These crispy honey barbecue chicken wings are smothered in a delicious homemade BBQ sauce. Everyone will want seconds of this sweet and savory appetizer, and it only takes 20 minutes to make!
The Super Bowl is coming up, meaning it’s time for “all the chicken wings“, baby! Marinating your chicken is officially a thing of the past, thanks to the air fryer. These flavorful honey barbecue chicken wings are beautifully tender with ultra crispy edges. Just how chicken wings should be! I’m drooling just thinking about it. All you need is 20 minutes and an appetite.
Why I Love These Honey Barbecue Wings
- Homemade barbecue sauce. The sauce is seriously so easy to make. It’s sweet, spicy with notes of smokiness from the smoked paprika. You’re going to be obsessed!
- Perfectly crispy. I’ve made thousands of chicken wings over the years. Wink. Wink. I’m sharing all of my tips and tricks to make the best air fryer chicken wings that are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
- Quick. This easy air fryer method makes the crispiest honey barbecue chicken wings in 20 minutes. You can’t beat it.
- Versatile. I love dipping these wings in ranch or blue cheese to add a cool and creamy element, and they’re delicious served as-is, too. They’re great as a starter, appetizer, or as a meal with some tasty sides. I include easy serving suggestions later in the post.
p.s. Nothing pairs better with game day than crispy chicken wings smothered in a delicious sauce. Try out my baked Korean BBQ chicken wings or my sweet and spicy BBQ chicken wings, next.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This dish comes together with a pound of chicken wings, a handful of spices, and a 4-ingredient sauce. It doesn’t get much simpler than that! Check out my ingredient notes here, and scroll down to the recipe card for the printable recipe with the full amounts.
For the Chicken Wings
- Chicken Wings – Use bone-in or boneless; whichever you prefer.
- Avocado Oil – Avocado oil has a high smoke point that makes it perfect for air frying. You can use any vegetable oil you’d like.
- Seasonings – Garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. You can crack up the heat by adding cayenne pepper or chili pepper. You can also use your favorite store-bought or homemade spice rub.
For the Honey Barbecue Sauce
- Barbecue Sauce – I use Stubbs original BBQ, but feel free to go with your favorite brand.
- Honey – The sweetness from the honey really adds depth of flavor to this dish. You could also use brown sugar in a pinch.
- Dijon Mustard – Use the brand you prefer. Yellow mustard also works.
- Sriracha Sauce – Spicy wings simply aren’t the same without a little sriracha or hot sauce!
How to Make Honey Barbecue Chicken Wings
I love how easy these air fryer wings are to make. Just turn that air fryer on, season up those wings, air fry them and smother them with sauce. The spice rub adds an extra layer of flavor, so don’t skip it! Here’s how to make them. Scroll to the recipe card for the printable instructions.
- Season the chicken. Start by whisking garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper to make the seasoning. Next, pat the chicken wings dry with paper towels, then combine the chicken with the spices and avocado oil and toss to coat.
- Cook! Preheat the air fryer to 400ºF, and arrange the chicken wings in a single layer inside the basket. You may need to cook in batches depending on how many you’re serving and the size of your air fryer. Cook for 8 minutes, flip, and cook for an additional 8 minutes or until the wings are golden and crispy.
- Make the barbecue sauce. I usually mix up the honey barbecue sauce while the air fryer preheats. Heat BBQ sauce, honey, dijon mustard, and sriracha to a saucepan. Stir and let the sauce simmer for 2 minutes, then set it aside off the heat.
- Coat the wings. When the chicken wings are ready, add them to a large bowl with the barbecue sauce and toss to coat.
Tips for Success
- Dry the wings. Don’t skip the step of patting dry your chicken wings. Less moisture makes for crispier skin.
- Don’t crowd the air fryer. Make sure you’re not putting too many wings in your air fryer basket, or they won’t come out as crispy. They should be spaced enough so they’re not touching one another. Work in batches if need be.
- Cook until golden. The cook time for this recipe varies depending on the size of your air fryer and how big your wings are. Once they’re done, they’ll look nice and golden-brown.
- Different seasonings. I love to add multiple layers of spice for depth of flavor in these wings. It’s as easy as changing things up with my favorite spice rubs for chicken.
Serving Suggestions
These wings will make a fabulous starter for any meal, and there are tons of tasty things to serve alongside them. I love them dipped in ranch or blue cheese dressing, paired with crudités like carrots and celery sticks. I also like to pair wings with other favorite appetizers like corn on the cob, stuffed jalapeño peppers, and chili con queso with tortilla chips or air fryer wonton chips for dipping.
This recipe is definitely game day worthy. The napkins you use will be well worth it! (Is it really game day food if it doesn’t get a little messy?)
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Store any leftover honey barbecue air fyer chicken wings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheat. Chicken wings are best when they’re fresh, however, they will still taste wonderful the second time around. Reheat your wings in the oven at 350F for about 5-8 minutes.
- Freeze. You can freeze cooked chicken wings for up to 6 weeks in a freezer-safe container. Then thaw frozen wings overnight in the fridge before reheating and serving.
More Air Fryer Recipes
Honey Barbecue Chicken Wings
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 16 minutes
- Total Time: 21 minutes
- Yield: 20 wings 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Air Fryer
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Make extra crispy honey barbecue air fryer chicken wings smothered in a sweet and sticky homemade BBQ sauce. This recipe makes the best game day appetizer!
Ingredients
Air Fryer Chicken Wings
- 1 lb. chicken wings
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Honey BBQ Sauce
- 1 cup of your favorite bbq sauce (I used Stubbs original BBQ)
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoon sriracha sauce
Instructions
- To a small bowl add garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper.
- Pat chicken wings dry and place in a large bowl. Season with avocado oil and spice rub. Toss to coat. Set aside.
- Preheat air fryer basket to 400°F for 2 minutes.
- While air fryer is heating make BBQ Sauce. To a small sauce pan add BBQ sauce, honey, dijon mustard and sriracha. Stir and bring to a low simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Place chicken wings on air fryer basket, evenly spaced so they aren’t crowded. Cook for 8 minutes. Flip then cook an additional 8 minutes of the other side. (or until chicken wings are crispy and golden)
- Once chicken wings are done place in a large bowl. Cover with Honey BBQ Sauce and toss to coat.
- Serve with carrots and celery sticks if desired.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 wings
- Calories: 167
- Sugar: 11 g
- Sodium: 416 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Carbohydrates: 13 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
14 comments on “Crispy Honey Barbecue Wings”
BEST WINGS I’VE EVER HAD ! I FOLLOWED THE DIRECTIONS TO THE LETTER . SERIOUSLY THE BEST FLAVOR AND TEXTURE I EVER HAD AT HOME OR ABROAD. THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH. THIS IS THE ONLY WING RECIPE I WILL EVER USE.
Oh my gosh that just made my day! My son and I are obsessed with these too!
These are fabulous and tender. Just made them. Added a little soy sauce for the Asian colour and kick and swapped, Sesame oil for coconut oil. Which is what I have!
Thank you & bless you Krista!
Yeah!!! So awesome to hear! And love the additions!
Incredible! Love that they are quick to make in the air fryer so was able to make these on a week night. And they are tasty enough without adding the sauce on top…we used it as a dipping sauce (and it is DELICIOUS). This recipe has become a staple in my recipe collection
Yeah! So honored to hear that it’s become a staple at your house!
I made these for dinner tonight and they were delicious. I would probably halve the sauce because it was a lot for just 1 lb of chicken wings.
I will definitely make these again!
Woohoo! So glad you loved them! And yes, these are saucey, my kiddos are obsessed with sauce so the more the better! haha
Thank you for sharing this yummy and quick recipe. I recently made chicken wings, but the recipe was a little different. I wish to make this one as well.
I hope you give this recipe a try! The Air Fryer makes them so crispy!
Awesome recipe! Coming from someone that doesn’t have hardly any cooking experience, this definitely has me inspired to get in the kitchen more! I look forward to trying more of your recipes! Thanks!
This makes my heart so happy! Being in the kitchen is life-giving for me! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Girlfriend, these were the best Air Fryer Wings I have ever made!!!! They were so crispy and delicious and so easy to make. Oh my Goodness Thank you for sharing!! I will never make them any other way again.
Thank you! Thank you! Get ready because I have a new Air Fryer recipe coming soon! You are going to love it!