Description
Ultra-crispy baked buffalo chicken wings with authentic spicy, tangy sauce! These restaurant-quality wings are oven-baked (no frying!) and coated in classic buffalo sauce made with Frank’s RedHot and butter. Perfect for game day!
Ingredients
Scale
For the Wings:
- 3 pounds chicken wings (drumettes and flats separated, about 24 pieces)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder (aluminum-free preferred)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For the Buffalo Sauce:
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 2/3 cup Frank’s RedHot sauce (or more for extra spicy)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
- Pinch of salt (to taste)
For Serving:
- Ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing
- Celery sticks
- Carrot sticks
Instructions
- Dry the Wings: This is crucial! Pat the chicken wings completely dry with paper towels. The drier they are, the crispier they’ll get. For extra-crispy wings, place them on a wire rack set over a baking sheet, uncovered, in the refrigerator for 1-8 hours or overnight. This optional step dries out the skin even more, resulting in maximum crispiness.
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup, then place an oven-safe wire rack on top. Lightly spray the rack with cooking spray.
- Season the Wings: In a large bowl, combine the baking powder, salt, garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper. Add the completely dry chicken wings and toss until evenly coated. Make sure every wing is covered—the baking powder is what creates that crispy skin!
- Arrange on Rack: Place the wings in a single layer on the prepared wire rack, making sure they’re not touching each other. Space between wings allows hot air to circulate and create crispy skin on all sides. Don’t crowd them!
- Bake: Place in the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, flip each wing over using tongs. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes, until the wings are golden brown, crispy, and cooked through (internal temperature should reach 165°F). For extra crispiness, turn on the broiler for the last 2-3 minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning.
- Make the Sauce: While the wings are in their final cooking phase, make the buffalo sauce. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Once melted, whisk in the Frank’s RedHot sauce and optional garlic powder. Bring to a simmer, then remove from heat. Taste and adjust—add a pinch of salt if needed, more hot sauce for spicier, or more butter for milder.
- Toss in Sauce: Remove the crispy wings from the oven and transfer them to a large, clean mixing bowl. Pour the buffalo sauce over the wings and toss gently but thoroughly until every wing is coated. Use tongs to ensure even coverage.
- Serve Immediately: Transfer to a serving platter and serve right away while hot and crispy. Arrange celery and carrot sticks around the wings and serve with ranch or blue cheese dressing for dipping.
Notes
- Baking Powder vs. Baking Soda: Use baking POWDER, not baking soda! They’re completely different. Baking soda will taste terrible.
- Don’t Skip the Wire Rack: Baking wings directly on the pan makes them steam and they won’t get crispy. The rack is essential for airflow.
- Dry, Dry, Dry: The drier your wings before cooking, the crispier they’ll be. Don’t skip the patting dry step!
- Sauce Consistency: If your sauce seems too thin, simmer it for a minute or two to thicken. If too thick, add a splash more hot sauce.
- Make Them Hotter: Want more heat? Use more hot sauce in the sauce, or add cayenne pepper to the dry rub.
- Crispiness Tip: For the absolute crispiest wings, do the overnight refrigerator drying method and use the broiler for the last 2-3 minutes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes (plus optional 1-8 hours drying time)
- Cook Time: 45-50 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 wing pieces (about 1/6 of recipe)
- Calories: 445
- Sugar: 0g
- Sodium: 875mg
- Fat: 35g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 1g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 155mg