Making Instant Pot Buffalo Wings is easy and quick. You don’t even have to turn on the oven to make these tasty chicken wings!
I enjoy easy recipes and when it comes to the Instant Pot I want foolproof recipes that I know won’t get messed up or be too complicated.
There’s nothing worse than having dinner time roll around and having something flop while the family is waiting for something delicious. These Instant Pot buffalo wings are not only perfect for a quick weeknight meal, they’re also awesome for parties and events.
What kind of wings should I buy to make in my Instant Pot?
You can save time by purchasing already-trimmed wings. However, you can save some money by trimming them yourself. See photo for approximate location of where to cut each whole wing. They are a little easier to trim AFTER they’ve been cooked.
If you do decide to cut your own wings, immediately freeze the tips to make chicken stock later! You can use your homemade stock for awesome chicken soup.
The other option is to have a party pack of chicken wings delivered right to your door! It costs more but can save you so much time if you’re prepping for a large party.
Can I use frozen chicken wings to make IP buffalo chicken wings?
You can fresh or thawed wings for the recipe as written, if you want to use frozen wings you’ll need to add 4 minutes to the cook time!
Here’s what you’ll need to make this recipe:
- 4-4½ lbs. chicken wings
- garlic powder
- salt and black pepper
- water
- Frank’s original hot sauce (or your favorite)
- unsalted butter
- celery (for serving)
Here’s how to make Instant Pot Buffalo Wings:
- Sprinkle wings with the garlic powder and season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Place metal trivet inside Instant Pot and add one cup of water. Arrange seasoned wings on top of the trivet before securing the cover in place. Switch the vent to “Sealing” and adjust the “Manual” setting to 8 minutes.
- While the wings cook, whisk the Frank’s hot sauce, melted butter, and remaining garlic powder in a medium bowl until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
- When done cooking, allow pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes, then do a quick release for any remaining steam. Carefully remove lid and transfer wings to a large bowl. Set aside until just cool enough to handle.
- Meanwhile, position top oven rack in the top position and pre-heat broiler to high. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a wire cooling rack on top. Set aside.
- Pour 1/3 of the buffalo sauce on top of the wings and toss to coat. Transfer the wings to the wire rack on the prepared baking sheet and place under the broiler for 3-4 minutes or until the wings start to get crispy and develop some color. Turn the wings and repeat this process.
- Remove baking sheet from oven and toss the wings with half of the remaining buffalo sauce. Serve immediately with sliced celery and the remaining sauce on the side for dipping. Enjoy!
If you are pressed for time you can skip broiling them but they’ll have a better texture if you broil them. If you have an Instant Pot with a crisp lid or a Ninja Foodi you can use that to broil the wings all in one appliance!
Why use the Instant Pot instead of the oven?
The great thing about using the Instant Pot is that you can cook your wings in a hurry. Even if you are using frozen wings you can have them done in a jiff with the Instant Pot. In less than a hour you can have your dinner on the table.
I like that I can use the Instant Pot to have a whole batch of wings made up at home. We don’t have to go out to get wings or spend a fortune on a treat!
Using the Instant Pot is also a great way to get these wings ready for a party or event.
Printable Instant Pot Buffalo Wings Recipe
Instant Pot Buffalo Wings Recipe
Making buffalo chicken wings is easy and delicious to the Instant Pot. My Instant Pot buffalo wings recipe is great for parties too!
Ingredients
- 4 lbs. chicken wings
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder, divided
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup water
- Sliced celery, for serving
- 1 cup Frank’s original hot sauce
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Sprinkle wings with the garlic powder and season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Place metal trivet inside Instant Pot and add one cup of water. Arrange seasoned wings on top of the trivet before securing the cover in place. Switch the vent to “Sealing” and adjust the “Manual” setting to 8 minutes.
- While the wings cook, whisk the Frank’s hot sauce, melted butter, and remaining garlic powder in a medium bowl until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
- When done cooking, allow pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes, then do a quick release for any remaining steam. Carefully remove lid and transfer wings to a large bowl. Set aside until just cool enough to handle.
- Meanwhile, position top oven rack in the top position and pre-heat broiler to high. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a wire cooling rack on top. Set aside.
- Pour 1/3 of the buffalo sauce on top of the wings and toss to coat. Transfer the wings to the wire rack on the prepared baking sheet and place under the broiler for 3-4 minutes or until the wings start to get crispy and develop some color. Turn the wings and repeat this process.
- Remove baking sheet from oven and toss the wings with half of the remaining buffalo sauce. Serve immediately with sliced celery and the remaining sauce on the side for dipping. Enjoy!
Looking for more delicious recipes?
Here are some other great recipes that I think you’ll enjoy! It’s never a bad time to find some extra recipes for your meal plan, right? Here’s some options to get you started: