American chicken wings fried in oil or made in the air fryer are coated with a mild buffalo sauce using Texas Pete or Franks Red Hot Sauce.
These crispy chicken wings can be made from frozen or thawed wings. Throw them in your air fryer with a little oil on them and you have delicious crispy wings in under 30 minutes!
Don't have an air fryer? I've included instructions on how to fry these crispy wings in oil.
When it comes to buffalo sauce you can go many different routes. We prefer using Frank's Hot Sauce or Texas Pete's. Then you add melted salted butter to get the perfect heat for your desired buffalo sauce.
Now here is the most important question. Do you prefer the chicken wing flats or plump drumette? I'm a flats fan!
We love easy air fryer recipes like these buffalo chicken wings. Our favorite Air Fryer Croutons recipe is the best way to make croutons at home!
Check out this Air Fryer Crab Rangoon recipe too! They are better than your local takeout restaurant!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Homemade buffalo wings are the perfect appetizer or game day snack!
- The sauce ingredients are very simple and you can control how mild or spicy your buffalo hot wings sauce is.
- They can be made quickly in an air fryer or fried in oil!
- The best wings are made at home where you can use fresh oil and eat them while they are still hot and crispy.
Ingredients for American Buffalo Wings
You'll need the following ingredients to make delicious, crispy Buffalo Wings.
Chicken Wings and specifically the small wingettes and drums are preferred for this recipe. Sometimes these are referred to as "party wings."
Oil is used to help the skin get extra crispy in the air fryer.
Salt brings our the flavor of this dish.
Buffalo Sauce or Hot Sauce such as Texas Pete or Frank's makes an easy and delicious buffalo sauce.
Butter is melted and added to the hot sauce to make it mild. This can be adjusted to make the wings more or less spicy. If you like spicy food you can use less butter to make them medium wings instead of mild.
How to Make Mild Buffalo Wings
Here are some quick visual instructions. The full recipe for both the air fryer and traditional fried wings will be in the recipe card below.
Toss the wings around in a large bowl to coat them with the oil and salt.
Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Add the wings to the air fryer. We love our Ninja Foodi Grill Air Fryer.
Air for 16-20 minutes or until the inside is cooked and the outside is crispy.
Melt the butter and add it to the buffalo hot sauce. Cover the wings in the buffalo sauce and toss to coat.
Serve with blue cheese dressing and celery sticks or carrot sticks. Enjoy your buffalo mild or hot wings!
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Eat the chicken wings as soon as they are cool enough. The longer they sit in the buffalo sauce, the less crispy they will be.
- The air fryer cook time will vary based on how many wings are in the basket. If they are crowded it will take longer and you will need to use tongs to move them around the basket.
How to Fry Cook Chicken Wings in Oil
Here are a few tips for cooking chicken wings in hot oil. The full instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
Use a heavy bottom pot so that the heat distributes evenly when heating the oil.
Pat the wings dry with paper towels to avoid the oil splattering when you add the wings to the hot oil.
Add enough canola, peanut, or vegetable oil to cover the bottom of the pot by about 1-2 inches. When the raw wings are added, the oil will rise and bubble, so keep that in mind.
Gently ease the wings into the oil to avoid it splashing.
Using plastic utensils in hot oil may cause them to melt. Instead, use metal tongs and a wire strainer/skimmer.
Storage and Reheating
- Storage: Store cooked wings in the refrigerator for 4 days.
- Reheating: You can reheat wings in your air fryer at 350 degrees F for 2-3 minutes.
Additions and Substitutions
- Garlic Powder: Adding 1 teaspoon of garlic powder to the wings before they cook give them a kick of additional flavor.
- Black Pepper: Add a pinch black pepper for an extra spicy flavor.
- Blue Cheese Dressings is traditionally served with spicy buffalo wings, but you can also substitute ranch dressing. Try this amazing homemade blue cheese dip.
Variations
There are so many different flavors of wings that are absolutely delicious. Try some of the following suggestions.
- Lemon Pepper wings are made with fresh lemon, garlic, and black pepper.
- Barbecue wings are delicious and easy! Just add your favorite BBQ sauce and add them back to your air fryer for 2 more minutes to caramelize the sauce.
- Garlic Parmesan wings can be made with butter, garlic, and parmesan cheese. Add some red pepper flakes for a little heat!
Frequently Asked Questions
Buffalo wings are said to have originated in Buffalo, New York, thus why they are named "Buffalo" wings.
Buffalo wings, sometimes referred to as hot wings are very similar. Buffalo wings tend to be milder, whereas hot wings have a spicy kick to them. Buffalo wings have a spicy, tangy, and rich buttery taste.
Yes, buffalo are considered to be American food. They are said to have originated in Buffalo, New York, USA. They are often found in restaurants that serve American cuisine, but they can also be easily made at home.
American Buffalo Chicken Wings Recipe
Equipment
- 1 air fryer optional
Ingredients
- 1 pound small chicken wings and drumsticks
- 2 tablespoons oil (canola, vegetable or avocado)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup hot sauce Texas Pete's or Franks
- ¼ cup butter (use less for spicier wings)
- oil (if frying in a saucepan)
Instructions
Instructions for Air Fryer
- Preheat air fryer to 400° F.
- Put the wings in a large bowl and pat the wings dry with paper towels. Add the oil and salt and toss the wings around to evenly coat them.
- Add the chicken wings to the air fryer and cook for about 10 minutes and flip them over. They should be done after about 16-20 minutes. The time will vary on how crowded the basket is. If you double the recipe the time will be closer to 25 minutes.
- Melt the butter and add the hot sauce to it and stir it well. Add the wings to a large bowl and pour the buffalo sauce on top. Toss to coat the wings in the sauce.
Instructions for Deep Frying
- Pat the wings dry with paper towels and sprinkle with salt.
- Add enough oil to reach about 1 ½ inches up the side of a heavy bottom saucepan. Heat the oil to 350-360° Fahrenheit and use metal tongs to carefully place each chicken wing in the oil one at a time. Do not let the oil splash toward you. (You may need to fry them in small batches depending on the size of the pot and how many wings you have.)
- Fry for about 10-12 minutes. They should be crispy and be a deep golden brown color. Carefully remove the wings using metal tongs or a wire skimmer and allow them to drain on a wire rack.
- Melt the butter and add the hot sauce to it and stir it well. Add the wings to a large bowl and pour the buffalo sauce on top. Toss to coat the wings in the sauce.
Notes
- Storage: Store cooked wings in the refrigerator for 4 days.
- Reheating: You can reheat wings in your air fryer at 350 degrees F for 2-3 minutes.
More From Thyme for the Table
Watch on YouTube at Thyme for the Table! Follow on Instagram at @thymeforthetable or Facebook at facebook.com/thymeforthetable!
Food Safety
- Cook chicken to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C).
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat.
- Wash hands after touching raw meat.
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.
- Use oils with a high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds.
More About American Buffalo Wings
The original buffalo wings are said to have originated from the city of Buffalo in New York. However, you do not need to to go Buffalo restaurant to get fantastic wings.
Many different people in the United States enjoy wings as a game day appetizer. One of the most popular snacks during Super Bowl Sunday is wings.
Wings come from the part of the chicken by the breast. The wing comes in three sections: the wing tip, the wingette (or flat wing tip), and the drummettes.
Sports bars and various restaurants often serve many different flavors of wings. Buffalo Wild Wings is a popular restaurant that features about 24 different wings flavors.
So next time you are getting together with friends or family to watch a game or if you are in the mood for a spicy late-night snack consider preparing these delicious wings.
Aaron says
They came out crispy and delicious. The best part was how simple the sauce is to make! Great recipe!
Jen Talley says
The sauce is so easy, but it is spicy, tangy and so good! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Natalie says
My boys love spicy food. I can't wait to make them these buffalo chicken wings. Looks fantastic. I bet it's super delicious too.
Jen Talley says
They will love them!
Dana says
Nothing beats classic Buffalo wings and these were fantastic!
Jen Talley says
Thanks Dana!
Liz says
I'm always amazed at all the ways I can use my air fryer! My husband was impressed with these! So good!
Jen Talley says
I'm so happy you and your husband enjoyed them!
Suja MD says
This looks really delicious and fairly simple to make! Can't wait to try it out! thanks for the recipe 🙂
Claudia Lamascolo says
Delicious sauce my husband just loves chicken wings. We make them at least once a week! thanks for a great recipe
jess says
This was such a great quick and easy chicken dinner! The spice level was just perfect for everyone in the family!
Jen Talley says
I love how easy it is to adjust the sauce to be milder or spicier! I'm glad the whole family enjoyed the wings!