Air Fryer Chicken Wings Recipe

I perfected a no-breading, 100% keto Air Fryer Chicken Wings recipe with homemade buffalo sauce and a clever secret for impossibly crispy outsides that’s become a crowd favorite.

I’ve chased the perfect Air Fryer Chicken Wings for months and finally hit the jackpot. Hands down the best crispy buffalo wings, no breading so they stay totally keto, and the homemade sauce brings real heat.

There’s a little trick that makes the outside blister and crackle like you want, and yeah it’s annoyingly simple. This Wings Recipe Buffalo is spicy, messy and impossible to stop eating.

I use aluminum free baking powder to coax the skin into crisping and Franks RedHot in the sauce, so its a classic but turned up. Expect loud flavor, little fuss, big payoff.

Ingredients

• Chicken wings: Rich in protein and fat, really filling, not a low calorie choice
• Baking powder: Makes skin extra crispy by raising pH, dont confuse with baking soda
• Neutral oil: Helps the skin brown and crisp, it’s calorie dense so use sparingly
• Salt: Essential for flavor, boosts taste but adds sodium if you overdo it
• Paprika: Adds color and mild pepper notes, can be smoky or sweet depending
• Cayenne: Little goes a long way, brings heat and a lively pepper bite
• Franks RedHot: Vinegar forward hot sauce, tangy and bright it lifts rich butter
• Butter: Gives the sauce richness and silkiness, adds saturated fat and calories
• Garlic powder: Quick savory punch, concentrated garlic flavor without mincing fresh cloves

Ingredient Quantities

• 2 to 3 lb chicken wings, tips removed and wings split (about 8 to 12 whole wings)
• 1 to 1 1/2 tbsp aluminum free baking powder
• 1 tbsp neutral oil (avocado or canola) or olive oil
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder, plus a pinch for the sauce
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika or regular paprika
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/3 cup Franks RedHot or other cayenne style hot sauce
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce (optional)
• Blue cheese or ranch dressing for serving (optional)
• Celery sticks for serving (optional)
• Chopped fresh parsley or green onions for garnish (optional)

How to Make this

1. Pat the wings very dry with paper towels, trim tips if needed and split at the joint, then put them in a big bowl; dry skin is the secret to crispiness so don’t skip this.

2. Sprinkle 1 to 1 1/2 tbsp aluminum free baking powder over the wings, add 1 tbsp neutral oil, 1 tsp kosher salt, 3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp smoked paprika and 1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne; toss everything until the wings are evenly coated.

3. Preheat your air fryer to 400 F for about 3 to 5 minutes while you let the coated wings sit for 5 minutes so the baking powder starts doing its work.

4. Arrange wings in a single layer in the air fryer basket with space between them; cook in batches if needed so they are not touching, this is key for airflow and crisping.

5. Air fry at 400 F for 25 to 30 minutes, shaking or flipping every 8 to 10 minutes so they brown evenly; check for deep golden brown and an internal temp of 165 F, but a bit of extra time gives a crispier skin.

6. While the wings cook make the buffalo sauce by whisking together 1/3 cup Frank’s RedHot, 4 tbsp melted unsalted butter, 1 tsp white vinegar, a pinch of garlic powder and 1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce if using; taste and adjust heat or salt.

7. When wings are done, transfer them to a large bowl, pour most of the sauce over and toss to coat; reserve a little sauce for dipping or to spoon over at the table so the outsides stay crisp.

8. If you want the sauce to cling and caramelize a little, put sauced wings back in the air fryer for 1 to 2 minutes at 400 F, but watch them so the butter doesn’t burn.

9. Serve immediately with blue cheese or ranch dressing, celery sticks and a sprinkle of chopped parsley or green onions for color.

Equipment Needed

1. Air fryer with removable basket (for crisping the wings in single layers)
2. Large mixing bowl or big bowl (to toss the wings with baking powder and oil)
3. Paper towels (to pat the wings very dry)
4. Measuring spoons plus a 1/3 cup measure (for the baking powder, spices and the hot sauce)
5. Kitchen tongs (for arranging, flipping and tossing hot wings)
6. Instant read thermometer (to check the internal temp hits 165 F)
7. Small bowl and a whisk or fork (to mix the buffalo sauce)
8. Kitchen shears or sharp chef knife and cutting board (to trim tips and split at the joint)
9. Oven mitts or heatproof gloves and a wire rack or tray (for short resting or a quick re-crisp)

FAQ

Air Fryer Chicken Wings Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Aluminum‑free baking powder: use regular baking powder in the same amount, or make a quick substitute — for each 1 tsp baking powder mix 1/4 tsp baking soda + 1/2 tsp cream of tartar. (Don’t just use baking soda alone unless you add an acid.)
• Neutral oil (avocado/canola/olive): swap with 1 tbsp melted butter or ghee for richer flavor, or use a neutral spray oil to lightly coat the wings if you want less fat.
• Frank’s RedHot: any cayenne-style hot sauce works (same amount), or use Sriracha for a sweeter kick. You can also mix 1/3 cup hot sauce with the 4 tbsp melted butter for classic buffalo.
• Kosher salt: if you only have table salt use about 3/4 the amount (so ~3/4 tsp table salt for 1 tsp kosher) and taste as you go; flaky sea salt works too but sprinkle more gently.

Pro Tips

– Dry those wings like your life depends on it. Use paper towels, then if you got the time pop them on a wire rack in the fridge for 20 to 40 minutes to really dry the skin — it makes a huge difference for crispiness.

– Distribute the baking powder and spices evenly, dont just dump it on. Toss them in a big bowl or zip bag and massage the mix into the skin so every wing gets coated. Use the lower end of the baking powder range if you dont want any off taste.

– Dont crowd the basket. Single layer only, with space between each wing. Cook in batches if you must; flipping or shaking every 8 to 10 minutes helps them brown evenly and keeps the air flowing.

– Save some sauce for dipping and only toss most of the wings right before serving so they stay crisp. If you want the sauce to cling and caramelize, put sauced wings back in for just 1 to 2 minutes at 400 F but watch them closely so the butter doesnt burn.

– Use a probe thermometer not guesswork — 165 F is the safe minimum but if you want extra crisp let them go a bit longer while watching color. Let wings rest 3 to 5 minutes so juices settle and the skin firms up before digging in.