These Sweet & Tangy Air Fryer BBQ Wings Are Better Than Takeout
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Craving chicken wings but trying to resist the temptation of takeout? These sweet and tangy air fryer barbecue wings are the perfect solution. Brought to us by Catherine Brookes, this recipe couldn't be easier to whip up, with the wings ready to enjoy in just 30 minutes, achievable with the air fryer.
You'll find that using the air-frying technique in this recipe gives the chicken a beautiful char on the outside while keeping the meat nice and juicy. And, compared to the more traditional oven-baking method, it'll save you time, so if you haven't tried cooking chicken wings in your air fryer yet, this is your sign. Because these wings are both rubbed with dry spices and tossed in barbecue sauce, they most definitely deliver on the sweet and tangy flavor, with the chicken's coating gloriously caramelized when fresh out of the air fryer.
Guaranteed to come out sticky, saucy, and cooked to tender perfection, these wings are perfect when served as an appetizer with your favorite dips or as part of an easy weeknight dinner with a selection of sides. As you take your first succulent, barbecue-infused bite, we guarantee you'll be glad you didn't spend a fortune on takeout instead!
The ingredients needed to make sweet and tangy air fryer BBQ chicken wings
When it comes to making wings of any kind, the seasoning is crucial. To give the chicken in this recipe a spicy, savory flavor that goes well with sweet and tangy notes, you'll need olive oil and a selection of seasonings — paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper — to coat the wings. Then, grab some of your favorite store-bought barbecue sauce to toss with the air-fried spicy wings.
Step 1: Mix the seasonings and oil
Mix the olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl.
Step 2: Pat the chicken dry
Lay out the chicken wings and pat dry with paper towels.
Step 3: Rub the chicken in seasoning
Add the wings to a large bowl with the spice mixture. Mix well to coat evenly.
Step 4: Prep the air fryer for sweet and tangy air fryer BBQ wings
Line your air fryer basket(s) with parchment paper or brush the rack with oil.
Step 5: Cook the wings
Add the chicken wings to the basket(s) without overlapping them — work in batches if needed. Cook for 10 minutes at 375 F.
Step 6: Flip and continue air-frying
Flip the wings and cook for another 8 minutes.
Step 7: Time for the BBQ sauce
In a mixing bowl, toss the wings with the BBQ sauce.
Step 8: Return the chicken to the air fryer
Return the coated wings to the air fryer and cook for a final 2 minutes.
Step 9: Garnish and serve the sweet and tangy air fryer BBQ wings
Serve the wings garnished with chopped parsley if desired.
Pairs well with sweet and tangy air fryer BBQ wings
Sweet And Tangy Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Wings Recipe
If you don't have an air fryer, you're going to wish you did to make these sweet and tangy air fryer barbecue wings. And they're ready in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 pounds chicken wings (left intact)
- ⅔ cup barbecue sauce
Optional Ingredients
- Chopped parsley, for garnishing
Directions
- Mix the olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl.
- Lay out the chicken wings and pat dry with paper towels.
- Add the wings to a large bowl with the spice mixture. Mix well to coat evenly.
- Line your air fryer basket(s) with parchment paper or brush the rack with oil.
- Add the chicken wings to the basket(s) without overlapping them — work in batches if needed. Cook for 10 minutes at 375 F.
- Flip the wings and cook for another 8 minutes.
- In a mixing bowl, toss the wings with the barbecue sauce.
- Return the coated wings to the air fryer and cook for a final 2 minutes.
- Serve the wings garnished with chopped parsley if desired.
Nutrition
| Calories per Serving | 491 |
| Total Fat | 31.7 g |
| Saturated Fat | 7.6 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.1 g |
| Cholesterol | 201.4 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 17.0 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0.9 g |
| Total Sugars | 12.5 g |
| Sodium | 537.5 mg |
| Protein | 32.5 g |
What dips go well with BBQ chicken wings?
The natural pairing for barbecue chicken wings is, of course, a cool and creamy ranch dip, but there's also plenty of room to experiment with other sauces here. Another delicious idea is to serve your wings with a rich and tangy blue cheese dip. The combination of blue cheese crumbles, sour cream, and mayonnaise nicely contrasts with the sweetness of the barbecue sauce.
Or, to add some tasty garlicky flavor to your plate, pair the wings with a roasted garlic aioli. Baking the already flavor-packed garlic bulbs gives them a wonderful caramelized sweetness that makes the dip seriously more aromatic when blended with mayonnaise and lemon juice.
If you love zesty, herbaceous flavors, try some Greek yogurt enhanced with some lime juice and chopped cilantro. A honey mustard dip made with mayonnaise is another classic choice, offering a tangy sweetness that fits in seamlessly alongside the barbecue sauce.
Can I bake or pan-fry the wings instead?
If you don't have an air fryer, using a different cooking method to make these barbecue wings is no problem. The most obvious choice, and one that's just as simple, is oven-baking the chicken. For this technique, start by following the chicken preparation steps as usual — patting the meat dry and rubbing it with the olive oil and seasonings. Then, arrange the wings on a foil-lined baking sheet or metal rack, and bake them at 425 F for around 35 to 45 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 F. Finally, toss the chicken in the barbecue sauce, and it's ready to serve.
To pan-fry the wings, the chicken can again be coated in the seasoning mixture as usual. Next, place your frying pan over high heat and wait for it to get nice and hot. Add the wings and sear them for around two minutes per side to give the skin some color. Then, reduce the heat to low and cover the pan with a lid. Cook the chicken for another 20 minutes, flipping it every now and again until fully cooked through, before adding the sauce.