Kefir Marinated Air-Fryer Wings are marinated in a kefir and Buffalo sauce mixture which makes them tender with a delicious crispy caramelized skin. The homemade kefir ranch dressing takes it all over the top for a flavor explosion!
This recipe is sponsored by Lifeway kefir. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures possible.
I love my air-fryer. Do you have one? If not, I highly recommend you get one. We make so much stuff in ours it’s not even funny. And I know I’ve talked about this in another wing post, but it’s true.
It makes baked potatoes with the crispiest skin. Which I love. Probably the hubs not so much. But it’s like getting a baked potato and potato skins all in one in my opinion. I’ve cooked chicken breasts and pork chops in there. I haven’t tried steak yet. That may be next on my list of things to try.
The rotisserie chicken is super delicious and juicy. I’ve even rotisserie cooked a few pork loins. Those came out perfectly delicious, too. Ours cake with skewers so I’ve made a few rounds of kebabs with it, too. And, of course, it makes killer chicken wings.
I’ve made quite a few chicken wing recipes with my air fryer. There’s a list of them at the end of the recipe. They are typically seasoned and cooked then coated in sauce. However, for these wings I wanted to marinate them in Lifeway kefir to make them extra tender.
There’s something about the proteins in dairy that makes meat super tender and delicious. It’s chemically complicated and I don’t quite understand why. I just know it’s true because I’ve marinated meat in milk, yogurt, sour cream, and now Lifeway kefir.
The funny thing about cooking the wings after they’ve been marinating in dairy is that they have this caramelized color and flavor to them that’s delicious! The hubs said to me, “They look burned.” “They’re not burned. When you marinate them in dairy it caramelizes or something like that. They taste delicious!” He agreed that they were delicious and continued to devour about 3 of them before dinner!
You know what’s great to have with homemade wings? Homemade ranch dressing!
We usually buy ranch dressing. And it’s okay. But one day I bought one of those make it home packets of the seasoning and it’s been a game changer every since. The homemade version is much better than the premade bottle. I was thoroughly shocked.
But then I thought, “I wonder if I can make it from scratch? With no seasoning packet?” So, that’s just what I did! Except, instead of the buttermilk, I used the Lifeway kefir. Let me tell you! That is THE BEST ranch dressing I’ve ever had. Even at any restaurant I’ve ever been to! It has delicious herbs and spices, the creamy mayonnaise and sour cream, and then the tang of the kefir. I will be eating more and more salads with this dressing in the house!
The best part is, I can add the Lifeway kefir to my regular Walmart online grocery order along with all the other vegetables for a delicious salad. Don’t shop at Walmart? Then check your local Food Lion or Harris Teeter for their line of delicious probiotic products.
I was turned no to Lifeway kefir a long time ago! I received some coupons for a few bottles of this delicious dairy. I headed to the store and picked up peach. That’s perfectly delicious by itself, but I turned it into a kefir peach smoothie that was out of this world for breakfast. Every since then, it can frequently be found in the fridge for a delicious smoothie or a substitute for buttermilk in baked goods.
In fact, a few of my most recent baked goods were made with kefir instead of buttermilk. In my opinion, it makes your baked goods moister and more delicious. I’m not sure why, but maple coffee glazed donuts I made recently were so tender and delicious! And the Irish apple cake was so moist and perfectly delicious. More so then when making it with just plain buttermilk.
Okay, enough about how delicious Lifeway kefir is in baked goods and dressings and smoothies. It not only tastes good but is good for you. With the probiotic benefits, it has the best flavor of any kefir I’ve tried. And I’ve tried a couple of them. Lifeway kefir is smoother and just tastes better than those others on the market.
Seriously. Just look at that golden brown color on those wings! They taste just as awesome as they look. I can’t wait to snack on the rest of them this weekend while watching college football. They’re the perfect snack for game day!! Especially dipped in that delicious homemade kefir ranch dressing. The perfect pair!
Be sure to head over to Lifeway to see what flavors and types of drinks they have available. They also sent me a few bottles of their plant based probiotic blend which is great for vegans. I tasted it and it’s delicious! I almost made dressing out of it. And I still might. Might want to stay tuned for that!
And be sure to follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram to get delicious recipe ideas and maybe some tips, tricks, and a coupon or two? Don’t quote me on that last one. But, I do know they have giveaways on their social media, so that’s definitely worth the follow!

Kefir Marinated Air-Fryer Wings and Homemade Ranch Dressing
Kefir Marinated Air-Fryer Wings are marinated in a kefir and Buffalo sauce mixture which makes them tender with a delicious crispy caramelized skin. The homemade kefir ranch dressing takes it all over the top for a flavor explosion!
Ingredients
For the wings:
- 1 to 1 1/2 pounds chicken wings
- 1 1/2 cups Lifeway kefir
- 2 tablespoons Buffalo wing sauce
For the dressing:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 teaspoons dried chives
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried minced onion
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 14 teaspoon black pepper
- 3/4 to 1 cup Lifeway kefir
Instructions
- Separate the wings into flats and drummettes discarding the tips.
- Combine the wings 1 1/2 cups Lifeway kefir and the wing sauce in a zip top plastic bag (or bowl). Refrigerate one hour or more (I brined mine overnight).
- For the dressing, combine the mayonnaise with the sour cream and spice in a jar. Add the kefir 1/2 cup at a time until you have reached your desired thickness. Initially, I added abut a cup, but after tossing the wings, I added a little more for dressing. As the dressing sits and the herbs and spices absorb the liquid, it may be necessary to add more kefir to thin the dressing a bit.
- Remove the wings from the refrigerator and place in the basket of your air-fryer. Cooking times may vary depending on your air-fryer. I cooked mine at 380 for 25 to 30 minutes.
- Toss the wings with the dressing and serve with extra dressing for dipping.
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Nutrition Information
Yield
4Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 869Total Fat 66gSaturated Fat 20gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 41gCholesterol 166mgSodium 1599mgCarbohydrates 31gFiber 3gSugar 9gProtein 38g
This counts the dressing as 4 servings, but it is much more than that.
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