Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Wings
These Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Wings are a huge hit with my family. This recipe produces incredibly crispy-skinned wings with juicy meat in a fraction of the time compared to baking them in the oven. If you make these, try them with my Apricot Barbecue Sauce, which is a delicious change from heavier BBQ sauces. A light brush of this slightly sweet sauce during the last few minutes of cooking creates subtle apricot caramelization while keeping the skin nice and crispy.
This recipe has been kitchen-tested to ensure consistent, reliable results
Good To Know
Prep Time: 5 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes | Serves: 2-4
Equipment Needed: Air Fryer
Quick Tip: Since drums are thicker than flats, they require a bit more cooking time. Separate them and air fry the drums first for even cooking.
Why You’ll Love These Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Wings
- Ready in 30 minutes: Perfect for busy weeknights, game day or last minute entertaining.
- Perfectly crisp without deep frying: The air fryer delivers crispy skin and juicy meat with very little effort.
- Easy to customize: Keep them mild or add cayenne pepper for extra heat.
- Uses simple pantry ingredients: No specialty ingredients required, just everyday seasonings and a quick homemade barbecue sauce.
Growing up in Toronto, there was a famous wing spot we’d visit all the time. As teenagers, we took full advantage of their half-price wing nights on Tuesdays working our way through every flavor on their menu.
The best part of the experience was the crispy texture paired with a coating of their delicious honey garlic sauce.
This recipe is a nod to those experiences…..with a few adaptations. I finish these wings with my Apricot Barbecue Sauce whose lighter, fruitier flavor caramelizes beautifully without weighing down the crispy skin.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love These Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Wings
- Ingredients for Air Fryer BBQ Wings
- Whole Wings vs. Party Wings
- How to Section Whole Chicken Wings into Party Wings
- How To Make Crispy Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Wings
- Substitutions & Variations
- Expert Tips for Crispy Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Wings
- Recipe Testing Notes (What Worked Best)
- Make Ahead and Storage Info
- Air Fryer BBQ Wings FAQs
- Delicious Starts Here
Ingredients for Air Fryer BBQ Wings
Refer to the printable recipe card below for ingredient quantities and detailed instructions.
- Chicken Wings: Whole chicken wings or party wings both work well. If you’re starting with whole wings, see below to learn how to section them into party wings).
- Baking Powder: Helps create blistered, crispy skin by drawing moisture away from the surface of the wings as they cook.
- Seasoning: All that is needed is salt and cayenne pepper.
- Apricot Bourbon Barbecue Sauce: My homemade version adds a lighter, fruitier flavor, but your favorite barbecue sauce will work just as well.
Whole Wings vs. Party Wings
Party wings are whole chicken wings that have been separated into two pieces: the drumette (drum) and the flat (sometimes called the wingette). The wing tip is typically removed as it contains very little meat.
If you purchased whole wings; section them into party wings before cooking. They’ll cook more evenly and fit better in the air fryer basket. Flats are thinner and often cook faster than drums, so you can even cook them in separate batches for the most consistent results.
How to Section Whole Chicken Wings into Party Wings
How To Make Crispy Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Wings
Refer to the printable recipe card below for ingredient quantities and detailed instructions.
1. Toss the wings with baking powder, salt, and cayenne pepper until evenly coated.
2. Preheat the air fryer.
3. Arrange the wings in the air fryer basket, leaving space between pieces for proper airflow.
4. Air fry until the wings are golden brown, crisp, and cooked through.
5. Brush the cooked wings lightly with the apricot barbecue sauce.
Substitutions & Variations
- Air fryer ranch wings: Add 2 teaspoons of ranch seasoning to the dry mixture and skip the apricot barbecue sauce.
- Air fryer garlic Parmesan chicken wings: Toss the cooked, unglazed wings with 1 tablespoon melted butter, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder and 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese.
- Air fryer jerk chicken wings: Brush jerk sauce over the cooked wings instead of the apricot barbecue sauce during the final few minutes of cooking.
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Expert Tips for Crispy Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Wings
- Pat the wings dry: Remove excess surface moisture to help the baking powder adhere to the skin and promote a crispier texture.
- Don’t overcrowd the basket: Keep the wings spaced apart so hot air can circulate freely. This helps them cook evenly while rendering the thin layer of fat beneath the skin, creating blistered crispy edges without deep frying.
- Cook drums and flats separately: Flats typically cook a little faster than drums.
- Avoid burning: Once the sauce is brushed on the wings, reduce the cooking temperature to 300°F. The sauce contains sugars which will burn if cooked on high heat.
Recipe Testing Notes (What Worked Best)
The goal was to create the crispiest wings possible while still achieving a caramelized glaze. During recipe testing, I found that using too much sauce caused the crispy skin to lose its texture and become soggy.
- Texture: I found that using a lighter sauce such as my Apricot Barbecue Sauce produced the best texture. Light glazing the wings kept the skin crisp without making it soggy.
- Even Cooking: My first batch of wings produced perfectly cooked flats while the drums needed a few extra minutes. Cooking them separately gave me much more consistent results.
Make Ahead and Storage Info
Make Ahead: Season the wings with the baking powder mixture up to 24 hours in advance. Arrange them on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and refrigerate uncovered overnight. This dries the skin, for crispier wings after air frying.
The apricot barbecue sauce can also be made up to 2 weeks ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Warm it slightly before brushing it onto the wings so it spreads more easily.
Refrigerator: While these wings are best enjoyed fresh, leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freezer: Cooked, unglazed wings can be frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat them in a 300°F air fryer until heated through. Brush them with the apricot barbecue sauce and air fry for another 1-2 minutes to caramelize the glaze.
Air Fryer BBQ Wings FAQs
For the crispiest wings, it is best to use party wings or separate whole chicken wings into sections before air frying. Whole wings contain three sections: the drumette (drum), the flat (also called the wingette), and the wing tip.
For the most even cooking, separate the drums from the flats before air frying as flats are thinner and cook more quickly.
Pat the wings almost dry, and coat them lightly with baking powder. This helps draw moisture away from the surface of the skin, for better browning and a light, crispy texture.
Yes you can cook frozen chicken wings in the air fryer, but for the crispiest results, I recommend thawing them first. Cooking from frozen won’t produce the same crispy texture because excess moisture prevents the seasoning from adhering as well and limits browning.
Whether you use store bought or my apricot barbecue sauce, brush a light coating onto the wings during the final 1-2 minutes of cooking. This allows the sauce to caramelilze without softening the crispy skin.
Delicious Starts Here
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out. Please leave a rating and a comment below; your feedback helps other home cooks decide if this recipe is right for them. And if you share it on Instagram, tag me @aspicedlifeblog so I can see your beautiful creations.🧡
Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 2 pounds party chicken wings (drums and flats)
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ cup Apricot Barbecue Sauce (or your favorite store-bought barbecue sauce)
Instructions
- Pat the chicken wings with paper towels, to remove any excess moisture. In a large bowl, toss the wings with the baking powder, kosher salt, and cayenne pepper until evenly coated.
- Arrange the wings in a single layer in the air fryer basket, leaving a little space between them for air to circulate. Cook in batches if necessary.
- Air fry at 400°F for 20–22 minutes, flipping the wings halfway through cooking, until they’re golden brown and crisp. The wings should register 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.
- Reduce the temperature to 300°F and lightly brush one side of the wings with a thin layer of apricot barbecue sauce (or your favorite barbecue sauce). Air fry for an additional 1-2 minutes, just until the sauce caramelizes.
- Serve immediately, with extra barbecue sauce for dipping, if desired.
Notes:
Nutrition
If you’re making a batch of these Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Wings, try drizzling them with my Easy Hot Honey recipe instead of the Apricot Barbecue Glaze for a sweet and spicy twist.
If you’re feeding a crowd, serve them alongside my Diavola Pizza with Hot Honey Drizzle or my Loaded French Fries with Homemade Cheese Sauce for the ultimate game day spread.
