Game Day Air Fryer Wings
Proper crispy wings with no fryer and no flour. A baking powder dry rub draws the skin tight and crackly in the air fryer, then a quick honey-buffalo toss at the end. Around 400 calories and 37 grams of protein a serving, which is not what wings usually do.
Method
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Pat the wings completely dry with paper towels, then toss in a large bowl with the baking powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, and salt until evenly coated.
💡 Tip: Dry skin plus baking powder is the whole crispy mechanism. Do not skip the drying. -
Arrange the wings in a single layer in the air fryer basket, skin sides exposed.
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Air fry at 200C / 400F for 20 to 24 minutes, flipping halfway, until deep golden and crackly.
💡 Tip: Every air fryer runs different. Check at 18 minutes the first time you make these. -
Whisk the hot sauce and honey together in a large bowl.
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Toss the hot wings through the sauce and serve immediately.
💡 Tip: Serve half plain, half sauced if you are feeding a crowd. The dry-rub wings stand on their own.
Notes
Baking powder, not baking soda. It changes the skin's pH so it browns and crisps. Aluminium-free tastes cleaner.
Dry the wings hard with paper towels first. Surface moisture is the enemy of crispy.
Single layer in the basket, cook in two batches if needed. Crowded wings steam.
Sauce goes on after cooking. Sauced wings burn in the air fryer.
Nutrition Information
| Calories | 400kcal |
| Total Fat | 26g |
| Total Carbohydrates | 5g |
| Protein | 37g |
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why baking powder?
It raises the pH of the skin and forms tiny bubbles as it cooks, which is what gets you deep-fried texture from hot air. It is the standard trick behind every crispy oven and air fryer wing worth eating.
How are these macro friendly at 26 grams of fat?
Wings come with skin, and the fat lives there. What changes here is everything else: no frying oil, no flour dredge, and a sauce that is mostly hot sauce rather than butter. Per gram of protein, these are a completely different food from takeout wings.
Can I do these in the oven?
Yes. 220C / 425F on a wire rack over a tray for 40 to 45 minutes, flipping once. The air fryer is faster and slightly crispier, but the rack method is close.
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