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Air Fryer Honey Garlic Chicken
Twenty minutes, one sauce, zero babysitting. These air fryer honey garlic wings come out crispy every time, and the double cook method is what makes them worth making again.
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I make these wings more than I'd like to admit. They're such an easy dinner. They take about 20 minutes, use stuff I almost always have on hand, and every single time I put them on the table, they're the first thing to disappear.
I've made honey-garlic chicken in a stovetop fryer, baked in the oven, and on the grill. The air fryer version is the one that actually gets crispy without me babysitting the whole time. No flipping every few minutes, no vat of hot oil. You set a timer, make your sauce on the side, and that's basically it.
This recipe is proof that homemade sauces are so much better than bottled.
Butter, garlic, honey, a little soy sauce, cooked down until thick and sticky. Then you toss the wings in it and send them back into the air fryer for another minute or two.
That last step is the one most people skip, and it's the one you absolutely must do! The sauce goes from coating the wings to caramelizing onto them, and that's why people ask for the recipe at every party I throw.
Ingredients for Air Fryer Honey Garlic Chicken Wings
This recipe uses chicken wings cut into drumettes and wingettes, with the tips removed. You can often find them prepared and cleaned at the supermarket.
You’ll need:
- 1½ to 2 pounds of chicken wings, cut into drumettes and wingettes with the tip removed
- 5 tablespoons salted butter, divided
- 1 to 2 tablespoons honey garlic seasoning blend
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ½ cup honey
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
Optional
- Green onion
- Sesame seeds
How to Make Honey Garlic Chicken Wings in the Air Fryer
A Few Notes Before You Start
Pat your wings dry before anything else. This is not optional if you want crispy skin. Moisture is the enemy, and will make your wings soggy. A dry paper towel and 30 seconds of effort makes a real difference.
Every air fryer cooks a little differently. Mine runs hot. Yours might run cool. Check your wings at the 7-minute mark and go from there. The goal is 165°F internal and golden skin, not a specific time on a clock.
Don't crowd the basket. I know it's tempting to fit it all in one go. If your wings are touching, they'll steam instead of crisp. Do two batches if you need to.
To Make The Wings In The Air Fryer
FIRST STEP: Preheat your air fryer to 400°F. Pat the wing pieces dry with a paper towel.
SECOND STEP: Drizzle the wings with 1 tablespoon of melted butter and rub the honey garlic seasoning all over them.
THIRD STEP: Arrange the wings in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cook for 7 to 9 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Work in batches if needed so the wings aren't crowded.
How To Make The Honey Garlic Wing Sauce
FIRST STEP: While the wings cook, melt the remaining butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
SECOND STEP: Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
THIRD STEP: Pour in the honey and soy sauce and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer.
FOURTH STEP: Let it simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, until the sauce thickens and looks syrupy.
FIFTH STEP: Pull the wings out and toss or dip them in the sauce until fully coated.
How To Finish The Wings
Put the wings back in the air fryer for 1 to 2 minutes, just until the sauce gets sticky and the edges start to char slightly. Serve hot. Sprinkle with green onions and sesame seeds on top if you want them.
Substitutions Worth Knowing
If you don't have honey garlic seasoning, you can make something close with garlic powder, onion powder, a pinch of brown sugar, and a little salt. It won't be identical, but it works.
Garlic powder works in a pinch if you're out of fresh garlic. Use about ¾ teaspoon will work for this recipe.
Tamari is a straight swap for soy sauce and makes the recipe gluten-free.
How To Serve Honey Garlic Chicken Wings
These wings are good enough to eat standing over the stove, which is how I usually eat the first few. For an actual meal, I like them with rice and something green. The sauce kind of becomes the dressing for everything on the plate. Keep it simple with plain jasmine or lemon rice to soak up the extra sauce.
If you want a veggie on the side, a big scoop of broccoli cauliflower salad is a solid call. The cool, creamy dressing plays nicely against the sticky, warm wings, a bit like serving ranch dressing on the side.
For game night or a party, just pile them on a plate. They go fast. If you want to turn it into more of a spread, my crispy popcorn chicken and buffalo chicken fries are always winners.
More Chicken Dinner Recipes ⭐ Panda Express Mushroom Chicken | Marry Me Chicken | Huli Huli Chicken | Paprika Chicken
Storage FAQ
IN THE FRIDGE: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
IN THE FREEZER: Let the wings cool completely before freezing. They'll keep for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe bag or container. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
MAKE AHEAD: The sauce can be made a few days in advance and kept in the fridge. Warm it back up slowly on the stove before tossing with your freshly cooked wings.
TO REHEAT: Reheat in the air fryer at 350°F to get the skin crispy again. The microwave works in a pinch but the texture won't be the same.
Air Fryer Honey Garlic Chicken
Twenty minutes, one sauce, zero babysitting. These air fryer honey garlic wings come out crispy every time, and the double cook method is what makes them worth making again.
Did you try this recipe?Let our readers know how it turned out by Leaving a Review!
Ingredients
- 1.5 to 2 pounds chicken wings (cut into drumettes and wingettes with the tip removed)
- 5 tablespoons salted butter (divided)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons honey garlic seasoning blend
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ½ cup honey
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- Chopped green onions (optional garnish)
- Sesame seeds (optional garnish)
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F and use a paper towel to pat the wings completely dry.
- Melt 1 tablespoon of butter and toss the wings in it, then coat them all over with the honey garlic seasoning blend.
- Place the wings in a single layer in the basket and cook for 7 to 9 minutes per side until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Cook in batches if your air fryer is on the smaller side.
- While the wings are going, melt the remaining butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the minced garlic and stir it around in the butter for about a minute until it smells good.
- Pour the honey and soy sauce in and stir everything together. Bring it up to a simmer.
- Keep it at a simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens up and coats a spoon.
- Take the wings out and toss them in the sauce until they're well coated.
- Return the wings to the air fryer for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce is sticky and the edges pick up a little char.
- Serve hot with green onions and sesame seeds if you like.
Notes
- Make sure to check your air fryer manual for cooking time guidelines for your specific model, as times and temperatures vary depending on the type of air fryer you have.
- You can also bake the wings in the oven at 400°F for 25 to 30 minutes instead of using the air fryer.
- Pat the wings dry. This is the most important thing you can do for crispy skin. Moisture is the enemy. Spend 30 seconds with a paper towel before you do anything else.
- Don't skip the double cook. Tossing the wings in sauce and sending them back into the air fryer for a minute or two is what takes these from good to really good. The sauce caramelizes onto the skin instead of just sitting on top.
- Don't crowd the basket. If the wings are touching, they'll steam instead of crisp. Do two batches if you need to. It's worth the extra few minutes.
- Watch your sauce. It goes from perfect to too thick pretty fast once it starts simmering. Pull it off the heat as soon as it coats the back of a spoon and looks syrupy. It will thicken a little more as it cools.
Nutrition
Calories: 926kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 58g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 217mg | Sodium: 698mg | Potassium: 368mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 70g | Vitamin A: 1145IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 2mg
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FAQ
Can I use frozen chicken wings?
Yes, but you must thaw them first. Frozen wings release too much moisture in the air fryer and you'll end up with steamed chicken instead of crispy skin. Pat them dry after thawing too.
Can I marinate the wings in the sauce beforehand?
I'd skip it. The sauce is thick enough that it doesn't penetrate the meat much, and wet wings going into the air fryer will hurt your crispy skin. Toss in the sauce after cooking, that's where the flavor is anyway.
How do I make these spicier?
Add a pinch of cayenne or red pepper flakes to the honey garlic seasoning before you rub it on the wings. You can also stir a little sriracha into the sauce while it simmers.
Can I make these in the oven instead?
Yes. Bake at 400°F for 25 to 30 minutes, flipping halfway through. You won't get quite the same crispiness, but it works. Broil for the last 2 minutes if you want to caramelize the skin and get a crispier finish.
My air fryer runs hot. How can I adjust?
Check your wings at the 6 minute mark instead of 7. You're looking for golden skin and 165°F internal temperature, not a specific time. Every air fryer is a little different.
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