Firecracker chicken wings turns out so good cooked in an air fryer!! Just like a Panda Express or Yard House copycat version at home. Now you can make naked or as spicy as you’d like.
You know that delicious firecracker chicken recipe you love at your favorite Asian restaurant? Well, you can make it right at home now for much cheaper. Crispy wings that are spicy for dinner or a killer appetizer when friends come over, it’s a real win. One of many air fryer recipes on our site. (affiliate links present)
What is Firecracker Chicken?
This funny name for dinner means your poultry was cooked in a spicy, tangy, and sweet sauce, giving it a bold flavor with a bit of heat—like a “firecracker” going off in your mouth! Coated in a flavorful glaze or sauce made from ingredients like chili sauce, hot sauce, honey, garlic, and sometimes soy sauce or vinegar for balance, it can be made with different cuts.
Why do we love making these? Because let’s be honest, you can bake crispy chicken wings but it takes a lot longer. AND they never get as crunchy on the outside as it does using this quick method. We started by making dry rub air fryer chicken wings and those were amazing. Sometimes you want SPICY though, so if you’re in the mood for some heat, this will knock your socks off for sure.
Firecracker Sauce Notes
We have a spicy sauce recipe below, or use our Asian chicken wing sauce recipe here. Both will use more or less chili or red pepper flakes to your liking depending on the intended spice level you prefer.
Franks Hot sauce comes in mild, medium heat or really spicy varieties. Beware because even the mild has a definite kick to it and personally I would say it is closer to my definition of medium but whatever…..
Butter will give it a rich smoothness to the sauce itself. You could use a melted dairy free product if you needed to. I will say that the alternative tastes unsalted to me so typically I will add a pinch of salt to balance it out better.
For the pop you will use some Apple cider vinegar, that is the best variety for this though rice wine vinegar or regular can be used.
And to balance out all of those flavors you are going to want to add some sweetness. We do this with some light Brown sugar in the mix, mix until smooth so there aren’t any chunks.
Tips for cooking the crispiest chicken wings
There is a trick to cooking any cut, legs, breasts or wings to super crispy like restaurants do it. Remember a few things; you want to start with fresh or defrosted chicken wings. I do have tips for baked frozen chicken wings but they are not nearly this good.
Second to that you will need several paper towels to get the skin as dry as possible. Any moisture left will make it gooey and not crisp, period. Just lay in one layer and press gently with your hands. You may need to replace towels when they are saturated.
Third we move on to something that can coat the outside and further draw out even more liquid which is some cornstarch. If you need a gluten free alternative you can use arrowroot instead.
You will air fry the meat first and then toss those in the sauce of your choice. That way they get super crispy chicken skin. You could use this same method, but a longer cook time, for drumsticks sometime too.
Firecracker Chicken Recipe
Equipment
- 1 air fryer
- 1 Bowl
Ingredients
- 1-1.5 lbs chicken wings, defrosted
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp chili flakes
Firecracker Chicken Sauce
- 1/3 cup hot sauce, Franks was used
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 tsp chili flakes
Instructions
- Lay chicken wings on a few paper towels to absorb moisture on the skins. Then put into a bowl with all ingredients under it (sauce will be made separate)
- Toss wings and seasonings together so all are well coated.
- Preheat air fryer to 350 degrees F for 5 minutes. Lay coated wings in without overlapping (so may need to do more than 1 batch). Spray tops lightly with olive oil. Close and cook for 10 minutes, flip to other side for another 7-8 minutes until browned.
- Do this until all wings are done. In a bowl mix ingredients for the firecracker hot sauce. In a large bowl drizzle sauce over cooked wings and toss to coat nicely.
- Can garnish with chopped cilantro, red chili flakes and sesame seeds.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Is firecracker chicken spicy?
That is subjective but I would say yes. It is too much for me beyond 2 bites or so, that is why this copycat version is so much better. You can adjust the heat to your liking so it doesn’t make you cry. Some like it beyond fiery and others just want a hint of heat. Making it at home is great to adjust it perfectly for YOU.
Ninja Foodi Option
Prep as a Ninja Foodi recipe (use the lid that is attached for this) or in another machine is about 15 minutes, the rest is just cook time. You can just make a few for 2 of you or make multiple batches for a larger crowd. Just cook, sit on a baking sheet in the oven on warm until all of them are done. Then toss with the buffalo sauce brown sugar mix at the very end so it is all done at once.
Other Spicy Chicken Recipes You’ll Love
Serve these air fryer hot wings with some fried rice if you’re using this as a complete meal. Or enjoy as an air fryer appetizer.
Lemon pepper wings are quick to make at 400 degrees tossed with a light sauce. Our air fryer frozen chicken wings are handy to have when you have forgotten to defrost dinner in time. You can enjoy Instant Pot frozen chicken wings too and throw them into your hot air machine when done if you’d like too.
