The Best Instant Pot Chicken Wings

Kelli Foster
Kelli FosterCulinary Producer
I'm a recipe developer, food writer, stylist, and video producer (and The Kitchn's Dinner Therapist), with more than 10 years professional experience. Since graduating from The French Culinary Institute, I've authored 3 cookbooks: Buddha Bowls, Plant-Based Buddha Bowls, and The Probiotic Kitchen.
updated Feb 11, 2021
wings sit on a blue plate with celery
Credit: Brittany Conerly

The best thing about Instant Pot wings is how incredibly juicy and tender they are. Plus, they're ready in a fraction of the time as oven-baked.

Serves4 to 6

Prep5 minutes to 15 minutes

Cook31 minutes to 33 minutes

Jump to Recipe
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wings sit on a blue plate with celery
Credit: Brittany Conerly

There’s no shortage of ways to cook chicken wings: Take your pick between deep-frying, baking, grilling, and air frying. But if you want the juiciest, most tender wings you’ve ever tasted, you’re gonna want to reach for your Instant Pot. Not only does pressure cooking chicken wings mean they’re ready to eat in record time, but it also rewards you with wings that are way more tender than oven-baked, with meat that falls off the bone. Slather them with your favorite sauce, crisp the skin under the broiler, and dig in.

Finish Under the Broiler

While the Instant Pot seriously speeds up the cook time, it doesn’t leave you with crispy wings. But that’s nothing a few minutes under the broiler can’t fix! After pressure cooking the wings until tender, you’ll toss them in your choice of sauce — Buffalo or barbecue — spread them on a rimmed baking sheet, and slide them under the broiler. The total time will vary depending on the strength of your broiler, but plan on somewhere between six and 10 minutes.

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The Best Instant Pot Chicken Wings

The best thing about Instant Pot wings is how incredibly juicy and tender they are. Plus, they're ready in a fraction of the time as oven-baked.

Prep time 5 minutes to 15 minutes

Cook time 31 minutes to 33 minutes

Serves 4 to 6

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds

    chicken wings (18 to 20 separated pieces)

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons

    kosher salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon

    garlic powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon

    freshly ground black pepper

  • 3/4 cup

    water

Option 1: Buffalo wings

  • 1/2 cup

    hot sauce, such as Frank’s RedHot

  • 4 tablespoons

    (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

Option 2: BBQ wings

  • 2/3 cup

    barbecue sauce

Instructions

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  1. If needed, prepare 2 pounds chicken wings: use a chef's knife or kitchen shears to cut through the first joint of each wing to remove the wing tip. (Discard or freeze for stock.) Cut through the second joint to separate the wing into the forearm (flat) and upper arm (drumette) sections.

  2. Place 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in a large (microwave-safe if you’re planning to make buffalo wings and plan to melt the butter in the microwave) bowl, and stir to combine. Sprinkle all over the chicken and reserve the bowl.

  3. Fit a steamer basket into a 6-quart or larger pressure cooker. The one that came with the pressure cooker or just a generic folding steamer basket will both work. Pour in 3/4 cup water. Place the chicken in the basket.

  4. Lock the lid on and make sure the pressure valve is closed. Set to cook under HIGH pressure for 6 minutes. It will take 10 to 12 minutes to come up to pressure. When the cook time is up, let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, place an oven rack 6 inches below the broiler element and heat the oven to broil. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.

  5. Quick release any remaining pressure. Make the sauce.

  6. Option 1: For buffalo wings, place 4 tablespoons unsalted butter in the reserved bowl and microwave until melted, about 50 seconds. (Alternatively, melt the butter on the stovetop and transfer to a large bowl.) Pour in 1/2 cup hot sauce and stir to combine.

  7. Option 2: For barbecue wings, place 2/3 cup barbecue sauce in the bowl.

  8. Add the wings to the sauce and gently toss to coat. Transfer to the baking sheet and arrange into a single layer. Broil until the skin is crispy and lightly charred, 6 to 10 minutes. Brush the wings with any remaining sauce and serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

Storage: Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Credit: Kitchn