Air Fryer Honey Garlic Chicken Wings

Name: Air Fryer Honey Garlic Chicken Wings
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1½-2 lbs chicken wings (split); 2 tbsp corn starch; ¼ tsp baking powder; 2-3 cloves garlic (minced); Zest from ½ lime (about ¼ tsp); 1 tbsp lime juice; ¼ cup honey; 1 tsp low sodium soy sauce; ¼ tsp red pepper flakes ((optional)); Salt and pepper (to taste); Oil spray

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These perfectly crispy yet juicy Air Fryer Honey Garlic Chicken Wings are a must-have for your next meal! The air fried, golden-brown wings are coated in a sweet and savory honey, soy, and garlic sauce that's to die for. Whether you're in need of an easy 1-hour dinner or a delicious party appetizer, these Honey Garlic Chicken Wings are sure to satisfy!

Honey garlic chicken wings on a wooden serving board with celery, lime, honey, garlic, and sauce behind it.

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🍗 The Best Party Food
🧂 Ingredients
👩🏻‍🍳 How To Make Air Fryer Honey Garlic Chicken Wings
💭 Top Tips
🥡 Storing & Freezing
📖 Recipe FAQs
🍽 Looking For More Air Fryer Recipes?
📋 Recipe

🍗 The Best Party Food

It's hard to deny that fried chicken like Korean Popcorn Chicken or Crispy Almond Chicken Breast are always a crowd pleaser. They're an absolute must-have, whether you're at a Super Bowl party, happy hour, or game night. But if you want an easier and healthier fried chicken recipe, look no further than these tasty Air Fryer Honey Garlic Chicken Wings.

The chicken wings are lightly coated and marinated for 30 minutes to let the seasoning soak deep into the meat. Then they're air fried to golden perfection in just 15 minutes before being glazed in the easiest no-cook honey garlic sauce. The sweet, sticky, and savory dip will have you licking your fingers clean!

No one will even know that these homemade Honey Garlic Chicken Wings are made healthier, thanks to the air fryer. It'll still have that irresistible crunch and sticky sauce that's just as good as the restaurant's!

Why You'll Love It

Healthier: Making chicken wings in the air fryer is a lot faster, cleaner, and with much less oil. This recipe is also dairy free and made with mostly whole foods for a rich yet satisfying meal.
Quick and easy: Air Fryer Honey Garlic Chicken Wings are super simple and effortless. You only need 8 ingredients (most of which are pantry staples), 1 hour, and 1 cooking appliance to pull it together!
Versatile: Serve these air fried chicken wings as an easy appetizer, snack, or meal. The sauce is also so delicious that you'll want to glaze it on pork, salmon, vegetables, and more!

🧂 Ingredients

Chicken wings: Depending on your grocery store, you'll either find whole or party wings. Whole wings have the drumette, flat, and wing tip all as one piece, so you'll have to separate them yourself. Party (or split) wings provide the drumettes and flats already separated.
Corn starch: A light dredge creates a crispy, light exterior. It's my favorite coating for chicken wings - I also use it on my Vietnamese Fish Sauce Chicken Wings.
Baking powder: Because there's no gluten in corn starch, it doesn't brown very well. A tiny bit of baking powder helps dry out the exterior, increases browning, and creates tiny bubbles in the skin for better texture. I also use
Honey: The star of our sauce! It's as delicious as it is sticky.
Garlic: Fresh garlic will provide the best flavor in the sauce.
Lime: The zest and juice provides bright acidity, which balances the sweetness.
Soy sauce: A quick way to add Asian-inspired umami and salty flavor. I recommend using a low sodium soy sauce.
Red pepper flakes: For a hint of spice. Add an extra ¼ teaspoon if you like things spicy, or omit if you prefer it without heat.
Oil spray: Avocado oil is my favorite oil to cook, fry, and sauté with because of its high smoke point (500°F) and neutral flavor.

Substitutions & Variations

Use any cut of chicken you'd like! Chicken tenders, thighs, drumsticks, and breasts are all great canvases for the honey soy sauce. For larger cuts, I recommend air frying at 375ºF and using a meat thermometer check when it's done. The internal temperature needs to reach a minimum of 160ºF.
Replace corn starch with an equal amount of rice flour or potato starch.
If needed, you can substitute fresh garlic with ¾ teaspoon garlic powder.
If you don't have fresh lime juice, you can substitute with a mild vinegar like apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar.
If you have time, dry brine the chicken wings for better flavor and browning. First, season chicken wings with 1 teaspoon salt. Line a baking sheet with foil, place a wire rack inside, top with wings, and place in fridge uncovered for 8-24 hours. Then coat with corn starch and baking powder and immediately air fry.
To make gluten free Honey Garlic Chicken Wings in the air fryer, substitute soy sauce with coconut aminos or tamari.
Add even more flavor to your chicken wings. Use smoked paprika, garlic powder for double garlic, or Cajun seasoning to make a dry rub.

👩🏻‍🍳 How To Make Air Fryer Honey Garlic Chicken Wings

STEP ONE: First, split the chicken into flats and drumettes if not already done so. Freeze the wing tips for broth or soup.

Then pat split wings as dry as possible and add to a large bowl with corn starch, baking powder, salt, and pepper to a large bowl. Mix thoroughly until the wings are evenly coated, then let sit for 30 minutes. This will dry out the chicken skin for a crispier exterior, while seasoning deep into the chicken meat. It may look a little stickier and wetter - but it'll dry up in the air fryer.

STEP TWO: While the chicken is marinading, make the honey garlic sauce. Add minced garlic, lime zest, and lime juice to a bowl. Fully submerge the garlic in the lime juice and let sit for 5 minutes to remove the raw bite.

STEP THREE: Then add honey, soy sauce, red pepper flakes (if using), salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine, season to taste, and set aside.

STEP FOUR: Preheat your air fryer to 400ºF. When hot, spray the basket with oil. Add a single layer of chicken wings, making sure to not let them overlap, and spray once more with oil. Air fry for 10 minutes, then flip wings and spray with more oil if not browning enough. Air fry for an additional 5-8 minutes until golden brown and internal temperature is at least 165ºF.

STEP FIVE: Transfer the air fried chicken wings to a cooling rack. Air fry any remaining wings and let cool for at least 5 minutes before glazing.

STEP SIX: I prefer to glaze each chicken wing individually. Use a fork to drop the chicken wing into the honey garlic sauce, rotate multiple times to thoroughly glaze, and then transfer to serving platter. You can serve any leftover sauce on the side.

A white plate of chicken wings with lime wedges, ranch, carrots, and celery on it.

💭 Top Tips

When making the sauce, submerge the garlic in lime juice and let sit for a full 5 minutes. The acid will "cook" the garlic to take away the raw spice, making it more palatable.
To measure honey, spray your measuring cup with oil. The honey will slip out effortlessly and make for easier clean-up.
Each air fryer is different. I have a 6-Quart Instant Vortex and cooking the wings at 400°F for 15 minutes was perfect for me. I recommend testing one piece first to determine the best temperature and cook time for your Air Fryer Honey Garlic Chicken Wings.
Your air fryer may smoke a lot from the chicken fat. Make sure to fry in a well-ventilated area, or even outdoors if you can. I recommend opening all windows and turning on fans if frying indoor.
For the honey garlic sauce to stick to the chicken wings, keep the skin dry and crispy. Let the wings cool on a wire rack for at least 5 minutes before saucing. This allows the oil to dry so the sauce doesn't slide off, plus the chicken meat will be juicier after resting. A wire rack will also prevent the bottom of the chicken wings from soaking in oil or steam and softening.
To bake Honey Garlic Chicken Wings in the oven, preheat the oven to 400ºF and place a wire rack inside a baking sheet. Spray the wire rack with oil and place dredged chicken on top. Spray tops with oil and bake for 35-45 minutes until golden and internal temperature is at least 160ºF.

What Goes Well With Honey Garlic Chicken Wings?

Sauces: Dip these chicken wings in your favorite dipping sauce like ranch, sweet chili, sweet and sour, honey mustard, or blue cheese.
Appetizers: Serve a variety of crowd-pleasing appetizers with Air Fryer Crab Rangoons, Tteokkochi (Korean Rice Cake Skewers), or Crispy Almond Chicken Breast.
Vegetables: Make Air Fryer Honey Garlic Chicken Wings a complete meal with nourishing vegetables on the side. My favorites include Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Glaze, Roasted Carrots and Green Beans, or Sweet Potato Fries.
Side Dishes: Fried chicken wouldn't be complete without Hawaiian Mac Salad, Brown Butter Garlic Mashed Potatoes, or Mac and Cheese.

A hand holding up a single chicken drumette with honey dripping off of it.

🥡 Storing & Freezing

Storing: Let Air Fryer Honey Garlic Chicken Wings cool completely. If possible, store the cooked chicken wings and honey garlic sauce separately in air-tight containers. Then store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Freezing: I do not recommend freezing the honey garlic sauce.
To freeze air fried chicken wings, let cool completely and flash freeze by place them on a baking sheet without touching. Freeze for 30-60 minutes until hardened, then place into a zip-top bag or air-tight container in the freezer for up to 4 months. Let thaw overnight before reheating.

Reheating: Reheat in the air fryer or oven for best results. Preheat to 350ºF and cook for 4-5 minutes until warmed through. If already sauced, turn the heat down to 300ºF and extend time but be careful as the honey can easily burn.
To reheat the sauce on its own, microwave in 15-second intervals until loosened enough to drizzle.

Make Ahead: The sauce can be made up to 2 days in advance. I recommend air frying the chicken fresh for the best texture.

📖 Recipe FAQs

What are the parts of a chicken wing?

A chicken wing is made up of 3 parts.
Drumette: The piece of the wing with the most meat. It’s at the opposite end of the wing tip and is attached to the flat. It got its name because it looks like a mini version of a drumstick.
Flat: The flat piece of meat in between the drumette and the wing tip. Although it has less meat than a drumette, it has crispier skin and soaks sauce up better.
Wing tip: The pointy bit at the end with hardly any meat. It can turn out very chewy after cooking and is best for making bone broth.

Is it better to sauce wings before or after baking?

For this recipe, it's better to sauce them after baking or air frying. There is a lot of sugar in the sauce from the honey, and cooking can cause it to burn.

Should I toss my chicken in cornstarch?

Yes! Corn starch provides a light dredge that will brown and crisp up beautifully in the air fryer. It adds more texture for the sauce to cling onto as well.