Buffalo Wings Recipe

This buffalo wings recipe is so easy to make, and the wings come out of the oven hot, crispy, and delicious.

They are absolutely perfect when served with a creamy blue cheese dip and some fresh, crisp celery sticks!

Buffalo wings served with celery sticks and blue cheese sauce.

My entire family loves these delicious hot wings! So I make them often, because I really enjoy them too, and also because they are very easy to make.

The idea is simple: first, you bake the wings in the oven, then you dip them in a hot buttery sauce. As easy as can be and so delicious!

Another tasty wing recipe that we love is this recipe for garlic parmesan wings.

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Ingredients
Variations
Instructions
Expert Tips
Recipe FAQs
Serving Suggestions
Storing Leftovers
Related Recipes
Recipe Card

Ingredients

Here's an overview of the ingredients you'll need to make this buffalo wings recipe. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.

Fresh chicken wings: I buy the trays labeled as "party wings" where the whole wings are already separated 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 very suitable for high-heat cooking and baking.
To season: I use 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.

The ingredients needed to make buffalo wings.

Variations

Use whole wings. While I almost always opt for "party wings," sometimes I 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 your spices. I typically use garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika. Other spices that I tried and liked include chili powder, ground cumin, and dried thyme.

Instructions

Making this buffalo wings recipe is easy! The best part of this recipe is that it's baked rather than fried. It’s so much easier to bake chicken wings than to deep-fry them, and they come out perfect - crispy, well-seasoned, and truly delicious.

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 they are fully cooked, about 30 minutes at 400°F. (Photos 1-2).
Now, lower the oven to the "keep warm" setting (170°F) and keep the wings in the oven for 30 more minutes. This step will help crisp up the skin. (Photo 3).
Ten minutes before pulling the wings out of the oven, mix the melted butter and the hot sauce. (Photo 4).
Dip the wings in the sauce. I use tongs and dip them one by one, as you can see in the video below. (Photo 5).
Serve with blue cheese dressing for dipping. (Photo 6).

A six-photo collage showing the steps for making homemade buffalo wings.

Expert Tips

While the wings should be fully cooked after about 30 minutes in a 400°F oven, keeping them in the oven (on the "keep warm" setting) for 30 more minutes makes them wonderfully crispy.
Make sure 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 allows it to rest and thicken, which means it will better coat the wings.

Recipe FAQs

Why are they called "Buffalo" wings?

This dish was invented in 1964 in a family-owned restaurant in Buffalo, N.Y. called the Anchor Bar.

The wings were the creation of Teressa Bellissimo, who covered them in her own special sauce and served them with a side of blue cheese dressing and celery because that’s what she had available.

So just like so many other great culinary masterpieces, hot wings were born out of necessity!

Is it better to fry or bake buffalo wings?

I prefer baking, simply because it's so much easier than deep-frying. And 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.

Should I coat the wings in flour?

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.

What hot sauce do you recommend?

Simply use your favorite sauce! I prefer a hot sauce where the first ingredient is hot peppers rather than vinegar because those tend to be tastier and spicier.

Serving Suggestions

You can serve these tasty wings just like Teressa Bellissimo did, with fresh celery and blue cheese dressing (or ranch dressing).

I sometimes make them for dinner as a main course, and then I like to serve them with any side dish I would normally make, such as steamed broccoli or jicama fries.

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.

Homemade buffalo wings served on a white plate.

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