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    Instant Pot Chicken Wings

    Allergy Friendly Recipes Appetizers Easy Chicken Recipes Gluten Free Instant Pot Instant Pot Chicken Recipes Low Carb Popular Posts Real Food May 17, 2023 | By Kristen Chidsey | 100 Comments | *This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

    Jump to Recipe
    Ready in less than 30 minutes, Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Wings are the most tender and flavorful chicken wings you will ever have. They are the perfect easy appetizer recipe to prepare for watching football or when entertaining.

    Ready in less than 30 minutes, Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Wings are the most tender and flavorful chicken wings you will ever have. 

    Serve these Instant Pot Wings with Bleu Cheese or Ranch Dressing in addition to Taco Dip and Pizza Rolls for a spread that is perfect for game day or a laid-back party.

    Instant Pot Chicken Wings on white platter with celery.


    Buffalo Chicken Wings are my husband's favorite go-to football snack and he has been known to devour more than his fair share while watching football games. 

    But convincing him that homemade buffalo wings are just as good as restaurant chicken wings, was a bit harder to sell.

    That said, he has declared this recipe for Instant Pot Wings restaurant-worthy and is now his favorite version to enjoy during game day! 

    And I believe you too, will be amazed at just how good chicken wings turn out when prepared using the Instant Pot.   

    The moist heat of the Instant Pot keeps the chicken super tender and juicy. And then finished with a homemade buffalo sauce and crisped under the broiler to achieve irresistibly crispy skin, these Instant Pot Chicken Wings are incredibly full of flavor, lower in fat than fried wings, and incredibly easy to make.

    Key Ingredients

    Ingredients for instant pot chicken wings labeled on counter.
    • Chicken Wings: You can use either fresh or frozen chicken wings in the Instant Pot. I recommend using chicken drumettes, as they typically yield more meat. If using full wings, separate them into drumettes and flats to keep the cooking time the same. 
    • Seasonings: Seasoned salt, which is a mixture of salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and a few other spices is the perfect choice to add flavor to the wings before finishing them with your favorite sauce.  
    • Buffalo Sauce: I have included a simplified version of my homemade buffalo sauce recipe that is made with hot sauce, butter, garlic powder, and honey, as that is our preferred finishing touch for these wings. if you don't care for buffalo sauce, you can use barbecue sauce, teriyaki sauce, or honey mustard.
    • Water: Any time you pressure cook, you need thin liquid. For this recipe, water is used. Use 1 cup of cold tap water for a 3 or 6-quart pressure cooker and 1-½ cups of cold tap water for an 8-quart pressure cooker.

    How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Wings

    • To prepare the Instant Pot for cooking, pour water into the inner pot and a rack or steamer basket. This will keep the chicken wings raised above the cooking liquid so they don't become soggy!
    • If needed, separate the drumettes and flats from each other, removing and discarding the tips if desired.
    • Place the wings into a large mixing bowl and sprinkle the seasoned salt over the chicken. Toss well to coat the wings, evenly with the seasonings. Note: If using FROZEN wings, the seasoning may not adhere to the meat as well, but you don't want to skip seasoning them altogether.
    • Place the seasoned wings onto the rack in the inner pot or in a steamer basket.
    • Seal the lid on the instant pot and set it to cook on high pressure for 10 minutes for fresh or defrosted chicken wings and 15 minutes for frozen chicken wings.
    • Once the cooking time has elapsed, let the pressure release naturally for at least 10 minutes. This is key to ensuring the meat stays nice and tender.
    Side by side photo of chicken wings in instant pot before and after pressure cooking.
    • While the wings are cooking, use this time to prepare the homemade buffalo sauce if you intend to season your wings with buffalo sauce, rather than a store-bought sauce. Simply combine the hot sauce, garlic powder, melted butter, and honey together in a small mixing bowl.
    Ingredients for homemade buffalo sauce before and after mixing.
    • Once the cooking time has elapsed and the pressure has been released, remove the pressure-cooked wings from the inner pot and place them into a large, clean mixing bowl.
    • Drizzle the wings with half the prepared buffalo sauce, or ½ cup of your favorite sauce, and toss to coat.
    • Place the chicken wings onto a foil-lined baking sheet or broiler pan and broil the chicken wings until the skin is crispy, flipping once to ensure both sides are nice and golden. This step is not necessary but highly encouraged, as most people prefer the crispy chicken skin on the wings.
    Side by side photo of chicken wings before and after being tossed with buffalo sauce.
    • Once the wings are broiled, brush the remaining buffalo sauce over the chicken wings.
    Pastry brush brushing chicken wings with buffalo sauce.

    Instant Pot Chicken Wings Video

    Want to watch me make this in my kitchen? Check out the recipe below!

    Serving Suggestions

    Just like any good chicken wing, these wings need to be served with lots of napkins and a side of homemade ranch dressing or bleu cheese dressing on the side. The side of celery and carrots are optional, but a classic pairing.

    We personally love to pair Instant Pot Buffalo Wings with Pull-Apart Pizza Bread and French Onion Chip Dip for a spread that is perfect for game day!

    Instant Pot Chicken Wing being dipped into ranch dressing.

    More Instant Pot Chicken Recipes

    • Instant Pot Chicken Breast
    • Perfect Instant Pot Chicken Thighs
    • Instant Pot Butter Chicken
    • Instant Pot Chicken and Rice
    • Instant Pot Whole Chicken
    • Instant Pot Chicken Chili

    If you enjoyed these Instant Pot Chicken Wings, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.

    Instant Pot Chicken Wing being dipped into ranch dressing.

    Instant Pot Chicken Wings

    Ready in less than 30 minutes, and finished with a homemade buffalo sauce, Instant Pot Chicken Wings are tender, juicy, and flavorful!
    4.78 from 95 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 3 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Pressure Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 18 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6 people
    Calories: 322kcal
    Author: Kristen Chidsey

    Ingredients

    For the Chicken Wings

    • 3 pounds chicken drumettes or wings
    • ½ tablespoon seasoned salt
    • 1 cup water

    For the Buffalo Sauce

    • 1 cup hot sauce
    • 1 tablespoon honey
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 2 tablespoons butter melted
    Prevents your screen from going dark while preparing the recipe.

    Instructions

    • If needed, separate the drumettes and flats from each other, removing and discarding the tips if desired. Place the chicken wings in a large mixing bowl, add the seasoned salt, and toss to coat.  
    • For a 3 or 6-quart model, pour 1 cup of cold tap water into the inner pot. For an 8-quart model, use 1.5 cups of cold tap water. Place a rack or steamer basket inside the instant pot. 
    • Place the seasoned wings on the rack or in the steamer basket inside the inner pot. It is okay if you layer the wings on top of eachother.
    • Seal lid of the pressure cooker, being sure vent knob is closed.  
    • For Fresh Wings: Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. For Frozen Wings: Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. 
    • Once the cooking time has elapsed, let the pressure release naturally for at least 5 minutes, 10 minutes is best.
    • Remove the pressure-cooked chicken wings from the pressure cooker and place them into a clean bowl.
    • In a separate small bowl, prepare the buffalo sauce by mixing together the hot sauce, honey, butter, and garlic powder until combined.
    • Pour half the buffalo sauce (or YOUR favorite sauce) over the chicken wings and gently toss to coat in the sauce.
    • Place the chicken wings on a baking sheet or broiler pan that has been lined with foil. Broil the chicken wings under high heat for 2-3 minutes per side, until the skin is golden and crispy.  
    • Brush the broiled wings with additional buffalo sauce and serve immediately.  

    Equipment Needed

    • Electric Pressure Cooker (6 or 8 quart)

    Notes

    Wings: I recommend using chicken drumettes, as they typically yield more meat. If using full wings, separate drumettes and flats for even cooking.  
    Broiling: It is not necessary to broil the chicken wings, but most people prefer the crispy chicken skin on the wings.
    Frozen Wings: Don't be afraid to toss frozen meat with seasonings, the rub won't stick as well, but it will still help to season the chicken wings perfectly.
    Buffalo Sauce: Using buffalo sauce is optional. If you don't care for buffalo sauce, you can use barbecue sauce, teriyaki sauce, or honey mustard. All these sauces pair well with the seasoned salt. 
    Storage: Store leftover wings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat by broiling them, as this will keep the skin crispy. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 322kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 104mg | Sodium: 1763mg | Potassium: 254mg | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 360IU | Vitamin C: 30.8mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1.4mg
    Liked this Recipe? Tag me Today!Snap a picture and tag #amindfullmom on Instagram - I would love to see!
    « Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms
    Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan »

    About Kristen Chidsey

    Hi, I am Kristen, creator of A Mind "Full" Mom. I believe that making a wholesome family meal does not need to be hard or expensive! I love nothing more than to share with you delicious solutions for your hungry family.

    Reader Interactions

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    1. Ria

      October 08, 2020 at 7:53 pm

      5 stars
      These were so easy and turned out perfect! Definitely a keeper recipe. So much healthier too as some of the fat comes off in the instant pot as well.

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        October 09, 2020 at 7:02 am

        They really are so good! Glad you enjoyed!

        Reply
    2. Terra

      September 21, 2020 at 12:26 am

      5 stars
      Loved this! Was able to make yummy wings without smelling up the house!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        September 21, 2020 at 6:57 am

        I am so glad you enjoyed Terra! So much less smelly than frying 😉

        Reply
    3. John Marshall

      September 17, 2020 at 12:02 pm

      Loved this but I do feel the proportions for the sauce were far too biased toward the chilli. It was too sharp and also not sweet enough. I felt it needed much less chilli sauce
      more butter and more sugar or honey as you used. Of course I agree that these things are
      subjective but feel on the whole it would be too hot and throat catchy for most people but thank you for another IP recipe. The more we get the better. (I think you said hubby likes it though)

      Reply
    4. Dan Nielsen

      June 15, 2020 at 1:01 pm

      3 stars
      We love chicken wings at our house, and we've tried them in a variety of ways. However, we felt that this InstaPot version was not as good as it could be. When I try this version again, there are a few changes I'd make. 1) Cut down on the cooking time in the IP. Our wings came out after 10 minutes, plus 5 minutes natural pressure release. There were a good number of the wings that came right off the bone when I tried to take them out. 2) Increase the roasting time. After the suggested 2-3 minutes of broiler time, our wings were nowhere near crispy. Even after leaving them in for additional 5 minutes, they still never crisped up. 3) Use a non-stick aluminum foil to cover the broiler pan. We used regular foil which allowed many of the wings to stick, making them hard to get out, or tearing them up when we did get them out.

      Reply
    5. Nicole

      May 24, 2020 at 8:54 am

      What If I were cooking closer to 5 pounds of wings? Would I increase the time ?

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        May 24, 2020 at 9:34 am

        Hi Nicole! No change in cook time, just plan a little longer to come to pressure. Enjoy!

        Reply
    6. Chase

      April 03, 2020 at 1:39 pm

      Me and the fiance just did these with out fav costco/kirkland fresh wings. We did them from frozen for 15 minutes. Brushed them up and put them on broil for maybe 10 mins or so.

      WOW! Our family really loves our wings on the grill, but this was so quick and easy it will surely be an alternate in our household! Winner winner chicken dinner!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        April 03, 2020 at 3:35 pm

        I am so glad you enjoyed Chase!

        Reply
    7. Valerie

      February 16, 2020 at 11:52 am

      How much is a serving size?

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        February 17, 2020 at 7:41 am

        Hi Valerie. The serving size for the nutritional value is approximately 4 wings.

        Reply
    8. Lisa

      February 05, 2020 at 2:55 pm

      Hi Kristen,
      Thanks so much for the recipe! I want to make these for tomorrow and have time to do it today. I’m wondering if I can do the instapot part today, store the wings in the fridge and then Do the broiler part tomorrow right before we eat. What are your thoughts? Thanks so so much!!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        February 05, 2020 at 3:24 pm

        Absolutely Lisa! I would take your wings out of the fridge for 15-20 minutes before broiling so they will warm up easier 🙂 I hope you enjoy!

        Reply
    9. Katharine

      February 01, 2020 at 8:48 am

      Hi there - I just came across this recipe and plan to make it tomorrow for the Super Bowl! Do the wings need to be in a single layer in the Instant Pot or can they piled on top of each other? I would think with using 3 lbs they would be piled up but want to make sure. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        February 01, 2020 at 10:29 am

        Hi Katharine! You can pile up the wings without an issue. I do like to broil them in a single layer. I hope you enjoy!

        Reply
    10. Teresa

      January 31, 2020 at 7:54 pm

      Before I make these could you please explain # 11 of the instructions. I don't understand what you mean by, "and topped with a cooking rack".

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        February 01, 2020 at 7:01 am

        Hi Teresa! I typically use a broiler pan, but that is not necessary--a sheet pan lined with foil will work. I will clarify in the directions.

        Reply
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    Ready in less than 30 minutes, Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Wings are the most tender and flavorful chicken wings you will ever have. They are the perfect easy appetizer recipe to prepare for watching football or when entertaining.

    Meet a Mind "Full" Mom

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    Hi! I'm Kristen. I want to welcome you into my kitchen and my REAL, imperfect life. Let me share with you tips and tricks to help you make healthy eating a reality for your family in the chaos of life and on the constraints of a budget. Read more

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