These baked buffalo wings are so easy to make! They come out of the oven hot, crispy, and delicious.
They are perfect when served with a creamy blue cheese dip and fresh, crisp celery sticks.
My entire family loves these delicious buffalo wings! It's a simple recipe: you bake chicken wings in the oven and dip them in a hot, buttery sauce.
Two other delicious wing recipes that I love and make often are garlic parmesan wings and teriyaki wings. Check them out!
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Ingredients
Here's an overview of the ingredients needed for this recipe. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.
- Fresh chicken wings: I buy the trays labeled "party wings," in which whole wings are split into flats and drumettes. This saves me the trouble of cutting the wings.
- Avocado oil spray: Avocado oil is a neutral-tasting oil with a high smoke point, making it suitable for high-heat cooking and baking.
- To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika.
- For the sauce: Melted butter and hot pepper sauce. You can use your favorite brand of hot sauce. I typically use Frank's Red Hot Sauce or Crystal Hot Sauce.
Variations
Use Whole Wings
While I almost always opt for split wings, I sometimes use whole wings that weren't split into flats and drumettes. They're a bit messier to eat, but they are very good. Sometimes, I even leave the tips on. They become deliciously crunchy in the oven.
Change Up the Spices
I typically use garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika. Other spices I tried and liked include chili powder, ground cumin, and dried thyme. I use a teaspoon of each.
Instructions
The detailed instructions for making this recipe are included in the recipe card below. Here are the basic steps:
Your first step is to season the wings, spray them with oil, and bake them until fully cooked, about 30 minutes at 400°F.
Lower the oven to the "keep warm" setting (170°F) and keep the wings in the oven for 30 more minutes. This helps crisp up the skin.
Ten minutes before pulling the wings out of the oven, mix the melted butter and hot sauce. When the wings are ready, dip them in the sauce. I use tongs and dip them one by one:
Serve the wings with blue cheese dressing and celery sticks.
Expert Tips
- The wings will be fully cooked after about 30 minutes in a 400°F oven. But keeping them in the oven (on the "keep warm" setting) for 30 more minutes makes them wonderfully crispy.
- It's important to mix the buffalo sauce ten minutes before using it. If you mix it right before using it, it will be too thin. Mixing it ahead of time allows it to rest and thicken so that it coats the wings better.
Recipe FAQs
They are not named after the animal buffalo! They are named after the city where they were invented - Buffalo, N.Y.
I prefer baking because it's easier than deep-frying. While deep-frying does make for extra crispy skin, my method of baking the wings and then leaving them in a warm oven for 30 minutes achieves a similar result in the oven.
There's no need to use flour in this recipe. The skin comes out wonderfully crispy thanks to the hot oven temperature and those extra 30 minutes in a warm oven.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve buffalo wings like their inventor, Teressa Bellissimo, did, with fresh celery and blue cheese dressing (or ranch dressing).
I sometimes make them for dinner as a main course and serve them with a side dish that I can bake in the same 400°F, such as:
Storing Leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Reheat them gently in the microwave, covered, at 50% power, or (uncovered) in a 350°F oven.
More Wing Recipes
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Recipe Card
Baked Buffalo Wings
Ingredients
- 3 pounds chicken wings - split, tips removed
- Avocado oil spray
- 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or 1 teaspoon of any other salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Buffalo Sauce:
- 4 tablespoons butter - melted
- 4 tablespoons hot pepper sauce
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with high-heat-resistant parchment paper.
- Arrange the chicken wings on the prepared baking sheet. Spray them with oil, then sprinkle them with kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika. Give them another quick spray of oil.
- Bake the wings until the skin is browned and crispy, about 30 minutes. Lower the oven to "keep warm" (170°F) and keep the wings in the oven for 30 more minutes to crisp the skin.
- Ten minutes before the wings are ready, prepare the Buffalo sauce: Place the butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover it. Microwave until the butter is melted, about 20 seconds. Add the hot sauce and whisk to combine.
- Using tongs, toss the wings in the Buffalo sauce.
- Serve with blue cheese dip and celery sticks.
Video
Notes
- The wings will be fully cooked after about 30 minutes in a 400°F oven. But keeping them in the oven (on the "keep warm" setting) for 30 more minutes makes them wonderfully crispy.
- It's important to mix the buffalo sauce ten minutes before using it. If you mix it right before you use it, it will be too thin. Mixing it ahead of time lets it rest and thicken, allowing it to better coat the wings.
- You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Reheat them gently in the microwave, covered, at 50% power.
Nutrition per Serving
Disclaimers
Cup measurements refer to the standard American cup, which is 240 milliliters. Most of my recipes are low-carb (or keto) and gluten-free, but some are not. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate, and the carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them. Please read these Terms of Use carefully before using any of my recipes.
Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 
Amanda
Wow these turned out so good! This will be in my regular rotation, the meat was so tender and flavorful. The only thing I did differently was baking on a rack above a baking sheet. Thanks for the great recipe!
Vered DeLeeuw
You're very welcome, Amanda! I'm so glad you enjoyed these wings. Thank you for taking the time to write a review.
Jim
I have tried many recipes for baked wings and this recipe is by far the best. They turned out just like fried wings, this will be my way to cook wings for now on. Thank You.
Vered DeLeeuw
Yay! I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Jim. Thank you for taking the time to review it!