The Best Party Wings

Looking for a recipe that will feed (and please) a crowd? Do you have a game night or gathering to attend? These air fryer wings are perfect. I’ve tossed them in a home-made hot honey barbecue sauce and trust me when I say they are soooo good.

So I got an air fryer for Christmas! I know, it’s March and I’m still talking about Christmas presents. I’m still learning the versatility of an air fryer, but I knew I could make wings and fries. I like my wings mildly spicy (think buffalo wings with the sauce dabbed off, dunked in ranch…please don’t judge) and my husband prefers honey barbecue. I didn’t want to make two different sauces, so we compromised on a spicy honey barbecue. And let me tell ya, the recipe I came up with is delicious. I’ve made this recipe for just the two of us on several occasions, but I also made these for a Superbowl party and they were gone almost instantly.

Because this is a sauce, exact measurements are not as crucial and I normally eyeball this recipe, but I’ve measured it out as best I can for you below. The recipe card is for a party size, but if you’re making wings for a smaller crowd, you can halve the recipe, or double it if you want to make a bigger portion. You can also adjust the spice level to your preference as well. The whiskey is optional, I happened to have some on hand that I wanted to use up.

This sauce also makes a great marinade. I made baked barbecue chicken the other night, and normally I’m super lazy and just pour some bottled barbecue sauce over some chicken breasts and throw them in the oven, but that night, I threw together this sauce (sans hot sauce) and baked them at 375° for 35 minutes and they turned out amazing. Highly recommend. (Also score, you got 2 recipes in one. You’re welcome.)

The Best Party Wings

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* prep time: 5 minutes
* cook time: 1 hour 15 minutes
* total time: 1 hour 20 minutes
* servings: 6-10

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Ingredients:

– 2 cups barbecue sauce
– 1/2 tbsp onion powder
– 1 1/2 tbsp worcestershire
– 3/4 cup honey
– 1/4 cup brown sugar
– 1/2 tsp salt
– 1 1/2 tbsp frank's red hot buffalo sauce
– 1 tbsp whiskey optional
– 40 party wings

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Instructions:

1. Dab off wings and season with salt and pepper.
   
   
2. Working in batches, place wings in a single layer in basket and fry for 17 minutes at 390°F (or until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F), flipping halfway through.
   
   
3. Combine all ingredients for sauce, whisking till smooth.
   
   
4. Transfer fried wings to sauce and toss to coat. Allow to sit in sauce while you fry the remaining wings.
   
   
5. Remove wings from sauce. Either double fry for 2 minutes, or bake for 3-5 minutes in the oven at 350°F. This will reheat the wings and thicken the sauce.
   
   
6. Serve with air fried sweet potato fries, carrots, and celery.
   
   

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Notes:
– Make sure to not crowd your basket, you want the air to circulate. That's how you get the wings nice and crispy. The process time may vary depending on the size of your basket. I can fit 8-10 wings in mine.
– I preheat my fryer for 3 minutes before putting my wings in. This makes sure your fryer is nice and hot.
– I like to double fry my wings, it gives the sauce nice and sticky. But if you're pressed for time, you can finish them by baking them on a baking sheet in a single layer at 350°F for 3-5 minutes.
– The sauce can be reserved and used as a dipping sauce for those who like 'em extra saucy.