Published: Jan 18, 2019 · Modified: May 20, 2020 by Veronika's Kitchen * This post may contain affiliate links

The Best Instant Pot Chicken Wings

Name: The Best Instant Pot Chicken Wings
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/4 teaspoon onion powder; 1/4 teaspoon paprika; 1/8 teaspoon cayenne; 1/2 teaspoon oregano; 1/2 teaspoon thyme; 2 pounds chicken wings; 1/2 cup BBQ sauce

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This is the best Chicken Wings recipe made with dry rub seasoning and delicious BBQ sauce! The best part is you can make it in your Instant Pot in just 30 minutes! It will be a great easy appetizer for Super Bowl party or a Summer cookout!

These Chicken Wings are my new favorite party recipe! First of all, it’s super easy to make. Second, I love the dry rub seasoning that makes these classic BBQ wings spicy and aromatic.

If you are having a party or a Summer cookout, this recipe will be perfect for it!

Thanks to the Pressure Cooker, the cooking time is so much quicker than when you bake it. All it takes is 6 minutes to cook on high pressure, then naturally release the pressure for about 10 minutes. I also like to broil the wings after mixing them with BBQ sauce to get the perfect crispiness.

Why this recipe works

This recipe is all about the flavor! Thanks to the herbs and spices, you will have a beautifully aromatic meal. Once you try this recipe, you won’t do it any other way!

There are so many reasons why this is the best recipe and why you should make it! Here are a few:

You can make it in 30 minutes from start to finish!
The meat is super flavorful thanks to the herbs and spices!
The meat stays juicy and doesn’t dry out!

How to make Dry Rub

This is my favorite homemade seasoning mix, which I also use in for Oven Baked Buffalo Wings and Oven Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs.

You really can play around with the flavors. If you like it spicy, add more cayenne pepper. For more aroma, add more oregano. Also, I like to use smoked paprika in this recipe for extra smoky touch.

Here are 8 spices I use for the dry rub:

Salt
Black pepper
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Paprika
Cayenne
Oregano
Thyme

Just mix it all together and it’s ready for the next step (Photos 1-8)!

How to make Chicken Wings in Instant Pot

Rinse and pat dry the wings, using paper towels.

When it’s done, add the seasoning to the meat and toss well, so the spices are evenly distributed (Photos 10-12).

Now we can use the Pressure Cooker. Add 1 cup of water and put the trivet in the pot (Photos 13-14).

Place the seasoned wings on top of the trivet, so the chicken doesn’t sit in the water. Close the top and set it to Manual High Pressure for 6 minutes. Then naturally release pressure for 10 minutes (Photos 15-16).

When done, take the meat out to a large mixing bowl, add BBQ sauce and mix well (Photos 17-20).

Transfer the BBQ chicken wings to a baking sheet with a wire rack. If you have some remaining BBQ sauce left in the mixing bowl, brush it over the wings with a baking brush.

Broil for 5-10 minutes, or until the skin is crispy and has the char.

Don’t’ have Pressure Cooker? Bake them in the Oven!

If you don’t have a Pressure Cooker but still want to make this recipe, you can still bake it in the oven. It just will take more time than making them in Instant Pot.

The first two steps will be the same, prepare the seasoning, rinse and pat dry the wings, and mix it together.

Then place the meat on a baking sheet with a wire rack and bake at 400°F for about 45 minutes. Make sure it’s cooked through and there is no pink color in the center.

Transfer the meat to a mixing bowl and toss with BBQ sauce. Then transfer back to a baking sheet with a wire rack and broil for 5-7 minutes.

Tips for best results

Use fresh or defrosted chicken wings and not frozen ones. The reason is, we need to mix meat with the spices, so they are evenly coated. If your meat if frozen, I would advise to defrost it before cooking.
Make sure you use a trivet or a steamer basket. You don’t want the meat to sit in the liquid. Otherwise, it will be soggy and watery.

Options and Substitutions

Seasoning. You can easily play around with the seasoning and add your favorite spices.
Sauce. If you want to make Buffalo sauce instead, just use 1/3 cup Frank’s hot sauce, 3 tbsp melted butter, and 1 tbsp honey. Mix with the wings and it’s ready! No need to broil!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How long to cook?

You only need 6 minutes to cook 2 pounds of wings. If you double the recipe, you can cook for 7-8 minutes.

How long to broil?

After the chicken is cooked, place it on a baking sheet with a wire rack and broil for about 5-7 minutes or until the skin is crispy and has beautiful char.

How can you tell if the chicken is undercooked?

Here are a few tips to make sure your chicken is fully cooked:

Make sure that the internal temperature is higher than 165°F (I prefer to have at least 175°F).
If you see that the meat on the bones have pinkish color, the chicken probably needs to be cooked longer.
Make sure that the juices from the meat run out clear without any pink color.

Did you make this recipe?!? I’d love to know how it turned out! leave a comment and a rating below👇 thank you!

Update Notes: This post was originally published in 2019, but was republished with new photos, step by step instructions, tips, and FAQs in Feb of 2020.