Instant Pot Buffalo Wings is my favorite fool-proof method for making finger-licking party food. This easy recipe is prepared in 5 minutes using only chicken wings, a packet of seasoning, and Buffalo sauce and cooks fast in the pressure cooker without the added fat and calories of deep frying.
Easy Instant Pot Wings served buffalo-style
Our Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Wings recipe requires no marinating in advance and uses the moist heat of the Instant Pot to cook juicy, soft, and tender chicken pieces in a fraction of the time as their conventional oven counterpart.
Chicken wings made in an instant pot couldn’t be any easier – simply sprinkle the chicken with seasoning, cook them under pressure, then smother them with buffalo sauce and broil until crispy.
Cooking wings in the pressure cooker first before bathing them in buffalo sauce and placing them under the broiler is the best kept secret to the most moist meat with the crispiest skin.
Guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser, this popular party food is full of delicious flavor, lower in fat (and healthier) than fried wings, and perfect for game day gatherings.
Why We Love This Instant Pot Chicken Wings Recipe
- Quick and easy to make in 25 minutes.
- Uses 3 simple ingredients plus water.
- Great for low carb, keto, gluten free, and dairy free diets.
- Seasoning and sauce can be as spicy or mild as you like.
- Perfect for Super Bowl snacks, game day gatherings, party appetizers, or simply eating for dinner.
Instant Pot Buffalo Wings Ingredients
- Water
- Chicken wings: I used bone-in chicken wings for this recipe. You can use either fresh chicken wings or frozen chicken wings in the instant pot.
- Buffalo Wings seasoning mix: I used Great Value Classic Buffalo Wings Seasoning, but you can use any brand and any level of heat.
- Buffalo sauce: You can use your favorite type of buffalo sauce here. I used Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Wings Hot Sauce, the most mild version. You can also use a spicier sauce or another brand if you have one you prefer.
- Ranch or bleu cheese dressing (optional)
Substitutions and Additions
- Serving Suggestions: Serve with bleu cheese or ranch dressing and celery or carrot sticks on the side. And don’t forget the napkins!
- Choose Your Chicken: You can use boneless chicken wings instead of bone-in wings, but they will likely cook more quickly so adjust your times accordingly. You can also use drumsticks for this recipe but they will need more time to cook.
- Find Your Favorite Flavor: You can change the overall flavor of your wings by using a seasoning packet and sauce with a different flavor such as ranch, honey mustard, or BBQ. If you can’t find a seasoning pack that matches the sauce you want, you can simply season the wings with salt and pepper or cook them without seasoning and then coat them in the desired sauce.
- Swap The Spices: Feel free to make your own homemade seasoning mix with your favorite seasonings and spices. Some ideas include garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, garlic salt, or even some cinnamon.
How to Make Instant Pot Buffalo Wings
- Prepare The Poultry: Cut the wingette from the drumette of each chicken wing. Dry each piece with a paper towel and sprinkle the buffalo seasoning on top, rubbing it into the skin.
- Prepare The Instant Pot: Add one cup of water to the bottom of the instant pot. Put the coated chicken wings into the trivet or steamer basket and then place it in the instant pot.
Pro Tip: It should sit with the chicken just above the water you put in. - Cook: Seal your Instant Pot and cook the wings under pressure for 8 minutes.
- Release And Remove: Release the pressure with the quick release, wait until all the air has escaped and then open the Instant Pot. Remove the chicken wings from the basket and place them in a mixing bowl.
- Broil: Pour buffalo sauce over the cooked chicken wings and toss until coated. Broil on high for 5-6 minutes each side or until they have reached your desired level of crispy.
- Serve: If you want extra sauce on your wings you can toss them in the remaining sauce before serving hot with ranch or bleu cheese dressing, optional. Enjoy!
How To Make Buffalo Wings without a Trivet
If you don’t have a trivet for your instant pot you, can use a raised metal steaming basket or a round, raised metal rack. If you don’t have any of those options, you can make a “homemade” trivet by placing mason jar lids on the bottom of the instant pot and placing a flat metal rack or flat bottomed steaming basket on top. You can use other oven safe circles as well such as metal cookie cutters. In the end what you need is a container or base for the chicken that has holes, allowing the chicken to cook evenly and a way to raise that container above the water level in the instant pot so that the chicken basically steams instead of boils.
Looking To Amp The Spice Level?
You can also change up the spice level on these chicken wings by changing the level of heat in your seasoning mix and buffalo sauce. There are a variety of heat levels available at your local supermarket so look around and pick the one that matches your desired heat level. Another way to increase the spice level is to add extra sauce to your chicken wings, after crisping them in the broiler.
Tip For Making Instant Pot Buffalo Wings
- As long as your chicken has reached 165 degrees Fahrenheit in the center you can even eat the wings directly out of the instant pot, although they won’t be crispy.
- When removing the chicken from the trivet, be aware that it will be very tender so if you are rough with it, the meat may come away from the bone.
- You can use either fresh wings or frozen wings for this recipe.
How to Store Instant Pot Buffalo Wings
- To Store: Instant Pot Chicken Wings should be cooled to room temperature and then stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- To Freeze: Store your wings in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for 3-4 months.
- To Reheat: Reheat from a frozen or thawed state in the microwave or on a baking sheet in the oven until the center reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
More Easy Chicken Wing Recipes
Other Easy Instant Pot Recipes
Instant Pot Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 4 pounds chicken wings bone-in
- 2 ounces (2 1-ounce) packets buffalo wings seasoning mix
- 1½ cups buffalo sauce divided
- Ranch or bleu cheese dressing optional
- Serve with celery or carrots
Instructions
- Add one cup of water to the bottom of your instant pot.1 cup water
- Use a sharp knife and a cutting board to cut the wingette from the drumette of each chicken wing.4 pounds chicken wings
- Dry the chicken wing pieces gently with a paper towel and then sprinkle the buffalo seasoning all over the chicken wing pieces, rubbing it into the skin.2 ounces (2 1-ounce) packets buffalo wings seasoning mix
- Place the coated chicken wings in an Instant Pot trivet or steamer basket and place it in the instant pot. It should sit with the chicken just above the water you put in.
- Seal your Instant Pot and cook the wings under pressure for 8 minutes.
- Release the pressure from the instant pot with the quick release, wait until all the air has escaped and then open the Instant Pot.
- Gently remove the chicken wings from the basket and place them in a large mixing bowl. Be aware that the chicken will be very tender so if you are rough with it the meat may come away from the bone.
- Pour 1 cup of buffalo sauce over the cooked chicken wings and gently toss until well coated. If needed you can add additional buffalo sauce in Tablespoon increments until everything is evenly coated.1½ cups buffalo sauce
- Place the chicken wings on a large sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
- Broil the chicken wings on high for 5-6 minutes each side or until they have reached your desired level of crispy.
- If you want extra sauce on your wings you can toss them in the remaining sauce before serving hot with ranch or bleu cheese dressing, optional.Ranch or bleu cheese dressing, Serve with celery or carrots
Jenn’s Notes
- To Store: Instant Pot Chicken Wings should be cooled to room temperature and then stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- To Freeze: Store your wings in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for 3-4 months.
- To Reheat: Reheat from a frozen or thawed state in the microwave or on a baking sheet in the oven until the center reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- As long as your chicken has reached 165 degrees Fahrenheit in the center you can even eat the wings directly out of the instant pot, although they won’t be crispy.
- When removing the chicken from the trivet, be aware that it will be very tender so if you are rough with it, the meat may come away from the bone.
- You can use either fresh wings or frozen wings for this recipe.
