Air Fryer Mango Habanero Hot Wings

A plate of habanero hot wings with a dish of blue cheese dip.

Air Fryer Mango Habanero Hot Wings

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 25

Cook Time: 25

Total Time: 50

Servings:

Calories: 716kcal

Author: Deanna

These extra crispy air-fried wings tossed in a spicy habanero hot sauce will be the hit of your next party. The homemade mango habanero sauce is slightly sweet, a bit sticky, and super spicy.

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Equipment

Cosori Air Fryer

Ingredients

2 pounds chicken wings wings and drums, split
3 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon kosher salt or ¼ teaspoon table salt

Mango Habanero Hot Sauce

1 whole mango, peeled and diced or 1 ½ cups diced mango
3-5 whole habanero peppers
¼ cup diced yellow or sweet onion
3 cloves garlic minced or pressed
2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger or ½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ tsp kosher salt or ¼ teaspoon table salt
¼ cup white wine vinegar or white vinegar
¼ cup salted butter divided
¼ cup honey
2 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Instructions

Place the chicken wings in a large bowl.
In a small bowl, mix the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and salt.
Sprinkle half the flour mixture over the wings and toss to coat. Let rest for 5 minutes, then add the remaining flour and toss again.
Place the wings in a single layer in the air fryer basket and place the basket in the air fryer. Set the temperature to 380°F and cook the wings for 23-25 minutes until crisp and cooked through. Shake the basket a couple of times during the cooking process to ensure even cooking.
Avoid crowding the basket and work in batches if necessary.
While the wings are cooking, make the sauce.

Mango Habanero Hot Sauce

Peel and dice the mango and place it into a blender.
Carefully dice the habanero and add to a sauce pot with 2 tablespoons of the butter, the diced onion, garlic, ginger, and salt. Heat on medium heat for 6-7 minutes until the onions and peppers have started to soften and are fragrant.
Add the pepper mixture to the blender, place the lid on the blender, and puree until smooth.
Return the mango habanero mixture to the pot and add the vinegar, lime juice, and honey. Heat on medium heat until the sauce is simmering, then stir in the remaining butter. Stir until the butter is melted and the sauce is smooth.
Remove the pot from the heat and set aside until the wings are ready.

Sauce the Wings

When the wings are finished cooking, place them in a large bowl.
Pour some of the sauce over the wings and toss to coat. Add as much or as little sauce as desired.
Move the wings to a platter and serve.

Notes

Use caution when handling habanero peppers. You are highly recommended to use gloves while cutting and seeding peppers as the oil in the peppers can cause burns, especially if you use them in large batches. Wash your hands thoroughly after handling hot peppers, and be sure not to touch your face.
If you want to caramelize the wings a bit, you can place them back in the air fryer for about five minutes after you have tossed them in the sauce. This will make them extra sticky, but keep an eye on them, as the honey in the sauce may cause them to burn
This recipe makes enough sauce for 2-3 batches of wings, depending on how saucy you like them. The remaining sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Nutrition