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Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Wings

This air fryer Buffalo chicken wings recipe is a healthier version of a popular American appetizer that is served across the country. Using a homemade sauce, these tasty wings are air fried to perfection. 

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Ingredients For Buffalo Chicken Wings

There are only a few ingredients in the easy air fryer chicken wings recipe. 

  • Chicken Wings: 2 pounds of chicken wings.
  • Hot Sauce: Hot sauce is needed to make the Buffalo sauce. However if you are using your own Buffalo sauce, you do not need this ingredient. 
  • Butter: Unsalted butter is needed to make the Buffalo sauce. If you are using your own Buffalo sauce, you do not need this ingredient. 
  • Salt & Pepper: The wings are seasoned lightly with your preferred amount of salt & pepper before they are cooked in the air fryer.  
  • Arrowroot Starch Flour: Arrowroot starch is listed as an optional ingredient because the wings will still cook perfectly without it. The starch makes the wings extra crispy in the air fryer. 

collage of ingredients for air fryer buffalo chicken wings

What Are Buffalo Chicken Wings

Buffalo wings are a popular American food that originated in Buffalo, NY. The exact origins is debatable but everyone agrees it came from Buffalo. These days Buffalo chicken wings appear on menus in restaurants across the country. They’re a popular game day food and have inspired a slew of new Buffalo-style foods. 

raw chicken wings in a clear bowl seasoned with salt, pepper, and arrowroot flour

chicken wings seasoned with salt, pepper, and arrowroot flour starch

How To Make Air Fryer Buffalo Wings

Making Buffalo chicken wings in the air fryer is very easy. Toss the wings with salt, pepper, and arrowroot starch (optional). Add to the air fryer basket and cook for 22 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking time. The sauce comes together quickly since there are only 2 ingredients. Add the hot sauce and butter to medium-size sauce pan. Simmer for 10 minutes, whisking frequently.

Air Fryer instructions 

  1. Preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees.
  2. Add the prepared chicken wings to the air fryer basket in a single layer. Do not overlap. You may need to cook your wings in batches depending on the size of your air fryer.
  3. Cook for 11 minutes, flip the wings and then cook an additional 11 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reached 165 degrees and the wings are crisp to your liking.
  4. Remove the wings from the air fryer basket and add to a large bowl. Pour the Buffalo sauce on top of the chicken wings and toss to coat evenly.

While the wings are cooking in the air fryer, take the time to make the the homemade sauce on the stove-top. Or make the Buffalo sauce ahead of time. Homemade Buffalo sauce will keep in the refrigerator for up to 30 days. 

uncooked chicken wings in the air fryer basket

before

What Cut Of Chicken To Use

To make Buffalo chicken wings, you will need…chicken wings! Drumettes, flats, or a combination of the two like you see here. Buffalo wings are cooked unbreaded.

Using Arrowroot Starch Flour

I like to toss my wings in arrowroot starch flour before air frying. This helps make the wings extra crispy. I use arrowroot flour because it’s gluten-free, paleo, low-carb, and whole3o compliant. Can you use a different starch? Yes, I encourage you to use the starch that fits your dietary needs. Arrowroot starch is a one-for-one replacement for cornstarch. Can you omit the starch all together? Of course, it’s an optional ingredient. 

cooked air fryer buffalo chicken wings in the basket

after

Homemade Buffalo Sauce

The Buffalo sauce is the star of this recipe since that’s where the flavor comes from. The sauce here is a true Buffalo sauce because it only uses 2 ingredients: Frank’s hot sauce & butter. Some people like to add vinegar to their sauce. If you’re one of those people, add 2 tablespoons of white vinegar. If you have your own Buffalo sauce that you want to use, by all means do so. While I always encourage you to make your own sauce, store-bought sauce will work just fine.  

How To Serve Buffalo Wings

Buffalo chicken wings are commonly served with carrots, celery and a dipping sauce like ranch or bleu cheese.

close up of air fryer buffalo chicken wings on a white plate with celery, carrots, and ranch dipping sauce

Tips For This Chicken Wings Recipe

  • To make these paleo & Whole30 compliant, be sure to use ghee and not butter. Other than that ingredient, the recipe is compliant. 
  • Store leftover Buffalo wings in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. 

close up of air fryer buffalo chicken wings on a white plate

Other Recipes Using Buffalo Sauce

Chicken Dip

Slow Cooker Chicken Wings

Chicken Chili

Homemade Buffalo Sauce

Print
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close up of air fryer buffalo chicken wings on a white plate with celery, carrots, and ranch dipping sauce

Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Wings

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5 from 1 review

  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 2 pounds chicken wings
  • 1 cup hot sauce
  • 2/3 cup unsalted butter
  • Salt & pepper
  • 2 tablespoons arrowroot starch (optional)

Instructions

Prepare The Chicken Wings

  1. Rinse & pat dry the chicken. Add the chicken to a large bowl. Add the arrowroot starch, salt, and pepper. Toss until evenly coated.

Prepare The Buffalo Sauce

I suggest you prepare the sauce while the wings cook in the air fryer.

  1. Add the hot sauce & butter to a medium-size sauce pan. Bring to a simmer. Cook 10 minutes, whisking frequently.

Air Fry

  1. Preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees.
  2. Add the prepared chicken wings to the air fryer basket in a single layer. Do not overlap. You may need to cook your wings in batches depending on the size of your air fryer.
  3. Cook for 11 minutes, flip the wings and then cook an additional 11 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reached 165 degrees and the wings are crisp to your liking.
  4. Remove the wings from the air fryer basket and add to a large bowl. Pour the Buffalo sauce on top of the chicken wings and toss to coat evenly.
  • Author: Shannon Epstein
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 630
  • Sugar: 7.8 g
  • Sodium: 1333.7 mg
  • Fat: 39.4 g
  • Saturated Fat: 21.2 g
  • Carbohydrates: 15.4 g
  • Fiber: 1.8 g
  • Protein: 51.5 g
  • Cholesterol: 210.6 mg

This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive money if you make a purchase using one of the links. For more about my disclosure policy see here: https://fitslowcookerqueen.com/about/disclosure-policy/.

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Eileen

Thursday 12th of May 2022

Always love ordering chicken wings in the restaurant! Now I can make it myself! Thanks for sharing!

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Friday 8th of April 2022

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Joannie M

Saturday 2nd of April 2022

I love buffalo wings & I had all the ingredients so I knew I was going to make this as soon as I received the newsletter. Delicious! So easy, I will definitely make this again.