What’s Buffalo got to do with it?
Buffalo is a city in upstate New York. It is also the name of a very large mammal native to North America that can weigh up to 2200 pounds, but there’s no way those mammals have wings, so the name of Buffalo Wings has to be attributed to that town in upstate New York. It’s true. The reason we call one of our favorite chicken snacks Buffalo Wings is because the credit for the recipe goes to the Anchor Bar in… you guessed it… Buffalo.
Air Fryer Buffalo Wings
Buffalo wings are glorious and delicious and… well, deep-fried before being tossed with a mixture of hot sauce and butter. If you’re someone who’s concerned about calories and/or fat, Buffalo wings might be a bit of a rare dream for you. Air-frying those wings instead of deep-frying them can reduce the side of guilt that always accompanies this snack, however, and make them something that you can enjoy more often. More than that, however, air-frying the wings is actually a whole lot easier than deep-frying them. Air fryers were practically MADE for chicken wings – the wings sit in a basket allowing all the grease to drip down into a tray below. Foods that are not sitting in their own fat are not only less greasy, but get crispier too. That’s a win-win for air-frying!
The Secret to really tasty Buffalo Wings
Most Buffalo wings that you’d get out at a restaurant are simply deep-fried and then tossed with butter and hot sauce. The flavor is all in the sauce, which is on the outside of the wings. The secret to getting even more of that Buffalo sauce flavor on your wing is to marinate the wings in the sauce first, THEN air-fry them and then toss again at the end. That initial marinating time makes all the difference, getting the flavor inside the wing as well as on the outside. They are still messy and finger-licking good, but even more so!
If you’re looking for that awesome Buffalo wing flavor, but want to take it a notch lighter, try Buffalo Cauliflower.
Just watched watched air Fryer class. Got my air fryer for Christmas and haven’t used it but a couple of times
Hope to see another session soon. Is this a daily class? Also where can I purchase your air fryer cook book for beginners. Thanks
Hi Claudia,
My air fryer 101 class is an introductory class to air frying, but not a daily class. I do have other air fryer videos on the website, showing specific recipes and I hope to do more in the future too. Be sure to sign up to be a Blue Jean Chef Insider and you’ll always know when a new class is on the site. If you are interested in my cookbooks, both books have recipes for beginners and more advanced cooks. Air Fry Everything and Air Fry Genius can be found in the shop on my website here: https://bluejeanchef.com/shop/
I am assuming you salt and pepper chicken then put in the hot sauce and butter?
Actually no. There’s enough salt in most store-bought hot sauces to season the chicken and with the heat of the hot sauce you choose, you probably won’t need any pepper either. Usually though, I do season meats first, but not for this recipe.
These were the best and easiest wings I’ve ever made at home. They are delicious and the air fryer makes the preparation the easiest thing in the world. You’ll love the flavor. These will be my new go to for chicken wings!!!
Not a big fan of chicken wings, but after trying this with my new air fryer, I actually crave them!!! I love how crispy and flavorful they are. Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
Any way to take out the chicken and substitute cauliflower florets….I would love that.
You sure can substitute caauliflower florets. I would blanch the cauliflower first for a few minutes and then dry it well before proceeding with the recipe.
How would you prepare these using something other then hot sauce?
Hi Linda. You could make different wings. You’ll find my recipe for orange sesame wings here: https://bluejeanchef.com/recipes/air-fryer-orange-sesame-chicken-wings/ which are more sweet and tangy than spicy.
I’m definitely going to make these tomorrow but in my Breville so it will be a little different technique but hopefully just as delicious as yours looked.
I live in the Buffalo area where we are very picky about our wings. Meredith, your recipe was perfect!
Wow! Thank you! 🙂
ML
Quick, easy, DELICIOUS!!! I made these for super bowl Sunday & they were a complete hit. Also made eggplant fries based on your zucchini fries recipe. Another winner. Thanks Meredith!
The flavor was spot on. But I prefer a really crispy skin and for some reason, I just didn’t get it here. Suggestions?
Hi Lisa,
I usually find that Buffalo Wings do come out crispy in the air fryer, but you do have to cook them in a single layer, not piled on top of each other. If you want really crispy, make sure you dry the wings well, and toss them with oil, air-fry in a single layer. You could also elevate the wings in the basket to position them closer to the heating element by laying them on a rack, bed of crumbled up foil or an inverted baking dish. I am assuming you cooked them longer, but the longer they are in the air fryer the crispier they will get too.
WE JUST GOT A NEW LG STOVE THAT HAS AIR FRY CAN I USE YOUR RECIPES DIRECTIONS WITH MY STOVE?
Hi there. The difference between an air fryer and an oven with an air fryer mode is the placement of the fan in relation to the heating element. In most air fryers, the fan is right behind the element, so it really forces hot air directly at the food. In most ovens, the elements are on the top and bottom of the oven and the fan is on the side or back of the oven. (check this on your new stove) So, while the fan blows the hot air around, it is not quite as intense. Also, the oven cavity is much bigger than an air fryer, so again it is less direct. That said, you can use air fryer recipes in your oven with the air fryer mode, but you might need to add a minute or two. Try to put the food on a rack that is over a baking sheet to replicate the air fryer basket (which is either perforated or made of a mesh).
Delish! Hubby likes wings with just dry rub so he can dip after being cooked. Any tips so the dry rub stays on during cooking? Thank you 😊
Toss your wings with the dry rub to coat them evenly, and then let them rest for at least 15 minutes to absorb the rub. Spritz with oil before air-frying and turn the wings over halfway through the cooking time. Meredith has a great dry rub in this Chipotle BBQ Wing recipe you might like to try. https://bluejeanchef.com/recipes/chipotle-bbq-chicken-wings/
Hi Merideth,
Wondering if there is a way to make sauce milder, I have trouble with real spicy food
Hi Sandy. You could look for a “mild” hot sauce. That would be the only way to reduce the spice. OR… you could branch out and make a different flavor of wing. This orange sesame wing recipe is one of my favorites: https://bluejeanchef.com/recipes/air-fryer-orange-sesame-chicken-wings/
Made these for Super Bowl. Were so delicious. Always enjoy Meredith’s recipes