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4.74 from 15 votes

Air Fryer Honey BBQ Chicken Wings (With Shortcuts)

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. Slather them in bbq sauce and serve them as classic appetizers or an easy weeknight dinner.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time17 minutes
Total Time27 minutes
Servings: 5 servings
Calories: 434kcal
Cost: 10

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

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

Recipe shortcuts
  • 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.
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.

Nutrition

Serving: 4pieces | Calories: 434kcal