer. It’s so delicious!
If you like BBQ chicken recipes, you will love Oven Baked BBQ Chicken and Crock Pot Honey BBQ Chicken Legs.
Why You’ll Love This Barbecue Chicken Wings Recipe
- Only 4 ingredients: All you need are chicken wings, BBQ sauce, butter, and a touch of salt.
- Ready in 20 minutes: It only takes about 20 minutes to prepare and cook the chicken.
- Budget-friendly: Wings are an affordable cut of chicken, and the other ingredients are kitchen staples.
Ingredients
Here's a look at the four simple ingredients you’ll need to make these BBQ chicken wings.
- Chicken wings: You can purchase the wings split or you may split them yourself into drums and flats.
- Salt: I only use salt since the chicken gets a lot of flavor from the BBQ sauce, and you don’t want to overpower it.
- Butter: Helps the wings get crispy and prevents them from sticking to the air fryer.
- BBQ sauce: Choose any brand and variety of BBQ sauce you like. Use a different kind each time for a new flavor profile.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Honey BBQ: Add honey with the BBQ sauce for sweetness and a subtle floral flavor.
- Spicy BBQ: Combine the BBQ sauce with sriracha or red pepper flakes for a kick.
- Golden BBQ: Use a golden BBQ sauce for an extra tangy version.
How to Make BBQ Chicken Wings in the Air Fryer
To get started, preheat your air fryer to 400°F. This ensures that it’s hot and ready when the wings are prepped, so that they cook evenly!
Step 1: Season the chicken. Place the chicken wings in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt. Toss well to ensure they are seasoned evenly..
Step 2: Place the wings in the air fryer. Arrange the chicken wings in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
Step 3: Air fry. Cook the wings for about 18 minutes or until they are fully cooked and crispy.
⭐️ Pro Tip: Shake the basket or flip the wings halfway through to ensure even cooking.
Step 4: Coat with butter. Add the cooked wings to a mixing bowl along with the butter. Allow the butter to melt on the warm wings, mixing to ensure they are thoroughly coated.
Step 5: Add BBQ sauce. Pour in the BBQ sauce and coat the wings completely.
Step 6: Return to the air fryer. Put the chicken back into the air fryer, and cook it for about 3-5 minutes or until crisp.
⭐ Hint: Serve extra sauce on the side or coat them in more BBQ sauce when they’re done if you like them saucy.
If you love easy air fryer recipes like this one, you may also enjoy Air Fryer Honey Hot Chicken Wings.
Storage Directions
- Storing: Store leftovers in a resealable bag for up to 4 days in the refrigerator or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Reheat the chicken wings in the air fryer or the oven so the skin doesn’t become rubbery.
- Make Ahead: Dry and salt the wings, and leave them in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before you’re ready to cook and serve them.
Serving Suggestions
- Other great party appetizers to serve with these air-fried chicken wings are this recipe for Bacon Wrapped Shrimp, my Cheesy Bacon Potato Bites, and some Salsa Pesto.
- Make a batch of Buttermilk Ranch Dip and Creamy Blue Cheese Dip to dip the wings in.
- Enjoy these as a quick dinner or lunch with Skillet Mac and Cheese with Bacon.
Recipe Tips
- Pat the chicken dry: Ensure that you pat the chicken wings dry before you season them to ensure the skin gets nice and crispy.
- Don’t skip the butter: The butter is essential for cooking crispy wings and also helps the sauce stick better, so be sure not to leave it out.
- Try an air fryer liner: When placing the sauced wings back into the air fryer, use an air fryer liner to prevent them from sticking.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Preheat your oven to 400°F and cook the wings for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway. Baste the wings with BBQ sauce during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
Lightly toss the wings in baking powder before air frying them. It helps to dry out the skin, making it extra crispy.
I prefer cooking them thawed for maximum crispiness. However, if you cook them from frozen, you’ll need to add 5-7 minutes to the cooking time. However, they will be less crispy because of the moisture.
More Delicious Air Fryer Chicken Dishes
Ready to get cooking? Remember that you can print this recipe if you would like.
Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken wings thawed and split
- 1 ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 2-4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼-⅓ cup barbecue sauce your favorite brand
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 400F.
- Season chicken wings with salt in a large bowl and mix well.
- Working in batches (ensuring not to overcrowd the air fryer basket), cook chicken wings for about 18 minutes (until slightly golden), shaking two or three times.
- Place cooked wings in a bowl and add butter, mixing it around to allow it to melt.
- Pour on any hot sauce or BBQ sauce of your choosing, and to your desired heat preference, and mix again.
- Repeat to complete all 2 pounds, then toss all back into the air fryer for another 3-5 minutes shaking regularly until desired crispiness (note: if you prefer your wings saucy, add back into the mixing bowl with any additional or left over sauce).
- Serve with celery and carrots.
Video
Notes
- Pat the chicken dry: Ensure that you pat the chicken wings dry before you season them to ensure the skin gets nice and crispy.
- Don’t skip the butter: The butter is essential for getting crispy wings and also helps the sauce stick better, so be sure not to leave it out.
- Try an air fryer liner: When placing the sauced wings back into the air fryer, use an air fryer liner to prevent them from sticking.
Nutrition
This post was originally published in February 2017. It's been updated with new content, images, and an updated recipe.
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