Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Wings with Homemade BBQ Sauce
Air fryer BBQ chicken wings with homemade BBQ sauce are finger-lickin' good! These crispy and juicy chicken wings are perfectly seasoned, air-fried until crispy then smothered in a homemade sweet, tangy, and sticky BBQ sauce. Air fryer wings are the ultimate party food or dinner-time favorite and they are perfect for any occasion!
1teaspoonbaking powderaluminum free, not baking soda
½teaspoononion powder
¼teaspoongarlic powder
¾teaspoon ground paprika
⅛teaspooncayenne pepperor to your liking
⅔cupBBQ saucehomemade or storebought, plus more for serving
Homemade BBQ Sauce
1(15) ouncecan of tomato sauceplain
2tablespoonstomato paste
⅓cupapple cider vinegar
3tablespoonsWorcestershire sauce
¾cupbrown sugar
2tablespoonsmolasses
2tablespoonyellow mustardor whole-grain mustard
2teaspoonground paprika
1teaspoononion powder
1teaspoongarlic powder
½teaspoonsalt
½teaspoonground black pepper
¼teaspooncayenne pepper
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Instructions
If you are making the homemade BBQ sauce, start on it first so the sauce has time to cool and thicken before combing with the cooked chicken. If not, skip to the chicken wings section.
How to make homemade BBQ sauce:
Add all of the ingredients in a medium sauce pot. Whisk everything together until combined.
Simmer on low heat for 15 - 30 minutes or until your BBQ sauce has thickened and it doesn’t have a strong apple cider vinegar flavor.
Allow to cool for 30 minutes so it can thicken even more and the flavors can meld to together.
How to make air fryer chicken wings:
Preheat the air fryer to 385 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 - 10 minutes.
While the air fryer is preheating, start on the chicken. Rinse and pat your chicken wings dry. Next, transfer wings into a large mixing bowl or large gallon bag, then add vegetable oil and seasonings. Close and seal the bag then mix to coat.
Carefully add as many chicken wings as can comforting fit into your air fryer with a little space in between using a pair of tongs or a fork. We don’t want them stacked or too close together otherwise they won’t get crispy.
Air fry for 10 - 12 minutes or until crispy, making sure to flip after 10 minutes.
With a separate pair of tongs, transfer cooked chicken wings to a large bowl. Repeat with any remaining chicken wings.
Add ⅔ cup of BBQ sauce to the wings mixing to coat. Add the wings back to the air fryer. Increase the temperature to 400 degrees. Air fry for 3 - 5 minutes or until the BBQ sauce is sticky and slightly charred on the chicken.
Serve immediately with more BBQ sauce if you like and celery sticks. Enjoy!
Notes
Store any leftover wings inside an airtight container for up to 5 days. When you are ready to reheat them place the wings inside your air fryer at 400 degrees for 5 minutes or until they are heated through. Serve with more sauce if you like.To reheat in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 - 15 minutes. If you have a “QUICK BAKE” setting on your oven, set it to 375 degrees for 8 - 12 minutes. The homemade BBQ sauce it can last for 7 - 10 days in the refrigerator inside of an airtight container.All nutrition information is only an estimate and will depend on the ingredients used. The recipe card may contain affiliate links.