BBQ Chicken Wings in the air fryer are so good. There is nothing better than a plate of crispy chicken wings smothered in a sweet and tasty barbecue sauce.

BBQ chicken wings on a serving platter.
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BBQ Chicken Wings in Air Fryer

BBQ chicken wings in the air fryer are so easy to make, and you’re guaranteed a super crispy, juicy wing.

I used baking powder in this BBQ chicken wings air fryer recipe, so the exterior of the wings got really crispy. This is one of the best ways to prepare wings!

And with bottled or homemade BBQ sauce, it’s a super simple meal or snack. Everyone who tries these chicken wings will love them. Heck, it might even convince a few people to buy an air fryer — they are that good!

You can easily swap out the type of BBQ sauce for any of your favorites, whether that’s spicy, sweet, tangy, or hot. And with so many sauces to choose from, you’ll have endless possibilities.

Other great Air Fryer Chicken Wings Recipes include my AIR FRYER DRY RUBBED CHICKEN WINGS, AIR FRYER CHICKEN WINGS WITH BUFFALO SAUCE, AIR FRYER TYSON CHICKEN WINGS, and AIR FRYER HONEY BBQ CHICKEN WINGS.

Why You’ll Love This BBQ Chicken Wings Air Fryer Recipe

  • Ready in 30 minutes
  • Can be an appetizer or main course
  • Customizable with your favorite sauces
  • Extra crispy and juicy
  • So easy in the air fryer!

Ingredients Needed For BBQ Wings in Air Fryer

BBQ wings in the air fryer are healthier than traditionally fried wings and taste even better! You’ll achieve the same, extra crispy skin with a juicy, tender middle without all of the extra oil and fat. Serve your BBQ chicken wings as an appetizer or with your favorite sides as a main course!

Uncooked chicken wings on a serving platter to make air fryer bbq chicken wings.

For complete ingredients and quantities, keep on scrolling until you get to the bottom with a printable recipe card.

  • Chicken Wings
  • Olive Oil
  • Baking Powder
  • Seasonings: Garlic Powder, Salt, Black Pepper, Paprika, etc.
  • BBQ Sauce: any type
  • Honey
  • Sriracha

How To Make BBQ Chicken Wings

Process of making BBQ chicken wings in air fryer.

Step 1: Make Dry Rub

In a medium-sized bowl, mix the olive oil, salt, baking powder, garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper.

Rub the outside of the wings with the seasoning mixture to generously season.

BBQ wings in air fryer basket.

Step 2: Cook Wings

Place the chicken wings into the air fryer basket. Set the temperature to 380 degrees F for 12 minutes.

Flip the chicken wings, then increase the temperature to 400 degrees F and cook for another 5 minutes.

Step 3: Make BBQ Sauce

Over medium heat, mix the BBQ sauce, honey, and sriracha sauce in a small saucepan. Simmer for about 2 minutes.

Step 4: Glaze Wings

Once the wings are cooked through, toss with the BBQ sauce to coat.

Put them back in the air fryer for another 3 minutes, just long enough for the glaze to caramelize. Pull out and enjoy warm!

BBQ chicken wings air fryer recipe on a serving platter.

Pro Tips to Make the Best Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Wings

  • Cut your wings into three pieces: If they come whole, divide wings into the wingette, the drumette, and the tip. You can dispose of the tip or use it in broths.
  • Shake your basket several times during the cooking process.
  • Add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper if you want to add some heat.
  • Pat dry the chicken wings with a paper towel. This helps the seasonings stick to the surface and ensures the skin gets nice and crispy.
  • You can leave the wings whole if you do not want to cut them. However, you may need to increase the cooking time.

Are Air Fryer Chicken Wings Healthy?

Yes, these air fryer BBQ chicken wings are a healthy and easy way to prepare chicken wings.

Since you are not using much oil in the coating, you’ll save a lot of calories and fat compared to deep frying or other oil-heavy methods.

How Many Wings Can You Cook in the Air Fryer?

This will depend on what air fryer you are using. You will probably have to run several batches to get all of your wings done regardless of the model.

Air fryer ovens will be able to cook more food overall than an air fryer basket. This is a consideration you should keep in mind when you are looking for an air fryer.

Keep in mind that it’s important not to overcrowd your basket when making BBQ chicken wings in the air fryer. The air needs to be able to circulate completely around each wing, so a crowded basket may lead to undercooked areas.

How Long to Cook Chicken Wings in an Air Fryer?

This will also depend on what air fryer you own. BBQ wings in the air fryer will typically take about 15 to 20 minutes at 380 degrees F.

The key is to check your chicken wings with a meat thermometer before removing them from the air fryer. The internal temperature should be 165 degrees F. Cooking to temperature is much more important than following time guidelines exactly.

How Do You Reheat Chicken Wings in the Air Fryer?

Reheat your BBQ chicken wings in the air fryer to get them crispy again. Set the temperature to 350 degrees F on the air fryer setting for 3-4 minutes.

For best results, brush your chicken wings with more BBQ sauce before reheating.

You can reheat leftovers from this BBQ chicken wings air fryer recipe in the microwave as well. Just be aware that you will lose the crispiness of the wings when reheating this way.

How Do You Get BBQ Sauce to Stick to Wings?

The key is the baking powder and dry seasoning mixture! This makes your chicken less slippery and gives the wings a better surface for the sauce to stick to.

As a bonus, the baking powder is also what makes the wings so crispy — it’s the secret ingredient in this BBQ chicken wings air fryer recipe!

Why Do You Cook the Chicken Before Coating in Sauce?

To avoid burnt sauce with overcooked chicken. You want the wings mostly cooked — almost completely — before adding the sauce right at the end. The goal should be to perfectly caramelize the sauce, not cook it.

This also helps the wings crisp up so the sauce has a textured surface to stick to and it doesn’t just slide off the wings.

Other Air Fryer Chicken Wing Recipe:

Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Wings

BBQ Chicken Wings in the Air Fryer

5 from 1 vote
Author: ForkToSpoon.com
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 Servings

Description

BBQ Chicken Wings in the air fryer are so good. There is nothing better than a plate of crispy chicken wings smothered in a sweet and tasty barbecue sauce.

Ingredients 

Chicken Wings:

  • 1 pound chicken wings
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

BBQ Sauce:

  • 1 cup  bbq sauce , any kind
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 2 tablespoons sriracha

Instructions

  • In a medium-sized mixing bowl, mix the olive oil, salt, baking powder, garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper. Coat the wings generously in the seasoning mixture.
  • Then place the chicken wings into the air fryer basket. Set the temperature for 380 degrees for 12 minutes, after 12 minutes, using tongs to flip the chicken wings. Then increase the temperature to 400 degrees F for another 5 minutes.
  • In a small saucepan, mix the BBQ sauce, honey, and sriracha sauce. Simmer for about 2 minutes.
  • When the wings are finished cooking, add the wings to the BBQ sauce to coat them. You can add them back to the air fryer for another 3 minutes, just long enough for the glaze to caramelize.
  • Plate, serve, and enjoy!

Equipment

  • Air Fryer, Air Fryer Basket or Air Fryer Oven
  • Cooking Spray

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 389kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 12gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 47mgSodium: 1245mgPotassium: 297mgFiber: 1gSugar: 41gVitamin A: 301IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 35mgIron: 1mg

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