Classic Buffalo Chicken Wings
These oven-baked Buffalo wings have browned, crisp skin beneath a generous coating of glossy orange-red sauce. Drying the flats and drumettes, then baking them with space between the pieces, helps the skin brown without breading. Toss the hot wings with butter and cayenne-style hot sauce only after they leave the oven. Serve them piled on a platter with celery sticks and blue cheese dressing.
Ingredients for Classic Buffalo Chicken Wings
Yield: 4 appetizer servings. Prep time: 15 minutes. Cook time: 45 to 55 minutes.
- 2 pounds split chicken wings, flats and drumettes (about 900g)
- 2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 cup cayenne-style hot sauce, such as Frank’s RedHot Original (120g)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (55g)
- 4 celery stalks, cut into sticks (about 160g)
- 1/2 cup blue cheese dressing (120g)
You’ll also need a little vegetable oil or cooking spray for the wire rack. Use baking powder, not baking soda; they are not interchangeable here.
How to Bake Buffalo Chicken Wings
- Prepare the oven and rack: Fully preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Set an oven-safe wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet and lightly oil or spray it. Line the sheet beneath the rack with foil if desired.
- Dry and season: Pat the wings thoroughly dry with paper towels. Toss them in a large bowl with the baking powder and salt until lightly and evenly coated, with no powdery clumps.
- Bake: Arrange the wings in one layer with space between pieces. Use a second rack-lined sheet if needed. Bake uncovered for about 45 to 55 minutes, flipping halfway through. If using two pans, rotate them and swap their oven positions halfway through. Begin checking at 40 minutes; the skin should be well browned and crisp, and a thermometer inserted into the thickest meat without touching bone should read at least 165°F (75°C).
- Warm the sauce: Near the end of baking, combine the hot sauce and butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir just until the butter melts and the sauce is smooth. Have the celery and blue cheese dressing ready.
- Toss and serve: Transfer the hot wings to a large bowl and toss immediately with the warm sauce until generously coated. Pile them on a platter and serve promptly with the celery and a small bowl of blue cheese dressing.
How to Keep Baked Wings Crisp
Moisture and crowding work against browning. Pat the wings dry before adding the light baking-powder coating, and leave room around each piece on the rack so heat can reach the skin. If using frozen wings, thaw them completely and pat them dry; the stated baking time is not for wings cooked from frozen.
The wings should be crisp before they meet the sauce. Tossing them just before serving gives them a glossy coating without letting them sit in sauce during baking. For more heat, stir a pinch of ground cayenne into the warm sauce to taste.
When Are the Wings Done?
Wing size and oven performance can change the finish time. Start checking at 40 minutes, then continue baking until the skin is browned and crisp and the thickest meaty part reaches 165°F. Keep the thermometer tip away from the bone; don’t rely on color or the clock alone.
Serving and Storing the Wings
Serve the freshly sauced wings with celery sticks and blue cheese dressing. Ranch can replace the blue cheese dressing if preferred.
Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven for approximately 15 minutes, checking that the wings are hot throughout. Already-sauced wings will be less crisp than freshly tossed ones. If cooking the wings ahead, keep the sauce separate where practical; warm it and toss with the reheated wings just before serving.
Nutrition
Approximate per appetizer serving, including celery and blue cheese dressing: 525 calories, 25g protein, 45g fat, and 4g carbohydrates. Approximate per 100g of edible prepared food: 230 calories, 11g protein, 20g fat, and 2g carbohydrates. Values are estimates; wing size, edible meat yield, and dressing brand will change the totals.
Equipment
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Oven-safe wire rack
- Large bowl
- Small saucepan
- Instant-read thermometer
Ingredients
For the Wings
- 2 pounds split chicken wings, flats and drumettes (about 900 g)
- 2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- A little vegetable oil or cooking spray for the rack
For the Sauce and Serving
- 1/2 cup cayenne-style hot sauce, such as Frank’s RedHot Original (120 g)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (55 g)
- 4 celery stalks, cut into sticks (about 160 g)
- 1/2 cup blue cheese dressing (120 g)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Set an oven-safe wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet and lightly oil or spray the rack. Line the sheet with foil if desired.
- Pat the wings thoroughly dry with paper towels. Toss them in a large bowl with the baking powder and salt until evenly coated, with no powdery clumps.
- Arrange the wings in a single layer on the rack, leaving space between pieces. Use a second rack-lined sheet if needed.
- Bake uncovered for 45 to 55 minutes, flipping halfway through. If using two pans, rotate them and swap their oven positions halfway through.
- Start checking at 40 minutes. Bake until the skin is browned and crisp and the thickest meaty part reaches at least 165°F (75°C), keeping the thermometer tip away from the bone.
- Near the end of baking, warm the hot sauce and butter in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring just until the butter melts and the sauce is smooth.
- Transfer the hot wings to a large bowl and toss immediately with the warm sauce until coated.
- Serve promptly with celery sticks and blue cheese dressing.
Tips
- Use baking powder, not baking soda; they are not interchangeable in this recipe.
- Dry the wings thoroughly and leave space between them on the rack to help the skin brown and crisp.
- Thaw frozen wings completely and pat them dry before baking; the listed cook time is not for frozen wings.
- Check doneness with a thermometer rather than relying on color or cooking time alone.
- Toss the wings with sauce just before serving to help them stay crisp.
Variations
- Ranch-Dressed Wings: Replace the blue cheese dressing with ranch dressing.
- Extra-Spicy Buffalo Wings: Stir a pinch of ground cayenne into the warm sauce to taste.