Honey Buffalo Wings (Oven & Air Fryer)

Healthier and flavorful chicken wings. Honey buffalo wings can be made in the oven or air fryer for the perfect crisp and delicious protein. You’ll also love my cottage cheese buffalo chicken dip, healthy spinach artichoke dip, and yogurt salsa ranch.

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Looking for crisp and saucy honey buffalo wings?

You’re in the right place! You’ll devour this easy recipe for hot honey chicken wings. And you’d never guess they’re made without the deep fryer.

This is a dietitian-designed recipe, which means you’re getting all the flavor of traditional wings without excess oil and saturated fats. And it’s so easy you’ll want to make it again and again.

Scroll down for everything you need to make these tasty wings, including oven and air fryer instructions.

Why you’ll love honey buffalo wings

• Saucy
• Crispy
• Spicy and sweet
• No deep frying needed
• Oven and air fryer instructions

What makes these wings healthier?

As usual, I used my dietitian judgement to make this recipe as nutritious as possible without sacrificing satisfaction. Here’s how:

• No deep frying for less saturated fats and fewer calories
• Less butter in Buffalo sauce for a better nutritional balance
• Nutritious serving suggestions for a balanced and nutrient-dense meal (scroll down for ideas!)

Key ingredients and swaps

• Split chicken wings: This recipe is flexible, but you’re looking for about 1 lb or 12-14 split wings. Don’t stress if you have a little less or a little more! Make sure you’re getting split wings to make life easier.
• Corn starch: If you don’t have corn starch, skip it. But this is important for a crisp texture on your wings.
• Spices: You’ll need onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Feel free to play around with seasonings to make a blend you love.
• Butter: We use a little bit of butter in the Buffalo sauce, but not too much. You can leave it out if preferred, but it does add to the flavor and mouthfeel.
• Buffalo sauce: I use Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Wings Sauce, but feel free to use any brand you enjoy. I also like the Buffalo sauce from Primal Kitchen.
• Honey: I don’t recommend any swaps for this particular recipe.

Scroll down to the recipe card for the full instructions and ingredients list.

How to make honey buffalo wings in the oven or air fryer

Pre-heat oven or air fryer: For oven, position the oven rack to the middle and pre-heat to 425 F. Line a baking tray with aluminum foil and set aside.

For air fryer, pre-heat to 400 F for 2-minutes.

Dry wings: Pat your chicken wings dry with a paper towel. Add to a large mixing bowl.

Season wings: In a separate small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and spices. Add to the large bowl with chicken wings and toss until well-coated. Use your hands to rub in any excess spices, if needed.

Cook wings: For oven, place your wings on the prepared baking tray, avoiding overlap. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until wings are deeply browned and crisp. Flip halfway.

For air fryer, place your wings in the air fryer basket, avoiding overlap. You may need to cook in two batches. Cook for 10 minute and toss your wings. Then, cook for an additional 5-10 minutes until wings are deeply browned and crisp.

For both cooking methods, the total cooking time depends on the size of your wings, so add more time as needed.

Prepare sauce: While the wings are cooking, prepare your honey buffalo sauce. To a small saucepan or pot, add all ingredients for the sauce and turn the heat to medium. Melt everything together, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is smooth and combined. Remove from heat and set aside.

Toss wings with sauce: Immediately after cooking, add wings and sauce into a clean, large mixing bowl. Toss until all wings are coated. Sprinkle with chives, and serve!

How to serve honey buffalo wings

You can serve honey buffalo wings as a snack, appetizer, or as part of a main meal. Here’s what to serve with them:

• Ranch dip
• Greek yogurt ranch dip
• Blue cheese dip
• Carrot sticks
• Celery sticks
• Snap peas
• Cherry tomatoes
• Broccoli or cauliflower florets
• High-fiber crackers

Nutrition tip: Wings contain protein and fat, so serve them with a source of fiber for balance. Add vegetables and fruit to the side with a delicious Greek yogurt dip!

Variations

• Add more honey to your honey buffalo sauce for a sweeter wing.
• Add more buffalo sauce and a pinch of red pepper flakes for an extra kick.
• Add 1-2 cloves of minced garlic to your honey buffalo sauce for some extra garlic flavor.
• Squeeze fresh lime juice over your wings for a fresh twist.

Common questions