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Air fryer chicken wings come out golden and crispy with barely any oil, then get tossed in a sticky honey sriracha glaze that disappears faster than anything else on the table, and I first made them on a *football Sunday* when Maddie and Lizzie decided spicy was suddenly cool. If you love an easy game day bite, our air fryer buffalo chicken tenders belong on the same platter.
These air fryer chicken wings get shatteringly crispy skin with no deep frying, then a quick honey sriracha glaze takes them completely over the top.
Air Fryer Chicken Wings Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 30 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 40 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 12 wings
- ⚡ Calories: 26kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Sweet heat from honey and sriracha over smoky, savory seasoned wings
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, right there with our air fryer frozen corn dogs
Quick Answer
Pat the chicken wings completely dry with paper towels, then toss them with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Arrange the wings in a single layer in the air fryer basket and cook at 400 degrees F for 30 minutes, flipping at the 15 minute mark, until golden brown and crispy with an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. While the wings cook, simmer sriracha, honey, soy sauce, and lemon juice for 3 to 5 minutes until slightly thickened, then toss the hot wings in the glaze and serve right away.
Jump to:
- Air Fryer Chicken Wings Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Wings
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Air Fryer Chicken Wings FAQs
- Other Recommended Chicken Recipes
- Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Drying the wings is the real secret. Patting the wings dry with paper towels removes excess moisture, so the hot air can crisp the skin instead of steaming it. This one step is the difference between crispy and rubbery.
- A single layer means big crunch. Leaving space between the wings lets hot air circulate around every piece, so each wing turns golden brown and crispy on all sides.
- Sweet heat that everyone can handle. Honey rounds out the sriracha, so you get bold, sticky flavor without blowing anyone out of the room. My kind of compromise.
- Saucing at the end keeps the crunch. Tossing the wings in the glaze after air frying means the skin stays crispy underneath all that sticky goodness.
- Simple pantry seasonings do the heavy lifting. Salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika build savory, smoky flavor with things you already have in the cabinet.
- A bright finish. A splash of lemon juice in the glaze keeps the sweet and spicy flavors from feeling heavy, so you keep reaching for one more wing.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- They come out crispy and golden with no deep frying, no mess, and barely any oil.
- The honey sriracha glaze is sticky, sweet, and just spicy enough that the kids keep sneaking wings off the platter.
- They are perfect game day food piled up next to our honey garlic popcorn chicken.
- The air fryer gets them done in 30 minutes flat, even faster than our sticky grilled chicken wings.
Key Ingredients
Here is everything you need to make these air fryer chicken wings.
- Chicken wings: Use about 2 pounds of wings split into drumettes and flats. Fresh wings crisp up best, and if you love crispy chicken bites, our crispy popcorn chicken uses the same less oil, more crunch idea.
- Salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika: This simple dry rub builds savory, smoky flavor and helps the skin crisp while the wings cook.
- Sriracha: Brings the garlicky heat that makes the glaze pop. Start with a little less if you are feeding spice shy eaters.
- Honey: Balances the heat and turns the glaze thick and sticky so it clings to every single wing.
- Soy sauce and lemon juice: Soy adds salty depth while lemon brightens the whole glaze, and if you love citrus on wings, our grilled key lime chicken wings prove the point.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
These air fryer chicken wings are easy to make your own. Here are a few of our favorite spins.
- Swap the honey sriracha glaze for buffalo sauce and a pat of melted butter for classic hot wings.
- Brush them with our homemade bbq sauce for the last few minutes for smoky, sweet bbq wings.
- Add a spoonful of gochujang or a pinch of red pepper flakes to the glaze if your crew likes serious heat.
- Skip the glaze entirely and serve them with just the dry rub, they are fantastic as is with a side of ranch.
- Prefer hands off cooking? Our bbq crock pot chicken wings get fall apart tender in the slow cooker.
- Finish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions for a takeout style presentation.
How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Wings
- Pat the wings completely dry with paper towels, then add them to a large bowl and sprinkle the salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika over the top.
- Toss the wings until every piece is evenly coated in the seasoning.
- Arrange the wings in a single layer in the air fryer basket, leaving a little space between them so the hot air can circulate.
- Air fry at 400 degrees F for 30 minutes, flipping the wings at the 15 minute mark, until they are golden brown and crispy and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
- While the wings cook, combine the sriracha, honey, soy sauce, and lemon juice in a small saucepan and simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 3 to 5 minutes until slightly thickened. Let the glaze cool for a minute or two.
- Add the hot wings to a large bowl, pour the glaze over the top, and toss until every wing is coated. Serve immediately.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Dry the wings well, patting them down with paper towels is the single biggest secret to crispy skin.
- Do not overcrowd the basket, cook in batches if you need to so the hot air can reach every wing.
- Flip at the 15 minute mark so both sides get evenly golden and crispy.
- Know your air fryer, every model runs a little different, just like with our air fryer frozen chicken patties, so peek a few minutes early the first time you make these.
- Use a meat thermometer, wings are safe at 165 degrees F, and a few extra minutes past that makes them even crispier without drying out.
- Sauce right before serving so the glaze stays sticky and the skin underneath stays crisp.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Pile these air fryer chicken wings high on a platter with lemon and lime wedges, a shower of chopped parsley or green onions, and plenty of napkins. They are made for game day, movie night, and backyard hangs, and they disappear fast every single time.
For a full appetizer spread, set them out with our hot spinach artichoke dip, cheddar bacon ranch stuffed celery sticks, and a tray of loaded tater tot nachos.
Feeding a hungry crowd? Add our sheet pan pizza, a batch of french dip sliders, and hot dogs smothered in coney island hot dog sauce, then watch it all vanish.
Air Fryer Chicken Wings FAQs
Cook air fryer chicken wings at 400 degrees F for about 30 minutes, flipping them at the 15 minute mark so both sides crisp evenly. Wings are done when the skin is golden brown and an instant read thermometer hits at least 165 degrees F in the thickest part. Smaller wings can finish a few minutes early, so check the first batch as you learn your machine.
Store leftover air fryer chicken wings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To bring back the crispy skin, reheat them in the air fryer at 375 degrees F for 4 to 5 minutes rather than the microwave, which turns the skin soft. Glazed wings crisp back up surprisingly well this way.
You can, but for the crispiest results thaw the wings first and pat them very dry before seasoning. If you are cooking straight from frozen, add about 5 extra minutes to the cook time and season after the first flip, once the surface moisture has cooked off. Either way, always confirm the wings reach 165 degrees F inside.
The usual culprits are moisture and overcrowding. Wings that go into the basket wet will steam instead of crisp, so pat them thoroughly dry with paper towels first. Piling wings on top of each other blocks the hot air, so cook them in a single layer, working in batches if needed. Saucing too early can also soften the skin, so always toss them in the glaze right before serving.
No, you do not need baking powder for crispy air fryer chicken wings. Drying the wings well, cooking them in a single layer, and running the air fryer at 400 degrees F delivers crispy skin on its own. If you want an extra crunchy crust, you can toss the wings with a teaspoon of aluminum free baking powder along with the seasonings, but it is completely optional here.
The honey sriracha glaze in this recipe is our favorite, with sweet heat that clings to every wing. Air fryer chicken wings also love classic buffalo sauce, bbq sauce, garlic parmesan butter, or a simple lemon pepper toss. For dipping, set out ranch or blue cheese dressing with celery and carrot sticks on the side.
Craving more crispy chicken? Our crispy fried chicken without buttermilk deserves a spot in your rotation next.
Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- For the Chicken Wings:
- 1 2.2 lbs chicken wings
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- For the Honey Sriracha Glaze:
- 1/3 cup sriracha
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Preparing the Chicken WingsFor the Chicken Wings:
- Set your air fryer to 200C or preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F)
- Prepare the wings: If your wings are whole, use a sharp knife to cut them into drumettes and flats, discarding the wing tips or saving them for broth.1 2.2 lbs chicken wings
- Dry the wings: Pat the wings thoroughly dry with paper towels. This step is crucial for achieving crispy skin.
- Season the wings: Place the wings in a large bowl and sprinkle salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika evenly over them. Toss well to coat each wing with the seasoning.1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Cooking the Wings
- Air Fryer Method:
- Arrange the wings in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Avoid overcrowding to ensure even cooking.
- Cook at 200°C (400°F) for 30 minutes, flipping the wings halfway through (at the 15-minute mark).
- Check for doneness: The wings should be golden brown and crispy. The internal temperature should reach at least 75°C (165°F) when checked with a meat thermometer.
- Making the Honey Sriracha GlazeFor the Honey Sriracha Glaze:
- In a small saucepan, combine:
- 1/3 cup Sriracha sauce1/3 cup sriracha
- 1/4 cup honey1/4 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly for about 3-5 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Turn off the heat and let the glaze cool for 1-2 minutes before using.
Notes
- Dry the wings thoroughly with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. This is the best part of getting crispy wings.
- Arrange wings in a single layer in the air fryer basket so hot air can circulate for the crispiest wings.
- Flip halfway through so both sides of the shrimp cook evenly. For wings, flipping helps both sides crisp evenly.
- Use a meat thermometer and check internal temperature. You want at least 75°C (165°F).
- Let wings rest for 5 minutes before saucing so they stay crisp when you toss in the sticky glaze.
- If you are using the oven, use parchment paper on the baking sheet and broil for 2-3 minutes at the end for a crispier finish.
Nutrition
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This recipe is quick and easy to make. Be prepared for your guests demanding more.