These Air Fryer Honey BBQ Chicken Wings are sweet and savory, perfect for game day food or any party...even if it's a party of two! Cooking them in the air fryer makes them juicy on the inside, crispy like fried chicken on the outside in less than 30 minutes. Slather them in bbq sauce and serve them as classic appetizers or an easy weeknight dinner.
This quick and easy chicken recipe is made with just a few simple ingredients and there's even more possible shortcuts listed below. They take less than half the time as baked chicken wings and healthier than fried chicken wings.
Whether you're looking for easy dinner ideas or party finger foods, this recipe will be a hit! It can even be gluten-free! Just make sure your choice of barbeque sauce and seasoning blend is gluten-free.
Shortcuts
- The air fryer reduces the amount of cooking time by almost 3 times less than baking in the oven.
- Buying chicken wings already cut into drums and flats saves time but does cost a little more.
- Purchasing a seasoning blend saves time and is convenient if you don't have many spices on hand. My seasoning blend uses basic seasonings so chances are you already have them.
- Purchase a barbeque sauce that already has honey in it saves time and money.
- Use a Ziploc plastic bag to coat the wings in the seasoning for easy clean up and fewer dishes to wash.
- This is a small-batch recipe for chicken wings using just 2 pounds. You can double it if you have a large oven-style air fryer and are expecting a large crowd to serve as football food.
How to make air fryer bbq wings
Scroll down to the bottom of this post for the detailed, printable recipe. Pictures below will help guide you as you read the recipe.
- Pat dry chicken wings with paper towels.
- If you buy whole chicken wings, separate them into drums (drumettes) and flats. Remove and discard the wing tips. Or, save them for later to make chicken broth.
- Combine dry rub seasonings and sprinkle over chicken pieces placed in a sealable plastic bag. Toss the chicken in the bag to coat all areas of the chicken. This saves you a dish to wash later. You can also use a bowl.
- If you preheat the air fryer first, I found that you don't have to spray a nonstick rack with oil. If you have a metal rack in an oven-style air fryer, it will need to be sprayed or brushed with oil first.
- Place as many chicken pieces in the air fryer as you can in a single layer without letting the chicken touch. Air fry for 10 minutes at 375. Turn and cook for an additional 6 minutes or until browned and crispy. See detailed recipe card below for more information.
- Brush both sides with bbq sauce and airy fry 1 more minute. Remove with silicone or rubber tipped tongs.
Tips for crispy chicken wings
- Preheat the air fryer for at least 3 minutes for best results. When the chicken hits the rack, you should hear it sizzle!
- Do not crowd the chicken wings in the air fryer. The pieces need elbow room and do not need to touch so the heated air can circulate all around each piece.
- Be sure the skin is dry before cooking. Paper towels work well.
Should I add baking powder to chicken to make it crispy?
I gave it a try and did a side by side taste test and honestly couldn't tell a difference in this recipe. The science behind it says it dries out the chicken skin leaving it more crispy.
Since I'm all about simplicity in my cooking with shortcuts, I'm going to stick with making sure the wings are patted dry at the beginning.
Do I have to coat the wings in oil first?
I made them both ways in my air fryer with a nonstick rack, with and without brushing/coating them with oil first. I did not see a significant difference in texture, taste or crispiness. Since I use the air fryer to cook foods with less oil (as well as quick-cooking), I do not brush them with oil first.
If you have a metal rack that's not nonstick in an oven-style air fryer, it will need to be sprayed or brushed with oil first.
If you want to add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil or olive oil to the bag of chicken wings before adding the seasoning, be sure to rub it into the chicken using the bag so it coats each piece well.
Flavor substitutions
Here are some suggestions for spice blends to use instead of paprika, garlic salt, and black pepper.
- Mesquite seasoning (You will need to add 3/4 teaspoon salt)
- Lowery's Seasoning Salt
- Mrs Dash seasoning (You will need to add 3/4 teaspoon salt)
- Try trading out smoked paprika for paprika
- For a spicy honey bbq option, try chipotle chili powder (You will need to add 3/4 teaspoon salt)
- If you don't have garlic salt in the recipe substitute 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder.
What to serve with honey bbq wings
More BBQ sauce! Slather it on thick before serving or offer an extra bowl to gild the lily!
- Ranch dressing
- Spicy chipotle creamy dressing
- Blue Cheese dressing
- Drizzle with hot honey
- Sour Cream or Greek yogurt
- Carrot and celery sticks
Leftovers and Storage
If by chance all of these yummy sticky sweet wings do not get eaten right out of the air fryer, no worries. Sometimes leftovers are even better! Also, you might want to plan ahead for your party and cook them all, then reheat them right before serving.
Refrigerator: Place the wings in an air tight container or sealable plastic bag and store in the refrigerator. Any leftover sauce can be put in a smaller container or smaller sealable bag and put right inside the container or bigger bag. They can be stored in the fridge up to 5 days.
Freezer: Same steps as storing in the fridge PLUS, I highly recommend freezing in a Foodsaver bag. Vacuum sealing taking out all the extra air that causes frost bite on food and frozen condensation which give you those pesky ice crystals.
To reheat in the air fryer, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and air fry at 375 degrees for 3 to 4 minutes, turn and air fry an additional 3 minutes or until hot and bubbly and heated through. No need to preheat the rack to reheat.
To reheat straight from the freezer: (If they aren't frozen in a clump) put air fryer mode on BAKE. This prevents the super heated air to circulate which might cause the outside to burn before the frozen inside of the chicken cooks. Cook on BAKE for 6 to 7 minutes, turn and cook an additional 4 to 5 minutes or until hot and bubbly and cooked through.
Pro Tip for crispier frozen or refrigerated wings :
Regarding reheating bbq chicken wings, they will likely be less "crispy" than freshly made and served. Since they will already be sauced for an extended period of time and reheated with the sauce on them, it's harder to crisp the skins back up.
If you want to prep the wings ahead of time and even cook them in the air fryer days or weeks before serving, store them according to my directions above BEFORE adding any sauce.
This means cook them in the air fryer with just the dry seasonings, let them cool completely, then refrigerate or freeze them "naked". Reheat to get them crispy, then brush with the sauce. Air fry 1 more minute just like when preparing them fresh and they will be much crispier than when stored with sauce on them!
Other game day and party foods you will love
Bacon-Wrapped Cheesy Tater Tots
Jarcuterie (Charcuterie board in a jar)
Bacon Tomato Dip (BLT Dip)
If you make this recipe I'd love to see it! Tag me on social media with #gritsandgouda or @gritsandgouda. Leave a comment below the printable recipe if you have questions or tell me how you liked the recipe. Don't forget to rate it 5 stars if you love it!
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Air Fryer Honey BBQ Chicken Wings| With Shortcuts
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds fresh chicken wings (Or 20 flats and drums with wing tips removed)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt (1 teaspoon salt & 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 to 2/3 cup honey bbq sauce (I use Sweet Baby Ray's)
Instructions
- If the chicken wings are whole, first cut them into flats, drums and wing tips. Discard the wing tips or save them to make chicken broth.To cut them into sections, slice between the joints with a sharp knife on a cutting board.
- Preheat the air fryer at 375 degrees for 3 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine paprika, garlic salt, and pepper.
- Either sprinkle the seasoning mixture on both sides of the chicken or place the chicken in a sealable plastic bag and sprinkle the seasoning mixture on them and toss them around to coat.
- If your air fryer's basket rack is nonstick, you don't have to spray it with oil because you are preheating the rack. If using a metal oven-style air fryer, you can spray it with oil first.
- Arrange flats and drums in the air fryer basket in a single layer where they do not touch. Be sure not to crowd them. You will cook them in batches. Air fry at 375 degrees for 10 minutes, turn them over and cook an additional 10 minutes or until golden brown, crispy and the temperature registers 170 degrees on an instant read thermometer placed near the bone.
- Brush them with bbq sauce on both sides and cook an additional 1 minute, without turning. Serve with Ranch dressing more bbq sauce.
Notes
- The air fryer shortens the amount of cooking time by almost 3 times less than baking in the oven.
- Buying chicken wings already cut into drums and flats saves time but does cost a little more.
- Purchasing a seasoning blend saves time and is convenient if you don't have many spices on hand. My seasoning blend uses basic seasonings so chances are you already have them.
- Purchase a barbeque sauce that already has honey in it saves time and money.
- Use a Ziploc plastic bag to coat the wings in the seasoning for easy clean up and fewer dishes to wash.
- This is a small-batch recipe for chicken wings using just 2 pounds. You can double it if you have a large oven-style air fryer and are expecting a large crowd to serve as football food.
- Preheat the air fryer for at least 3 minutes for best results. When the chicken hits the rack, you should hear it sizzle!
- Do not crowd the chicken wings in the air fryer. The pieces need elbow room and do not need to touch so the heated air can circulate all around each piece.
- Be sure the skin is dry before cooking. Paper towels work well.
Nutrition
Perfection! So simple and absolutely delicious. I’m a huge wings fan, and I’ll definitely be making these again. My partner said they’re the best wings his ever had. They’re right up there for me, too!
Oh Thank you so much! That just made my night! The air fryer is a game changer, for sure!