Air Fryer Honey Garlic Chicken Wings

Name: Air Fryer Honey Garlic Chicken Wings
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 27 min
Ingredients: 2 pounds chicken wings ((I used full chicken wings but you can use drumettes and flats)); 2 tablespoons cornstarch; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; ½ teaspoon minced garlic; ½ teaspoon salt ((if not making the sauce, add ½ teaspoon extra)); ½ teaspoon black pepper; ½ cup honey; ¼ cup soy sauce; 1 teaspoon sesame seeds; ½ teaspoon ground ginger; 2 tablespoons water

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Air Fryer Honey Garlic Chicken Wings will have your taste buds dancing with their nutty garlic flavor balanced by sugary rich honey and perfectly crispy skin! Whether you’re cooking for a crowd or just for yourself, these wings are easy to prepare and will have you coming back for more.

A white plate piled with air fryer honey garlic chicken wings garnished with chives.

Why We Love This Recipe!

Made Quicker and Easier: Air frying makes cooking dinner nearly effortless and much easier to clean up after! And as a bonus, air fryer recipes are often healthier than deep frying.
Awesome for a Crowd: Feed several people these saucy honey garlic chicken wings! Perfect for game-day nibbles or chaotic family gatherings. Not to mention, the recipe is easily doubled.
Optional Sauce: Alone, these chicken wings are absolutely delish! But the sauce boosts them to the next level. With the optional sauce, switch things up by occasionally omitting or adding it.

Cooking wings couldn’t be easier; frying them in the air fryer is a fool-proof way to ensure crispy wings on the outside coated with sweet, garlicky sauce!

We sure do love a good air fryer recipe here! This incredibly convenient kitchen appliance is the best way to make meals quicker, easier, and healthier.

Even better, the ingredients for these air-fried chicken wings are likely sitting in your kitchen pantry right now! No need to spend a pretty penny on unusual spices and seasonings.

Craving more dishes made faster with less hassle in the air fryer? You’ve come to the right place! Try my juicy and sweet Corn Ribs, tender Sweet Potato Cubes, Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas, or these effortless and classic Air Fryer Hot Dogs.

This air fryer chicken wing recipe is perfect as a tasty appetizer or the main star of the meal. Either way, these honey garlic wings with homemade sauce are sure to please!

Ingredient Notes

Chicken Wings & Honey Garlic Sauce

Chicken wings: I used chicken wings, but you can use drumettes and flats for even smaller appetizer bites.
Cornstarch: Cornstarch helps the seasonings stick to the wings and creates a crisp outside. Keep in mind that flour is not a good substitute for this recipe. The taste and texture will be very different from using cornstarch. Potato starch is a good alternative.
Garlic: You can’t call them honey garlic wings without plenty of garlic. Use garlic powder and freshly minced garlic cloves to bring a nutty flavor and subtle spice that contrasts the sweet honey nicely.
Salt and pepper: Of course, you’ll season the wings with a bit of salt and freshly ground black pepper. If you choose not to make the sauce, add ½ teaspoon extra salt.
Honey: Choose your favorite bottle of honey to give the sauce all the sweetness it needs.
Soy sauce: Soy sauce brings the wing sauce a salty and savory taste.
Sesame seeds: Add sesame seeds for a slight crunch.
Ground ginger: Ground ginger gives this unique wing sauce a fresh flavor with a hint of spice.

A labeled image of all the ingredients needed to make honey garlic chicken wings.

Variations and Substitutions

Less Sweet Sauce: If you prefer your wings to be a little less sugary-sweet, feel free to reduce the measurement of honey.
Turn Up the Heat: It’s fun to add a little heat to a sweeter wing sauce. Try sprinkling in a dash of cayenne pepper, chili sauce, or your favorite hot sauce. Be sure to add small amounts at a time and taste as you go to avoid overpowering the sweetness with the spice.
Not a Fan of Garlic?: No problem. Not everyone likes the unique taste of garlic, especially when it’s fresh. To lessen the garlic flavor, omit the minced garlic or substitute the garlic powder and minced garlic for onion powder. This will give a similar savory taste without the strong garlic flavor.

How To Make Air Fryer Chicken Wings with Honey Garlic Sauce

✱ Be sure to see the recipe card below for exact ingredients and full recipe instructions!

Step 1 | Preheat the air fryer

Start this simple chicken wing recipe by preheating the air fryer to 390°F and set it aside for about two minutes while you move on to other tasks.

If preferred, you may also want to prep the ingredients by mincing the fresh garlic cloves and pre-measuring the seasonings.

Step-by-step photos show adding salt & pepper, then garlic, then cornstarch to chicken wings.

Step 2 | Season the wings

Next, remove the packaging from your chicken wings and pat them dry with paper towels. Set out a large bowl and add the wings to it. Then, season them by sprinkling on some garlic powder, freshly minced garlic, salt, ground black pepper, and cornstarch. Gently rub the spices all over the chicken wings until all are completely coated.

Step 3 | Add the chicken to the air fryer

Slide the preheated air fryer back into your workspace and place the chicken wings in the basket. If you want perfect chicken skin, sprinkle or spray olive oil over the chicken wings to make the wings extra golden brown and crispy. You can also use sesame oil or cooking spray.

Step-by-step photos show adding seasoned chicken wings to air-fried, cooking wings, turning wings, and finishing frying.

Step 4 | Fry the wings

Next, cook the seasoned wings for about 12 minutes. Then, turn the chicken wings over and air fry for 12 more minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 175°F. Use a kitchen thermometer inserted into the center of the meat for the most accurate reading.

Cook Note: ( You may sprinkle or spray some olive oil over the chicken wings. We have tested and really didn’t notice a difference. But some people like to do this so it is *OPTIONAL*)

Step 5 | Cook the delicious sauce

While the wings fry, make the honey garlic sauce. Take out a saucepan, and add all the sauce ingredients, including soy sauce, minced garlic, sesame seeds, ground ginger, honey, and water. Then, set the burner to medium heat and whisk the sauce until it begins to boil.

Next, lower the heat to a simmer. For the best results, let the ingredients cook for around 4 to 5 minutes or until the sauce’s texture is nice and thick.

Step-by-step photos showing adding honey garlic sauce to air-fried chicken wings.

Step 6 | Coat the wings in sauce

Now, place the cooked and perfectly seasoned chicken wings into a large bowl. If you use the same bowl to season the raw wings, remember to thoroughly wash it with plenty of soap.

Pour the freshly made honey garlic sauce on the crisp, tender chicken wings. Then, use tongs to mix it all around, smothering the sticky honey garlic sauce wings in the sauce.

Step 7 | Cook one more time and serve!

This air fryer chicken wings recipe is even better when double-fried! So, toss the coated chicken wings back into the air fryer basket and cook for another 3 or 4 minutes at 390°F. Then, the saucy wings are ready to serve!

Step-by-step photos show tongs remove sauced wings from bowl, adding to air fryer, wings in bottom of air fryer, then tongs removing cooked wings.

Tips

Avoid Overcrowding the Basket – Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook the chicken wings in a few batches. For example, if you have a smaller appliance, cook just three or four wings at a time. You don’t want to overcrowd the basket for the tastiest results and most even frying.
Be Careful Not to Burn the Sauce– Be sure to reduce the heat for the sauce as soon as it starts to boil, or you may burn the ingredients!

A hand lifting up a chicken wing from a plate of wings.

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Recipe FAQ’s

Do you need to spray the air fryer basket with oil before cooking?

You sure can, but it won’t make or break the recipe. If desired, prep the air fryer basket with olive oil or a small amount of coconut or canola oil. Crisco also works well! Doing this will help the wings not stick to the surface. However, if you sprinkle them with some oil, you can skip this optional step.

How do you make wings extra crispy?

There are several methods for extra crispy chicken wings. Try adding a bit of baking powder to the wings before placing them in the air fryer or using canola oil while cooking. You can also experiment with a higher temperature and quicker cooking time.

Can you use frozen wings for saucy air fryer chicken wings?

If using frozen wings, preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees and cook for around 10 minutes on each side. Check their doneness with a thermometer and ensure the internal temperature is 165 degrees.

Storage

Refrigerate Leftovers: Store your leftover chicken wings in an airtight container in your fridge for up to four days. To reheat, toss them back into the air fryer until warmed, or heat them in the microwave or even the oven.

Freezing Chicken Wings: In a sealed freezer bag or container, wings will last around three months. Let them thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat them in the air fryer.

An upclose image of a gooey chicken wing coated with sesame seed garlic honey sauce.

What to Serve

My Blue Cheese Cole Slaw Recipe perfectly compliments these sweet and savory, delicious wings —I can taste it now! It also goes well with tender and cheesy Cast Iron Skillet Garlic & Parmesan Potatoes.

For a little something green, serve these wings with my easy Instant Pot Garlic Butter Green Beans. And, of course, a steaming-hot serving of Macaroni and Cheese always does the trick.

More Delicious Chicken Recipes

Crock Pot Mississippi Chicken
Buffalo Chicken Sliders
Panko Crusted Oven Fried Chicken Drumstick (This one everyone raves over)
Chicken and Dirty Rice Skillet
Skillet Lemon Chicken and Potatoes

More Game Day Recipe Ideas

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5 from 8 votes (3 ratings without comment)

5 Comments

Amanda Wren-Grimwood says:

March 2, 2023 at 9:05 am

Love crispy chicken wings and these are so delicious with the honey garlic sauce.

Whitney says:

March 2, 2023 at 7:55 am

Oh my goodness, my mouth is watering. Your sauce looks amazing and I can’t wait to get the air fryer out to try these!

Dannii says:

March 2, 2023 at 7:09 am

These were perfectly cooked and the flavour was incredible.

Ieva says:

March 2, 2023 at 4:34 am

We made these last weekend and we fell in love! So flavoursome and that sauce is PERFECTION!

Jacqueline says:

March 2, 2023 at 3:05 am

That sauce sounds really tasty. I’m going to try that.