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–+ servings
A hand dips a chicken wing in a small silver cup filled with ranch dressing

Guava BBQ Air Fryer Wings

Course: Appetizer, dinner, lunch
Cuisine: North American
Keyword: air fryer, BBQ sauce, buffalo wings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
marinating time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 485kcal
Author: Marta Rivera
A sweet and savory BBQ sauce tossed over marinated wings is ready in a flash with the help of an air fryer.
Deep-fried and oven-baked instructions are included, too.
Print Recipe

Equipment

  • air fryer

Ingredients

  • 4 1/2 pounds chicken wings
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

Sofrito Spice Rub Marinade

  • 1 tablespoon Hey Grill Hey Chicken Spice Blend separated
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sazón
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
  • 1 teaspoon Jamaican curry powder optional
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 cup sofrito divided
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar or white distilled vinegar

Guava BBQ Sauce

  • 18 ounce bottle Hey Grill Hey Everything Sauce or one bottle of Original BBQ Sauce
  • 1/2 cup guava paste or guava jelly
  • 1 tablespoon hot sauce optional

Instructions

Marinate the Wings in the Sofrito Spice Rub Marinade (Can Be Made 3 Days Ahead)

  • In a large bowl, toss the wings in the baking soda.
    Set the bowl aside.
  • In a separate mixing bowl, combine 2 teaspoons of the Chicken spice blend, sazón, oregano, curry powder, and black pepper.
    Add 1/4 cup of the sofrito, and the white wine vinegar to the mix in the bowl and stir to combine the ingredients to make a chunky paste.
  • Pour the marinade over the wings in the bowl and massage it into the wings. Cover the bowl, or transfer the wings to a gallon-size food storage bag.
    Marinate the wings in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or, optimally, overnight.

Prepare the Guava BBQ Sauce (Can Be Done 1 Week Ahead)

  • Add the BBQ sauce and guava paste to a 2-quart saucepan.
    Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer over medium heat, whisking to facilitate the melting and mixing of the guava paste into the BBQ sauce.
  • Once the sauce is smooth, add the remaining Chicken spice blend and the remaining sofrito to the pot along with the hot sauce if you're using it.
    Bring the sauce up to a gentle simmer and, whisking frequently, cook the sauce for 10 minutes, or until it reduces by a quarter.
  • If you are using the sauce right away, you can turn the heat off and leave the sauce on the stove or countertop.
    If you're making the Guava BBQ Sauce ahead, see the notes section for storage instructions.

Air Fry the Chicken Wings

  • Ten minutes prior to air frying the wings, pull them from the fridge and allow them to sit out on the countertop to warm up. The meat needs to warm for a little while so the meat doesn't become tough as it cooks. 
    Heat your air fryer on the air fry setting at 375°F for 10 minutes. 
  • Spray the air fryer rack (or basket) lightly with non-stick cooking spray and arrange the wings on the rack in a single layer, making sure to leave a small space around all sides of the wings. The air fryer cooks more efficiently when it can circulate air around the wings. 
    Slide the rack of wings into the air fryer and cook them for 5 minutes on the first side. 
  • After 5 minutes, carefully remove the rack from the fryer and flip the wings to the other side. Return the rack to the air fryer and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
    The wings will be crisp and dark after 10 minutes.
  • Add one cup of the guava BBQ sauce to a mixing bowl (you can add more sauce to the bowl as you toss subsequent batches of wings, but this keeps things from getting too messy).
    Remove the rack from the air fryer and toss the wings in sauce in the bowl.
  • Transfer the air-fried, sauced wings to a sheetpan and keep them warm in a 200°F oven.
    Continue to air fry the remaining batches of wings.
  • Once all of the wings have been sauced, remove the sheetpan from the oven and serve the wings with any remaining Guava BBQ sauce or your preferred dipping sauce.

Notes

The raw, marinated wings may be frozen for up to 6 months. 
To Make the Guava BBQ Sauce Ahead:
  • After cooling, transfer the sauce to a large mason jar and store it, covered, in the fridge for 7 days. 
  • Alternatively, you can transfer your cooled sauce to freezer food storage bags and freeze the sauce for a year. Thaw the frozen sauce under refrigeration, then use it as desired.

Traditional Frying Instructions:

  1. Heat peanut or vegetable oil to 350°F.
  2. Fry the wings 6 or 7 at a time for 9-12 minutes or until crispy.
  3. Drain slightly on a paper-towel lined plate before tossing as instructed above.

Baking Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a sheetpan with non-stick cooking spray. 
  2. Arrange the wings on the sheetpan in a single layer.
  3. Bake the wings on one side for 20 minutes.
  4. Flip the wings over and bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until crispy and cooked through.  
  5. Remove the wings from the oven and use a spatula to transfer them from the sheetpan to a bowl containing the Guava BBQ sauce. 
  6. Toss the wings in the sauce to coat evenly and serve immediately. 
To store leftover cooked wings:
  • Transfer the wings to a food storage container and store them in the fridge for up to 3 days.
  • To reheat the wings, air-fry them in batches for 5 minutes, or until they're warmed through. You can also reheat the wings in a pre-heated 250°F oven or in the microwave.
  • Reheat leftovers thoroughly and enjoy them within 3 days of cooking them.  
To Freeze Air-Fried (Cooked) Guava BBQ Wings:
  • Allow the wings to cool completely.
  • Once cool, transfer the wings to a freezer storage bag and freeze them for 6 months.
  • Thaw and reheat the frozen wings in the fridge before reheating per the instructions above. 

Nutrition

Calories: 485kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 106mg | Sodium: 365mg | Potassium: 1066mg | Fiber: 28g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1358IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 1043mg | Iron: 25mg