Air Fryer Sweet and Spicy Chicken Wings

Air Fryer Sweet and Spicy Chicken Wings are a tasty appetizer and perfect for game day.

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Sweet and spicy wings made in an air fryer

Chicken wings are just about the perfect fun-time food. Whether you are watching the big game with the family or just enjoying a few beers with friends, you can’t do better than fried wings as a please-all snack. And if you happen to have an air fryer at home, you are all set to cook up some fabulous air fryer chicken wings at home.

Air fryer chicken is just as good as traditional deep-fried wings with a whole less fat. If you love sweet and spicy food, and you happen to have an air fryer, you need to try this air fryer wings recipe!

Preparing the chicken wings

You can buy chicken wings already cut into wingettes and drumettes, but it will cost you more for the convenience. Instead, purchase full wings and cut them up yourself.

Stretch out the chicken wing on a cutting board so that part of the wing sticks up towards you. You can see three separate sections: the winglet (the part sticking up), the drumette (the middle portion), and the wingtip (at the top). Use your fingers to feel where each section connects to the next. You should be able to find where the end of bones connects.

Use the tip of a sharp knife to cut between these bones carefully. Keep the drumettes and winglets to make the air fryer chicken wings, discard the wingtips, or save them making chicken stock.

How to use an air fryer for cooking crispy chicken wings

Each air fryer is slightly different, so be sure to refer to the owner’s manual for your model for the best results. However, most of these suggestions will work for all air fryers.

Use a paper towel with cooking oil on it to grease the air fryer basket lightly. Make sure you get a good coating of oil, especially around the holes of the basket. Use a neutral oil that has a high smoke point, like canola oil. Set the basket aside as you prepare the chicken.

The enemy of crispy chicken is moisture, so make sure your chicken wings are bone dry before coating them in the dry spice mixture and laying them out on a cooling rack. Wait 30 minutes to allow the spice to flavor the inside of the wing.

Before placing the chicken wings into the frying basket, give the chicken a good shake to knock off any excess spice mixture and give a light spray of cooking oil. The little extra cooking oil will help the chicken develop a deep golden color and crispy skin. Remember not to stack the chicken wings on top of each other in the basket. If your basket is on the small side, you may need to cook in several batches. The total air fryer chicken wings cook time is 30 minutes.

Ingredients

What you need for the sweet and spicy wings:

• Chicken wings
• Chili powder
• Cumin powder
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Salt
• Ground pepper

What you need for the sweet and spicy wing sauce:

• Honey
• Lime juice
• Cornstarch
• Hot sauce
• Butter
• Worcestershire sauce
• Garlic powder
• Salt

Recommended equipment

You need an air fryer, but which one? There are so many models out there.

If you are cooking for just 1 to 2 people I really like the Phillips Air Fryer because it doesn’t take up a lot of counter space, and it is a workhorse. I have heated up slices of pizza, egg rolls, made grilled cheese sandwiches in here and so much more.

If you have a larger family, or a larger budget the Breville Smart Oven can air fry, bake, proof bread, and so much more. Its capacity is very large. You can make food for 4 to 6 people in his model.

How to make sweet and spicy chicken wings in an air fryer

1. Wash and use a paper towel to pat dry the chicken wings.
2. Spray the bottom of the air fryer basket with cooking spray. 
3. Mix together the chili powder, cumin powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
4. Add chicken wings into the spice mix and toss to coat well.
5. Marinate for 20 to 30 minutes.
6. Place the marinated chicken wings in the air-fryer basket.
7. Air-fry at 380 degrees for 24 minutes, flipping wings halfway through cooking time.
8. After 24 minutes, increase the air fryer temperature to 400 degrees and air-fry for 6 minutes.
9. While the wings are air frying, prepare the sweet and spicy sauce.
10. Place honey, lime juice, cornstarch, hot sauce, butter, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and salt in a small microwave-safe bowl.
11. Microwave sauce ingredients for 2 minutes. Stir or whisk to thoroughly combine. 
12. Once the chicken wings are air-fried, transfer them to a large bowl along with some of the wing sauce.
13. Toss to coat wings well with the sauce.
14. Serve with the wing sauce and ranch or blue cheese dressing.

Recipe tips

Don’t oversauce your wings. The goal is only to coat the wings with sweet and sour sauce. You don’t want them to be dripping with sauce. If you wish, you can serve with extra sauce on the side.

Be careful when flipping the wings. Use tongs or chopsticks to avoid burning yourself.

How to store and reheat leftovers

To store leftover chicken wings, let them cool to room temperature first. Place them in an airtight container or wrap them tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap to keep them fresh. Store the container in the refrigerator, where the wings will stay good for up to four days.

If you want to keep them longer, transfer the wings to a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze them for up to three months. For best results, freeze the wings in a single layer to prevent them from sticking together. Thaw them in the fridge overnight.

When it’s time to reheat the wings, there are a few options to choose from, depending on how crispy you want them:

Preheat the air fryer to 350°F. Place the wings in a single layer in the basket, and heat them for about 5-8 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through.

Or preheat your oven to 375°F and spread the wings out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Heat them for about 15 minutes, flipping halfway through, until they’re warmed through and the skin is crisp.

If you’re in a hurry, you can reheat them in the microwave. Place the wings on a microwave-safe plate, cover them with a damp paper towel to retain moisture, and heat them in 30-second intervals until warm. While the microwave is quicker, it won’t keep the wings as crispy.

Are you new to air frying? Watch us make other favorite foods in our air fryer on YouTube!

Love chicken wings? Try these recipes!

• Boneless Wings
• Garlic Buffalo Wings
• Grilled Buffalo Chicken Wings
• Habanero Wings
• Hooters Wings
• Hooters Wing Sauce
• Lemon Pepper Wingstop
• Parmesan Chicken Wings
• Pluckers Wings

Favorite Air Fryer Recipes

• Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
• Air Fryer Corn on the Cob
• Air Fryer Jalapeno Poppers
• Air Fryer Panko Shrimp

Be sure to check out more of my easy chicken wing recipes and the best air fryer recipes here on CopyKat.com!