One could definitely argue that chicken wings aren’t necessarily the picture of classy eating. I wouldn’t recommend eating them on a first date but I would recommend eating them in the comfort of your own home. (Or who cares, eat them in front of whoever, whenever!) They’re not for everyone but if the idea of a chicken wing dripping in hot buffalo sauce or a glazed barbecue sauce makes your mouth water, keep reading.

Though Superbowl Sunday has the corner on the most socially acceptable time to eat hot wings, that doesn’t mean you can’t bust out that saucy mess of protein any other Sunday of the year. The thing that makes these wings feel a little more justifiable is the fact we're making it in the air fryer. Requiring less oil than traditional frying, an air fryer can cut calories and fat content making your wing and fries addiction a little easier to manage. You can super creative with so many different flavors (if you've ever had the pleasure of dining in the most refined Buffalo Wild Wings, you'll know this is true) but my three go to's for a slow night in cooking are Medium Buffalo sauce wings, Barbecue glazed wings, and garlic parmesan wings.

Add some air fryer fries and a drink to pair it with to make the proper slow night in. Here are the recipes for all three types of sauces, with what I would recommend drinking them with, and my recipe for the perfect crispy fries.

Air Frying Chicken Wings

Set Air Fryer to 375 degrees
Season with salt and pepper and place in air fryer basket
Set time for 20 minutes to cook, flipping halfway through at 10 minutes
Flip an additional time after last 10 minutes
Increase temperature to 400 degrees for 8 minutes (or until skin is crispy and golden)
Toss with whatever sauce you choose!

Medium Heat Buffalo Sauce Pair with something bitter to help quell the heat like an IPA. Sweeter drinkers, sparkling rose works too!

12 ounces of Frank’s Red Hot sauce
6 tablespoons of butter
Dash of Worcestershire and Tabasco
- Add ingredients together and toss wings in sauce

Barbecue Glaze Sauce A full bodied red wine like Cabernet Sauvignon or Malbec

3/4 cup barbecue sauce
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Garlic Parmesan Sauce Pair with a lighter red or white, Pinot Grigio or a Pinot Noir

4 cloves of crushed garlic
4 tablespoons of butter
1/4 cup of finely grated parmesan
- Melt butter with garlic over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes
- Toss garlic butter with wing and parmesan

Crispy Air Fryer Fries

Preheat oven to 450 degrees
Slice potato in half vertically and continue to cut quarter inch cutes in same direction for fries
Mix and toss in large ziplock back (or large bowl)
- Season with:
  - 1 1/4 teaspoons of Chili powder
  - 1 1/4 teaspoons of fresh ground pepper
  - 1 1/4 teaspoons of kosher salt
Layer on sheet pan covered in tin foil. Careful not to overcrowd the fries
Bake for 28 minutes at 450 degrees (Flip fries halfway through)
Transfer fries from oven to air fryer for final 6 minutes at 400 degrees (flip halfway through)

Now you have your delicious air fried fries, wings, and drink of choice! The perfect recipe for a slow night in. Time to pop on a movie and sink in.

A Slow Night in with These 3 Chicken Wing Sauces, Complete with Paired Drink and Crispy Fries