These Crispy, Zesty Chicken Wings Made Me an Air Fryer Believer

Spicy Honey-Lime Buffalo Wings in the Air Fryer

Nothing satisfies spicy chicken cravings quite like a batch of crunchy, well-sauced buffalo wings. We're talking the traditional bone-in, messy, "we'll need some hand wipes" kind of wings that aren't finished until you've gnawed off every last bit of meat. There's nothing elegant or classy about it, but that's what makes them a quintessential bar food—they truly are finger-lickin' good.

Making wings at home is actually incredibly simple. They can be deep-fried, baked or even grilled, before being tossed in sauce. If you're going the deep-fried route, there is a downside: all that oil. And if you don't own a high-quality fryer, it can be a messy process and leave your house smelling like the inside of an actual deep fryer.

Fortunately, there is a healthier and much easier alternative—the air fryer. If you don't have one already, you've probably heard about it and how it's designed to cook pretty much any type of fried food with barely any cooking oil, operating like a countertop convection oven but still delivering crispy results. It does much more than just "fry" your foods, but we'll get into that another time.

Too Good to Be True? Or...

Ultimately, we decided to test out air fryer chicken wings in the Gourmandize kitchen. And honestly, we are sold! No, they didn't come out tasting exactly like their deep-fried counterparts, but they had a satisfying crisped skin and were remarkably easy to make.

The T-fal air fryer requires little preparation for this recipe and doesn't need to be preheated. Just give it a quick spray or brush of cooking oil before adding the wings, which should be coated in baking powder. The baking powder is what will give the wings their crispy texture, so it's an essential component.

To put a spin on the classic sauce, we decided to use Frank's Red Hot Chile 'N Lime Sauce, which is tangy and mildly spicy. The lime flavor stands out nicely, and you can throw in a whole minced jalapeno for extra kick. To add sweetness and a sticky texture, use honey and simmer until the sauce thickens. The minced jalapeno should no longer be visible in the sauce when ready.

When the wings and sauce are cooked, toss them together until your chicken is coated and glossy. The combination of tang, spice and sweetness is a winning trio, with just the right amount of heat to please wing-eaters with varying degrees of tolerance (you can always swap in a spicier hot sauce, if desired). Get the full recipe below.

SPICY HONEY-LIME BUFFALO WINGS IN THE AIR FRYER

Traditional buffalo wings are made with hot sauce and deep fried into crunchy, golden deliciousness. We were skeptical about making them in the air fryer, but they turned out astoundingly crisp and juicy. Here's our zesty, sweet & spicy take on the classic buffalo wing.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Total time: 45 minutes

Makes 24-26 wings

Ingredients:

Wings:

• 2 lbs chicken wings (mix of drummettes and wingettes)
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• Salt & pepper

Wing sauce:

• 3/4 cup Frank's Red Hot Chile 'N Lime Sauce*
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 jalapeno minced finely (seeds and ribs removed)
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• salt to taste

For serving:

• Carrot sticks
• Celery sticks
• Blue cheese or ranch dressing of your choice

Variations & Notes

• *You can sub Frank's Red Hot Sauce Original or Frank's Red Hot Wings sauce, if desired.
• For a chunkier sauce, you can roughly chop the jalapeno instead.
• For this recipe, we used the chicken function on T-fal's Actifry Genius FZ760, which has adjustable heat settings and a timer. We cooked the wings in two batches to avoid overcrowding. You can find a similar model from Target here.
• Coating the chicken in baking powder before air frying is what gives it that crispy texture. Don't skip this step! 

Instructions

1. Lightly oil air fryer basket or coat with cooking spray.

2. Pat the wings dry, and season with salt and pepper.

3. Add the baking powder to a large bowl and toss the wings in it until coated.

4. Add the chicken wings to the air fryer, and select the chicken function. Set the temperature to 400°F for 15 minutes (no need to pre-heat the air fryer). If using the model without the chicken function, simply set the timer for 15 minutes, then hit the ON/OFF button to start the cooking.

5. When the 15 minutes are up, open the lid, and flip the wings with tongs.

Instructions

6. Let cook for about 5 more minutes or until the skin is nicely browned and crispy. Do this in batches if necessary, to avoid overcrowding the air fryer. Use a meat thermometer to make sure the chicken is thoroughly cooked to a safe temperature of 165°F. 

7. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. Add all sauce ingredients to a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.

8. Let the sauce simmer until thickened, stirring often, about 8-10 minutes.

9. Toss the cooked chicken wings with the sauce until coated all over.

Serve

Serve with carrots, celery, dip of your choice and a nice, cold beer!

Hungry for more? This cheesy, savory pretzel challah bread is absolutely irresistible.