Chicken Wings Buffalo Sauce

The night before my best friend's wedding, her mom showed up at my door with three pounds of raw chicken wings and a look that said I know what I'm doing. We spent four hours in her tiny kitchen perfecting what she called emergency comfort food, and I've never looked at a bag of frozen wings the same way since.

Last Super Bowl, I made triple batches and still had people hovering around the baking sheet like sharks. Something about sticky, spicy wings makes even polite guests forget their manners, and honestly I love that energy.

Ingredients

• Chicken wings: Fresh ones crisp up better than frozen, and split at the joint they cook evenly
• Baking powder: This is the secret weapon for skin that shatters when you bite it
• Kosher salt: Coarse salt sticks to the wings better and seasons more evenly
• Unsalted butter: Control the salt level yourself and get that rich, smooth sauce base
• Hot sauce: Franks is classic but anything with vinegar backbone works beautifully
• White vinegar: Brightens the sauce and cuts through the butter perfectly
• Garlic powder: Always use powder here, fresh garlic can burn and taste bitter
• Worcestershire sauce: Adds that mysterious depth that makes people ask what your secret is
• Celery and carrots: These are not garnish, they're the cooling counterpoint your tongue needs

Instructions

Get your oven ready:

Preheat to 220°C and set up a wire rack on foil lined sheet for maximum airflow and easy cleanup

Prep the wings:

Pat them completely dry, then toss with baking powder, salt, and pepper until every piece is coated

First bake:

Arrange wings in a single layer on the rack and bake for 20 minutes until starting to crisp

Flip and finish:

Turn each wing over and bake another 20 minutes until deeply golden and irresistibly crunchy

Make the magic sauce:

Melt butter over low heat, whisk in hot sauce, vinegar, garlic powder, Worcestershire, and cayenne until just simmering

Coat and serve:

Toss hot wings in sauce until glossy and serve immediately with crisp veggies and cool dressing

Save

My sister calls these her birthday wings now because the year I made them instead of cake, nobody complained. Sometimes food hits harder than dessert ever could.

Making Ahead

Coat the wings with the baking powder mixture in the morning and keep them uncovered in the fridge. The extra drying time makes them even crispier, like you've been prepping for days instead of hours.

Sauce Variations

I've played around with honey garlic, lemon pepper, and even a maple bourbon version that made my husband actually speechless. But this classic Buffalo? It's classic for a reason.

Serving Ideas

These work for everything from Tuesday night dinners to New Year's Eve parties. The key is having plenty of napkins and maybe a wet towel or two.

• Double the sauce if you like them really messy and flavorful
• Keep a bowl of extra hot sauce on the table for the heat seekers
• Never skip the ranch or blue cheese, they're not optional

Save

These wings have turned more strangers into friends than I can count, and honestly that's the best recommendation I can offer.

Recipe FAQs

→ How do you achieve crispy chicken wings?

Coating the wings with baking powder and baking them on a wire rack allows air to circulate, resulting in a crispy skin without frying.

→ Can the spice level be adjusted?

Yes, you can vary the amount of hot sauce and cayenne pepper in the buffalo sauce to suit your preferred heat level.

→ What is the purpose of baking powder in this method?

Baking powder helps to dry out the skin and enhance crispiness by breaking down proteins and encouraging browning during baking.

→ What sides pair well with these wings?

Celery and carrot sticks add a refreshing crunch, while blue cheese or ranch sauce offers a creamy contrast to the spicy wings.

→ Is there a way to prepare wings ahead of time?

For extra crispiness, coat the wings with baking powder and refrigerate uncovered for 2–4 hours before baking.