These Air Fryer hot honey chicken wings are one of my must-have appetizers for game day. My sweet and spicy homemade hot honey wing sauce is made with real chiles for maximum flavor. If you’re serving a crowd, you might want to plan on a double batch, because these wings disappear fast!
Hot Honey Chicken Wings in the Air Fryer
I love making hot honey wings for game day, and when I’m short on time, I go straight to my Air Fryer. It cooks the wings quickly and evenly, giving me crisp skin without having to on my oven.
My homemade wing sauce sets this recipe apart from my baked version though. Instead of bottled hot honey, I make mine fresh from dried Guajillo chiles, citrus, and honey for a balance of sweetness, tang, and gentle heat. Toss the wings while they’re hot, and you’ll get that perfect sticky finish that makes these so hard to stop eating.
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Strain the Sauce Before Simmering
For the smoothest hot honey sauce, strain the blended chili mixture before simmering. Removing the chili skins gives you a glossy sauce that clings to the wings instead of settling at the bottom of the bowl.
Air Fryer Hot Honey Chicken Wings Recipe
Equipment
- 6-Qt Air Fryer
- High-Powered Blender or Food Processor
Ingredients
- 2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken wing portions (about 20-24 wings*)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
For the Wing Sauce:
- 6 dried Guajillo chili peppers (seeded and deveined**)
- ½ cup water
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons chopped onion
- 2 tablespoons ground paprika
- ½ cup orange juice
- 3 limes (juiced)
- 1½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
For Serving (Optional):
- blue cheese dressing or ranch
- carrot and celery sticks
- chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Place the chicken wings in a medium bowl. Season them with salt and pepper and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Mix until evenly combined.2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken wing portions, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Preheat air fryer to 390°F. Place the wings in one layer on the air fryer rack and cook, working in batches if needed, for 20-25 minutes, or until crispy and 165°F internally.
- While the chicken cooks, make the sauce. In a small saucepan, add the guajillo chilis with the water and let boil for 6 minutes.6 dried Guajillo chili peppers, ½ cup water
- Pour the chilis and water left in the saucepan into a blender. Add the garlic, onion, paprika, orange juice, lime juice, and vinegar. Blend until smooth. Use a strainer to make sure you remove any pieces of chili so it is completely smooth.2 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons chopped onion, 2 tablespoons ground paprika, ½ cup orange juice, 3 limes, 1½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- In a medium saucepan, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Let it heat up and pour the sauce into the pan and heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens a bit, about 10 minutes. While it’s heating up, add in the honey and additional salt and pepper to taste. Mix until combined.2 tablespoons honey
- Remove the chicken wings from the air fryer and place them into a large mixing bowl. Pour the sauce on top and toss until evenly covered.
- Serve immediately with blue cheese dressing, carrots and celery, and garnished with cilantro, if desired.blue cheese dressing or ranch, carrot and celery sticks, chopped fresh cilantro
Notes
- Pat the wings dry before seasoning to help them crisp up better.
- Don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket; cook in batches if needed so air can circulate and the wings get crispy.
- Optionally, shake the wings halfway through cooking to ensure they get evenly crunchy.
- To air fry raw wings from frozen, set the air fryer to 400°F and cook for 25 minutes, or until 165°F internally.
- If you want the wings very spicy, leave the guajillo chilis with the seeds and veins. If you want them mild, leave them in only two of the chilis.
- Wait to add the honey until after the sauce has thickened up, or it can scorch and add a bitter flavor.
- If the sauce thickens up too much, add an extra splash of orange juice to thin it back out.
- These wings are best served immediately. Keep the wings and sauce separate until serving. Tossing early softens the skin.
- Nutritional information does not include optional ingredients.
Note: Water, salt, pepper, oil, and broth are not counted as ingredients on this site.
How to Make Hot Honey Wings in the Air Fryer Step by Step
Prep: Gather up all of the ingredients needed to make these air fryer wings with hot honey sauce. Seed and devein the chili peppers, chop the onion, and juice the limes. Pat the wings dry to remove any excess moisture so they crisp up nicely.
Season the Wings: Place 2 pounds of bone-in, skin-on chicken wing portions in a medium bowl. Season them with 2 teaspoons of kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper, then toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Mix until evenly combined.
Cook the Wings: Preheat your Air Fryer to 390°F. Place the wings in a single layer in the air fryer basket and cook, working in batches if needed, for 20-25 minutes; or until crispy and cooked through to 165°F internally.
Hydrate the Chilis: While the chicken cooks, make the sauce. In a small saucepan, add the 6 seeded and deveined guajillo chilis with ½ cup of water, and let it boil for 6 minutes.
Blend the Sauce: Pour the chilis and any water left in the saucepan into a blender. Add 2 cloves of garlic, 2 tablespoons of chopped onion, 2 tablespoons of ground paprika, ½ cup of orange juice, the juice of 3 limes, and 1½ tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. Blend until smooth. Use a strainer to make sure you remove any pieces of chili so it is completely smooth.
Cook the Sauce: In a medium saucepan, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Let it heat up, then pour the strained sauce into the pan and heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens a bit, about 10 minutes. While it’s heating up, add in 2 tablespoons of honey and additional salt and pepper to taste. Mix until combined. If at any point the sauce thickens up too much, add a splash of orange juice to thin it back out.
Sauce the Wings: Remove the cooked chicken wings from the air fryer and place them into a large mixing bowl. Pour the sauce on top and toss everything until evenly coated.
Garnish and Serve: Serve immediately with blue cheese dressing or ranch, carrot and celery sticks, and garnished with cilantro, if desired.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
Store leftover hot honey wings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating in the air fryer at 375°F for about 5 minutes.
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