Wings are a party favorite, and with the Instant Pot, they're easier than ever to make. These tender Instant Pot buffalo wings are cooked in the pressure cooker and then crisped under the broiler after being tossed in a delicious sauce.
![serving of celery and buffalo chicken wings on a white platter.](https://smellslikedelish.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Buffalo-Chicken-Wings-1-1.jpg)
Why You'll Love These Buffalo Chicken Wings
The Instant Pot cooks the wings under pressure, resulting in incredibly tender and juicy meat that falls off the bone. This creates a delightful contrast with the crispy skin after broiling sauce spun wings under the broiler.
Whether you prefer mild or extra hot, you can control the spice level to your liking by adjusting the amount of hot sauce used in the preparation.
- Quick and easy: Say goodbye to messy deep-frying! The Instant Pot cooks these wings in a fraction of the time, making them a perfect weeknight dinner or party appetizer.
- Perfectly tender and juicy: The Instant Pot cooks the wings under pressure, resulting in incredibly tender and juicy meat that falls off the bone. This creates a delightful contrast with the crispy skin.
- Bold and spicy: Our Creamy Buffalo Sauce recipe is known for its bold and spicy flavor profile, offering a perfect balance of heat and tang. With the Instant Pot and your oven broiler, you can achieve the same level of flavor without the hassle of deep-frying.
- Large batch cooking: The Instant Pot's large capacity allows you to make a large batch of wings at once, perfect for feeding a crowd or having leftovers for lunch the next day.
- Perfect for game day: Buffalo wings are a classic game day snack, and the Instant Pot makes preparing them easier than ever.
So bring on the football games and potlucks - these finger licking buffalo chicken wings will be sure to please!
Ingredients You'll Need
- Chicken Wings
- Garlic Powder
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Water
- Franks hot sauce, or your favorite (Tabasco, Louisiana, etc.)
- Butter
- Celery for garnish
- Ranch or Blue Cheese dressing (your favorite one)
Start with the raw chicken wings. Cut the tips off and separate the wingettes and drumettes at the joint if you're saving money buying whole wings.
The diagram below shows the approximate locations for cutting through the joints. You will feel the knife give and cut easily through the joint sections when you have the right spots.
PRO TIP: Save the wing tips to make our Instant Pot Chicken Stock recipe.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How To Make Instant Pot Chicken Buffalo Wings
Coated in an irresistible spicy hot sauce blend and these buffalo chicken wings are so tender that they almost melt in your mouth!
Plus, thanks to the Instant Pot cooking technology, they take much less time than traditional oven-baked versions – no more waiting around for hours before digging into something savory and flavorful.
Trim The Chicken Wings
- Wash the chicken drumettes and flats, or cutting at the joint if you're using whole chicken wings.
Cook In The Instant Pot
- Toss the chicken in a bowl with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, coating evenly.
- Add one cup of water to your Instant Pot, for processing.
- Spread the wing pieces out in a rack that fits inside your Instant Pot, so they don't lay in liquid.
- Place the lid on, and manually program the Instant Pot for 8 minutes.
Spin In Buffalo Sauce
- After processing and depressurizing, remove the chicken wings from the Instant Pot and spin them in a bowl of prepared or homemade buffalo sauce sauce.
Crisp In The Oven Broiler
- Spread the buffalo sauce coated chicken wings on a baking sheet. Broil a few minutes until you see the wings are crispy.
- Flip them over and repeat the broiling process. Garnish with more Buffalo sauce, Ranch, or Blue Cheese dressings.
PRO TIP: Want a fast and easy clean up? Place foil on the baking sheet before adding the rack and sauce covered wings.
Substitutions and Variations
You can substitute chicken wings that are already separated. They are available fresh or frozen at many supermarkets. It can save you a lot of time if you have a big crowd to prepare Buffalo Chicken wings for!
Try making Instant Pot Chicken wings with other sauces. Or, simply use your favorite barbecue sauce.
- Honey Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings - Try our recipe for making oven baked honey lemon pepper chicken wings.
- Soy Garlic Chicken Wings - And, if you love a Asian flair, you'll love our recipe for soy garlic chicken wings, also super easy!
Tips For Success
- Use a trivet: This elevates the wings and allows for better air circulation, resulting in crispier wings.
- Don't overcrowd the pot: Cooking in batches ensures even cooking.
- Use frozen wings: Frozen wings work just as well as fresh wings in the Instant Pot. No thawing is necessary!
- Experiment with different sauces: Don't limit yourself to just buffalo sauce. You can also try other flavors like BBQ, teriyaki, or honey garlic.
Serving Suggestions
Pair your Instant Pot Buffalo Wings with an array of dipping options to cater to every palate! Choose from classic blue cheese dressing or a creamy ranch dip for a cool contrast to the spicy wings.
For a refreshing crunch, serve alongside celery sticks and carrot sticks. If you're feeling adventurous, try avocado slices or a tangy coleslaw for a unique twist. And don't forget the napkins! With all these delicious options, your Buffalo wing experience is guaranteed to be a finger-licking good time!
Some terrific sides to serve with these crispy wings are:
- Instant Pot Easy Mac and Cheese
- Watermelon Fruit Salad
- Fresh Peach Pie Crumble
- Instant Pot Corn on the Cob
![celery and buffalo chicken wings on a white platter](https://smellslikedelish.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Buffalo-Chicken-Wings-1-1.jpg)
Related Recipes
- Bacon Cheddar Ranch Dip
- Baked Brie with Cranberries
- Virgin Moscow Mules
- Air Fryer Chicken Sausage Bites
Frequently Asked Questions
You won't be able to cook your chicken wings in under 30 minutes, but you can still make them. Place your wings in a baking pan, season, and cover with foil. Bake for 60 minutes at 325. Instructions are the same after cooking the wings in the oven.
If you want hotter than Franks (or Tabasco, Louisiana, etc. brands of hot sauce), than try adding either Cayenne chili powder, Chipotle chili powder, or Peri Peri sauce. All three are hotter, in increasing order!
Yes, absolutely. These would still make a great appetizer, but also a nice full size meal!
There are about 4 full size raw chicken wings per pound. Each wing makes 2 pieces of cooked Buffalo chicken wings. 10 lbs of raw wings would have approximately 40 wings, or 80 cooked pieces. As an appetizer or with other party foods, allow 4 pieces, or 2 raw wings per person. 10 lbs of wings would then feed about 20 to 24 people as a party appetizer.
More Delish Ideas
- Air Fryer Cheese Quesadillas
- Garlic Butter Cast Iron Scallops
- Hedgehog Cheese ball
- Chicken Lollipop Drumsticks
Finger Licking Instant Pot Buffalo Wings
Equipment
- Instant Pot Duo Plus 6 Quart 9-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Steamer, Sauté, Yogurt Maker, Warmer & Sterilizer, 15 One-Touch Programs,Stainless Steel/Black
Ingredients
For the Buffalo Wings
- 1 ½ pounds raw chicken wings about 6
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper ground
- ½ cup water
- Celery for garnish
- Blue Cheese or Ranch dressing for dipping
For the Buffalo Sauce
- ⅓ cup Franks Hot Sauce
- 3 Tablespoons butter melted
- ½ teaspoon of garlic powder
Instructions
- Wash and pat the chicken drumettes and flats, or cutting at the joint if you're using whole chicken wings.1 ยฝ pounds raw chicken wings
- Toss the chicken in a bowl with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, coating evenly.ยฝ teaspoon garlic powder, ยฝ teaspoon salt, ยฝ teaspoon black pepper
- Add the water to your Instant Pot, for processing.ยฝ cup water
- Spread the wing pieces out in a rack that fits inside your Instant Pot, so they don't lay in liquid.
- Place the lid on, and manually program the Instant Pot for 8 minutes.
- After processing and depressurizing, remove the chicken wings from the Instant Pot and spin them in a bowl of prepared or homemade buffalo sauce sauce (see below).
- Spread the buffalo sauce coated chicken wings on a baking sheet. Broil a few minutes until you see the wings are crispy. PRO TIP: Want a fast and easy clean up? Place foil on the baking sheet before adding the rack and sauce covered wings.
- Flip them over and repeat the broiling process. Garnish with more Buffalo sauce, Ranch, or Blue Cheese dressings as well as celery sticks and some blue cheese sauce.Celery for garnish, Blue Cheese or Ranch dressing for dipping
Buffalo Sauce
- Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the hot sauce and garlic powder.โ cup Franks Hot Sauce, 3 Tablespoons butter, ยฝ teaspoon of garlic powder
- Bring to a boil with medium heat, then transfer the buffalo sauce to a large bowl to spin the cooked chicken wings in. Transfer the coated chicken wings to a broiler pan.
Notes
- You can save time by buying already trimmed chicken wings.
- Save the wing tips in your freezer to make a chicken stock or bone broth.
- If starting with frozen chicken wings, add 3 minutes to the Instant Pot cook time.
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