Crispy Oven-Baked Chicken Wings with Buffalo Sauce

Crispy Oven-Baked Chicken Wings

These bone-in flats and drumettes bake on a rack until their skin is deeply browned, then get a thin coating of warm Buffalo sauce. Drying the wings and seasoning them evenly with baking powder help the skin crisp without breading or oil on the wings. Toss them with sauce just before serving so the browned skin stays visible, and keep the ranch dip separate. The coating will soften the crisp edges as the wings sit.

Yield: 4 appetizer servings. Prep: 15 minutes. Cook: about 70–80 minutes. Total: about 85–95 minutes.

Ingredients for Crispy Oven-Baked Chicken Wings

• 2 pounds thawed bone-in chicken wings, separated into flats and drumettes (about 900g)
• 2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder (8g; not baking soda)
• 3/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/3 cup Buffalo-style cayenne hot sauce
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (42g)
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 cup prepared ranch dressing, for serving

Celery sticks are optional for serving. If starting with whole wings, remove the tips and separate the flats and drumettes before measuring the prepared portions, where practical.

How to Bake Crispy Chicken Wings

1. Prepare the pan: Preheat the oven to 250°F (120°C). Line a rimmed sheet pan with foil, set a wire rack inside, and lightly grease the rack. Check that the rack is oven-safe at 425°F.
2. Dry and season: Pat the thawed wings thoroughly dry with paper towels. Mix the baking powder, salt, and garlic powder, then toss with the wings until evenly coated. Arrange them in one non-overlapping layer on the rack. Use a second rack-lined pan if needed.
3. Start at low heat: Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Leave the wings in the oven and raise the temperature setting to 425°F (220°C). Continue baking without waiting for the oven to reach the new temperature.
4. Brown and crisp: Bake for approximately 40–50 minutes after raising the setting. Rotate the pan halfway through this stage; if using two pans, swap their oven positions too. Start checking after about 35–40 minutes. The wings are ready when the skin is deeply golden brown with crisp edges and no pale, damp-looking patches, and the thickest meat reaches at least 165°F (75°C) without the thermometer touching bone. Large wings or a slower-browning oven may need more time.
5. Warm the sauce: Near the end of baking, gently heat the hot sauce and butter in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring until the butter melts and the sauce is smooth. Let the baked wings stand for about 5 minutes.
6. Coat and serve: Toss the wings with just enough warm sauce to make them glossy while leaving the browned skin visible. Reserve any excess rather than letting sauce pool around them. Pile the wings on a platter, scatter with parsley, and serve promptly with ranch in a separate bowl.

How to Get Crisp Skin in the Oven

Wet skin is more likely to steam than brown, so dry the thawed wings well and keep them from overlapping. The rack holds them above their drippings while fat renders during the low-heat stage; the hotter stage then browns the skin. Rotating the pan helps even out oven hot spots without flipping each wing.

Distribute the baking powder in a thin, even coating. Concentrated pockets can taste unpleasant, and baking soda is not a substitute.

When to Sauce the Wings

Coat the wings shortly before serving and offer any extra sauce separately. Even a light coating will soften the skin over time. For a batch that stays crisp longer, leave some wings unsauced and serve their sauce on the side. Blue cheese dressing can replace the ranch as the separate dip.

Storing and Reheating

Cool leftover wings and refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Store leftover dip separately. Reheat the wings in a 350°F (175°C) oven for about 15 minutes, or until hot. They will not be quite as crisp as freshly baked wings.

Nutrition

Approximate nutrition per appetizer serving, including a share of the Buffalo sauce and ranch: 425 calories, 27g protein, 35g fat, and 3g carbohydrates. Per 100g of edible portion, excluding bones: approximately 245 calories, 15g protein, 20g fat, and 2g carbohydrates. Values vary with wing size, edible yield, and the sauce and dressing used.