If you love the spice of buffalo sauce along with tender, juicy chicken, then you are going to love these air fryer boneless chicken wings! The seasoned breading and spicy sauce gives these wings just the right flavor without having to marinate the meat or deal with the mess of a deep fryer!
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
Juicy and Flavorful: There is just something about messy fingers, spicy sauce, and juicy meat that makes any occasion, especially game day, extra fun!
Healthier: This air fryer recipe is a healthier version of buffalo wings. It gives you all of the flavor and texture you love using a method that is much easier than deep-frying. Plus there are no bones to mess with.
Fast and Easy: Now you don't have to wait for the Super Bowl! These delicious wings can be made up quickly any time you need a little extra fun in your life! It is so easy and delicious, it has become one of our favorite air fryer recipes!
If you love wings and unique, tasty flavors, try these Peanut Butter and Jelly Chicken Wings! And for boneless wings with a twist, Parmesan Cheese Garlic Wings and Wings with BBQ Sauce are family favorites!
Key Ingredients
See the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full list of ingredients, including measurements.
Chicken: This recipe uses boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into pieces similar in size to chicken wings. Boneless chicken thighs could be used if you prefer dark meat, but they may take a few minutes longer to cook.
All-Purpose Flour: I tested this recipe using cornstarch as well as baking powder, to see if I could make these extra-crispy chicken wings. There wasn't a noticeable texture difference with these ingredients. All-purpose flour gives a good texture and is a pantry staple.
Butter: This adds richness to the wing sauce, making it taste restaurant-quality!
Hot Sauce: Frank's is my favorite sauce to use in this recipe. It has the classic flavors of buffalo sauce that I love.
How to Make Air Fryer Boneless Wings
1) Prepare The Chicken
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces, about 1 inch by 2 inches.
- Pat the meat dry.
2) Whisk Eggs
- Crack the eggs into a shallow bowl or pie plate.
- Whisk the eggs until they are smooth.
- Coat the chicken strips completely in the egg mixture.
3) Prepare Flour Mixture
- Mix the flour and cornstarch in a separate bowl.
- Add the cayenne pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and salt and stir until combined.
4) Coat Chicken
- Working in batches, remove the chicken from the egg mixture allowing the excess to drip off.
- Place into the flour mixture and turn the chicken to coat well.
5) Cook in Air Fryer
- For the best results, place chicken pieces in a single layer in the air fryer basket, with a little bit of space between them.
- Spray chicken with olive oil spray. These won't be quite as crispy as deep-fried chicken wings, but if you spray them with oil it will help build some crispness.
- Start off by cooking for 5 minutes, then flip your chicken and spray them again with oil.
- Cook until the boneless chicken bites are golden brown.
- The total cook time will depend on the size of your chicken pieces. After a total of 10 minutes of cook time, check the chicken for doneness. They may take as much as 15 minutes.
6) Make Buffalo Wing Sauce
- While the chicken wings are cooking, mix together the buffalo sauce.
- It is really simple to make! There are just two ingredients: Butter and hot sauce!
- Heat in a saucepan over medium-low heat until the butter melts completely.
- Once the wings are fully cooked place them in a bowl, pour buffalo sauce over them, and toss with a spoon to coat the chicken pieces.
- Serve immediately, as they lose crispiness as they sit.
Serving Suggestions
- Enjoy with your favorite dipping sauce, like blue cheese dressing, or my favorite, ranch dressing.
- The classic accompaniment of celery sticks and carrots provides a welcome relief from the building heat of the buffalo sauce.
- Wings are also frequently enjoyed with pizza!
Can I Cook Frozen Wings in the Air Fryer?
Yes, frozen boneless chicken wings can be cooked without thawing them. Cook them at 380º (193°C) for 13-25 minutes.
The exact cook time will vary based on the size of the nuggets. Use a thermometer to check the internal temperature!
If the wings came with a sauce packet you can use that, or make the sauce included in this recipe (which I think is way better)!
Storage and Reheating
Transfer leftover boneless wings to an airtight container and keep them in the refrigerator. Buffalo wings will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
You can also freeze your leftovers. The best way to keep them from sticking together is by placing them in the freezer on a tray lined with parchment paper.
Once they are frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag and label them with the date. They will keep for up to 3 months.
When you are ready to reheat your wings, preheat your air fryer to Buffalo wings can be reheated in the air fryer at 350°F (177°C) oven for 8 minutes, or until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
Recipe FAQs
To bake in the oven, place the wings in a single layer on a baking sheet and cook at 375°F (190°C) for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (177°C). For added crispiness, broil for a minute or two before removing from the oven. I have a complete post on oven-baked boneless wings if you want to know more.
Boneless wings and chicken nuggets are similar in shape and both have a breadcrumb coating. However, the main difference lies in the flavorings. Wings are typically coated in sauces like buffalo sauce, while nuggets are usually enjoyed without any sauce.
An air fryer and an oven operate differently. The air fryer circulates hot air rapidly, similar to a convection oven, requiring less oil and offering faster cooking times. In contrast, a standard oven gradually heats the air and provides a larger cooking space, suitable for various cooking methods.
More Chicken Wings Recipes
Let me know how you like this recipe by leaving a review! And follow along on Instagram @stateofdinner for behind-the-scenes and to be among the first to know when new recipes post!
Recipe
Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Wings
Recipe by:Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound (16 ounces) boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup (130 grams) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter
- ½ cup (118 ml) hot pepper sauce (like Frank's Hot sauce)
- Olive oil spray (or your favorite oil spray)
Instructions
- Cut chicken into large chunks, about 1-inch by 2-inches.1 pound (16 ounces) boneless, skinless chicken breast
- In a shallow bowl, whisk the eggs. Place the chicken pieces into the eggs and toss to coat.2 eggs
- In a separate shallow bowl or large zip-top container, mix together the flour, cayenne, paprika, garlic powder, and salt.1 cup (130 grams) all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, ½ teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- Working in small batches, remove the chicken pieces from the eggs and allow the excess egg mixture to drip off. Add the chicken to the flour mixture and toss until the flour is coating the chicken well.
- Preheat the air fryer to 370°F (188°C). Spray the air fryer basket with avocado oil. Place the chicken in a single layer in the basket and spray lightly with the oil. It is best to leave a little bit of space between each piece of chicken to help them crisp up. You may need to cook them in batches, depending on the size of your air fryer.
- Cook for 5 minutes, then flip over and cook an additional 7-10 minutes, or until the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
- While the chicken is cooking, place the butter and hot sauce in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the butter has melted.2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter, ½ cup (118 ml) hot pepper sauce
- Once the chicken is cooked through, transfer to a large bowl and toss with the buffalo sauce.
- Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce.
Video
Notes
Refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheating:
Reheat in the air fryer at 350°F (177°C) for about 5 minutes until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Cooking Frozen Boneless Wings:
Frozen boneless wings should be cooked at 380º (193°C) for 13-25 minutes. The exact cook time will vary based on the size of the nuggets. Use a thermometer to check the internal temperature! Baking in Oven:
Place on a baking sheet in a single layer and cook at 375°F (190°C) for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). For added crispiness, broil for a minute or two before removing from the oven.
Lauren
I made these recently for a football watch party and will be making these again for the Superbowl. They are THE BEST!
Erin
Thank you, Lauren! Happy football watching!
Imari
Soo good! Is there a certain way to reheat these?
Erin
I am so glad you love these wings! To reheat, just cook them in a preheated air fryer at 350°F for about 5 minutes, or until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
maryannebell
Super yummy!
Erin
I am so glad that you enjoyed these chicken wings, Mary Anne!
Nick
How much cornstarch do you use in addition to the flour? Wasn't in the ingredients list but was going to try to make these tomorrow.
Erin
Hi Nick! I had intended on removing the cornstarch from the directions. Thank you for letting me know that it was still there! I tested this recipe with both cornstarch and flour, and then with only flour. There was not a noticeable texture difference using cornstarch so I decided to just have flour in the final recipe.
Let me know how you enjoy the wings!
Michael Clements
These wings taste just like the ones served at my favorite restaurant. I’m sold!
Erin
What a compliment! Thank you for sharing!