These crispy, juicy air fryer BBQ chicken wings are seasoned with a homemade dry rub and slathered in sweet BBQ sauce. Easy and delicious, perfect for a game-day appetizer or weeknight dinner. Suppose you do not have an air fryer, no problem! This recipe can easily be made in the oven.
Why You'll Love These Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Wings
These air fryer BBQ chicken wings are always a crowd-pleaser. Seasoned with a flavorful homemade rub, crisped to perfection, and coated with your favorite BBQ sauce. If you love wings as much as we do, you'll want to check out my air fryer honey lemon pepper chicken wings, gluten-free wings with honey mustard, honey soy garlic chicken wings, and tequila lime wings. Here are a few more reasons why you will love this air fryer BBQ chicken wings recipe:
- Easy to make. These crispy chicken wings can be made in under 30 minutes using the air fryer.
- Crispy and flavorful. This easy recipe has a homemade spice rub, that when combined with the sweet and tangy BBQ sauce creates the perfect flavor.
- Perfect game day snack! These saucy wings are a great appetizer for a game day party or gathering.
Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Wings Ingredients
You'll need the following ingredients for this air fryer BBQ wings recipe:
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken Wings: You will need 2 pounds of wings for this recipe. For a smaller serving, this recipe can easily be divided in half. Make sure the tips are removed and the drumettes are separated.
- Olive Oil: This helps the dry rub to stick and crisp the wings.
- Dry Rub Seasoning: This flavorful seasoning blend is made of smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper.
- BBQ Sauce: Use your favorite barbecue sauce. The brand I'm using is a thicker barbeque sauce, but I like that it is gluten-free with simple ingredients, and lower in sugar compared to moist barbecue sauces. Feel free to use any brand of your liking!
Find the printable recipe card with full instructions and measurements below.
How To Make Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Wings
- Step 1: Prep the wings. Preheat the air fryer for 2 to 3 minutes at 390℉. Pat the chicken wings dry with a paper towel and place them in a large mixing bowl. Toss the wings with olive oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper.
- Step 2: Air fry the wings. Place the wings in a single even layer in the air fryer basket. Be careful not to overlap them, and work in batches if needed. Cook the wings for 10 minutes.
- Step 3: Prepare the sauce and flip the wings. After 10 minutes, carefully flip the wings using tongs, and cook for another 7-8 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. The internal temperature of the wings should be 165°F. While the wings cook, warm the BBQ sauce in a small saucepan on low heat.
- Step 4: Toss wings in barbeque sauce. Add the cooked wings to a large bowl and pour the BBQ sauce over the top. Toss the wings in the sauce until they are fully coated. Serve with a side of your favorite blue cheese or ranch dip.
Variations
- Honey-Sweetened BBQ Wings: For a sweeter version, try adding a tablespoon of honey to the BBQ sauce.
- Spicy BBQ Wings: For spicy wings try adding a ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper to the spice rub or a few tablespoons of hot sauce to the barbeque sauce.
- Extra crispy air fryer wings: Adding one tablespoon of baking powder (not baking soda) to the spice rub helps create extra crispy air fryer chicken wings.
Expert Tips
- Pat the wings dry. Drier chicken wings will produce crispier skin.
- Do not overcrowd the air fryer: For best results, place the wings in a single layer with space in between each wing to ensure they crisp and cook properly.
- Use a digital meat thermometer: The best way to check for doneness is to use a digital meat thermometer. The chicken wings are fully cooked once they have reached 165°F.
Storage Instructions
- Storage: Place the leftover wings in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
- Reheating: You can reheat the wings in the air fryer at 390°F for 3 to 4 minutes or microwave until warm.
What To Serve With BBQ Chicken Wings
There are many delicious sides and appetizers to serve with these crispy wings. If I’m serving them as an appetizer, they go great with the following finger foods:
- Bacon-Wrapped Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates
- Cowgirl Caviar (aka healthy cowboy caviar)
- Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Baked Spinach Artichoke Dip Without Mayo
If I’m serving them as the main component of a meal, I will pair them with a vegetable or starch. Here are some of our favorites:
- Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- Roasted Rainbow Potatoes
- Gluten-Free Corn Casserole
- Gluten-Free Cornbread
- Roasted Asparagus With Balsamic Vinegar Glaze
- Baked Murasaki Sweet Potato Recipe
Common Questions
Yes, this BBQ chicken wing recipe can easily be made in the oven by following these steps:
1. Preheat the oven to 425℉. Layer a piece of parchment paper onto a baking sheet then place a wire rack on top of the parchment paper. Lightly grease the wire rack with a little oil to keep the wings from sticking.
2. Prep the wings. Using paper towels, pat the wings dry to remove any moisture. In a large mixing bowl, toss the wings with oil and spices.
3. Bake the wings. Spread out the wings in a single layer on the wire rack. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until crispy.
4. Coat the wings. Remove the wings from the oven and toss in a bowl of BBQ sauce.
I hope you love this Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Wings recipe as much as I do! If you make it, I’d love to hear how it turned out in the comment box below. Your review will help other readers in the community.
Recipe
Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Wings With Dry Rub
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken wings, wingette and drummette separated
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅔ cup (170g) barbecue sauce
Instructions
- Prep the wings. Preheat the air fryer for 2 to 3 minutes at 390℉. Pat the chicken wings dry with a paper towel and place them in a large mixing bowl. Toss the wings with olive oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper.
- Air fry the wings. Place the wings in a single even layer in the air fryer basket. Be careful not to overlap them, and work in batches if needed. Cook the wings for 10 minutes.
- Prepare the sauce and flip the wings. After 10 minutes, carefully flip the wings using tongs, and cook for another 7-8 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. The internal temperature of the wings should be 165°F. While the wings cook, warm the BBQ sauce in a small saucepan on low heat.
- Toss wings in barbeque sauce. Add the cooked wings to a large bowl. Pour the BBQ sauce over the top and toss until they are fully coated. Serve with your favorite blue cheese or ranch dip.
Notes
1. Preheat the oven to 425℉. Layer a piece of parchment paper onto a baking sheet then place a wire rack on top of the parchment paper. Lightly grease the wire rack with a little oil to keep the wings from sticking.
2. Prep the wings. Using paper towels, pat the wings dry to remove any moisture. In a large mixing bowl, toss the wings with oil and spices.
3. Bake the wings. Spread out the wings in a single layer on the wire rack. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until crispy.
4. Coat the wings. Remove the wings from the oven and toss in a bowl of BBQ sauce.
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