Buffalo Wings Recipe (Easy, Crispy, Saucy!) - Wholesome Yum (2024)

Buffalo Wings Recipe (Easy, Crispy, Saucy!) - Wholesome Yum (1)

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In This Post

  • Why You’ll Love This Buffalo Wings Recipe
  • How To Make Buffalo Wings
  • Tips For The Best Buffalo Wings
  • Storage Instructions
  • What To Serve With Baked Buffalo Wings
  • More Easy Chicken Wing Recipes
  • My Tools For This Buffalo Wings Recipe
  • Buffalo Wings Recipe (Easy, Crispy, Saucy!)Recipe card
  • Recipe Reviews

When I’m in the mood for something crispy and super satisfying, my go-to chicken recipe is this buffalo wings recipe! It’s perfect for game day, a party, or — let’s be honest — any day. These baked buffalo chicken wings bring all the bold flavors you love, with an added crunch just like a restaurant version. And they are so easy!

You can make buffalo wings by starting out with air fryer wings or Crock Pot wings, but oven baked chicken wings are the best choice for a fuss-free big batch that doesn’t require special equipment. Just follow my tips for getting perfectly crispy wings, then toss them in sauce.

Why You’ll Love This Buffalo Wings Recipe

  • Bold, zesty buffalo flavor
  • Juicy, super crispy and saucy
  • Just 4 simple ingredients (plus salt and pepper)
  • Quick 10-minute prep time with hands-off cooking
  • Easier and healthier than deep frying
  • Perfect for game day or small gatherings
Buffalo Wings Recipe (Easy, Crispy, Saucy!) - Wholesome Yum (2)

Ingredients & Substitutions

This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for buffalo chicken wings, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

Wings:

  • Chicken Wings– Feel free to use a mix of both flats and drumettes for this buffalo wings recipe, so everyone gets their favorite part of the chicken wing. You can also use whole chicken wings. If you have other cuts on hand, I have a recipe for baked buffalo chicken breast, or you can make baked chicken legs and pour the buffalo sauce over them.
  • If you have frozen wings, use my frozen air fryer wings recipe.
  • Baking Powder– This is my secret ingredient for super crispy buffalo chicken wings! It works no matter what kind of sauce you like on your wings — plain, buffalo, BBQ, lemon pepper, etc. Just remember, it’s not the same as baking soda!
  • Sea Salt & Black Pepper

Buffalo Wing Sauce:

  • Buffalo Sauce – For that classic, fiery kick! Any hot sauce will work, but buffalo is the classic.
  • Butter– Adding butter to the buffalo sauce gives it a smoother, richer flavor and balances the heat. Be sure to use unsalted butter, since the buffalo sauce is already salty and we also add salt to the wings directly.

Buffalo Wings Recipe (Easy, Crispy, Saucy!) - Wholesome Yum (3)

VARIATION: Add other spices!

I kept it simple with just salt and pepper, because the buffalo sauce is already so flavorful! But if you like, you can add 1/2 teaspoon each of garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika to the wings for extra flavor.

How To Make Buffalo Wings

This section shows how to make baked buffalo chicken wings, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.

  1. Season. Toss the chicken wings with the baking powder, salt, and pepper, so that they are all evenly coated.
  2. Bake. Place the wings on twooven safe racksfitted insiderimmed baking sheets. Bake until they are crispy, and the internal temperature has reached 165 degrees F.
Buffalo Wings Recipe (Easy, Crispy, Saucy!) - Wholesome Yum (4)
Buffalo Wings Recipe (Easy, Crispy, Saucy!) - Wholesome Yum (5)
  1. Make the sauce. While chicken is cooking, stir or whisk together the buffalo sauce and melted butter. (I usually just melt in the microwave, but you can also melt them together in a saucepan over low heat on the stove.)
  2. Toss. Mix the wings with the sauce. Your buffalo wings recipe is ready to enjoy!
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Buffalo Wings Recipe (Easy, Crispy, Saucy!) - Wholesome Yum (7)

Buffalo Wings Recipe (Easy, Crispy, Saucy!) - Wholesome Yum (8)

Tips For The Best Buffalo Wings

  • Baking powder is the key to crispy chicken skin. Adding this before baking helps absorb moisture on the surface of the skin, for the perfect crispy results!
  • Use a wire rack. A rack makes crispier buffalo wings than a regular baking sheet, because it allows for air flow on all sides. I use these racks for dozens of other crispy foods, like bacon in the oven.
  • Line with parchment paper or foil for easy cleanup. This is not required, but lining the pan underneath the rack makes cleanup a breeze!

Storage Instructions

  • Store: If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.
  • Reheat: For best results, reheat the buffalo wings recipe in a 375 degrees F oven until warm. I don’t recommend the microwave, as it will make the skin soggy. Toss in a fresh mixture of buffalo sauce and melted butter after reheating.
  • Freeze: Freeze baked buffalo wings on a baking sheet in a single layer, until frozen solid. Then, transfer to a freezer bag, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Buffalo Wings Recipe (Easy, Crispy, Saucy!) - Wholesome Yum (9)

What To Serve With Baked Buffalo Wings

Now that you know how to make ’em, you might be wondering what goes with buffalo chicken wings! Here are some easy ideas:

  • Raw Veggies – Celery sticks, cucumber slices, mini bell peppers, and radishes are perfect to serve with a buffalo wings recipe.
  • Dipping SaucesBlue cheese dressing (pictured above) is my favorite pairing to cut the heat, but ranch dressing is also a great option.
  • Fries – Try air fried French fries for a crowd, or zucchini fries for a lighter option.
  • Appetizers – For a full appetizer spread, serve your hot wings alongside jalapeno poppers, creamy spinach dip, and stuffed mini peppers.
  • SaladsHealthy salads are a great way to make these wings into a complete, balanced meal. Caesar salad is one of my favorites!

More Easy Chicken Wing Recipes

If you’re a fan of chicken wings like I am, you’re in for a treat! Check out these other wing recipes — each one is a personal favorite and perfect for any wing lover’s next meal:

Air Fried Chicken Wings

Lemon Pepper Wings

Crispy Baked Chicken Wings

Whole Chicken Wings

  • Oven Safe Racks– The trick to the best buffalo wings! These racks circulate air better so wings bake up crispier.
  • Baking Sheets– These are my go-to baking sheets because they’re durable, non-stick, and bake everything evenly.
  • Instant Read Meat Thermometer– The best way to tell when your chicken is cooked perfectly.

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Recipe Card

Buffalo Wings Recipe (Easy, Crispy, Saucy!) - Wholesome Yum (15)

5 from 20 votes☝️ Click stars to rate or click here to leave a review!

Buffalo Wings Recipe (Easy, Crispy, Saucy!)

This simple baked buffalo chicken wings recipe uses 2 tricks that make them super crispy and perfectly saucy. Just 10 minutes to prep!

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 40 minutes

Total: 50 minutes

Author: Maya Krampf from WholesomeYum.com

Servings: 6 (adjust to scale recipe)

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Ingredients

Tap underlined ingredients to see where to get them.

Wings:

Buffalo sauce:

Serve with:

Instructions

Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C). Place 2 oven safe racks fitted inside 2 rimmed baking sheets.

  2. Place chicken wings into a large bowl. Sprinkle with baking powder, salt, and pepper, and toss to coat.

  3. Arrange wings on the racks in a single layer. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees (74 degrees C) and skin is crispy.

  4. Toward the end of baking, stir together buffalo sauce and melted butter in a large bowl. When wings are done, add them to the bowl and toss with sauce.

  5. Serve with blue cheese dressing and celery sticks.

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Related Easy Recipes

  • Hasselback Chicken (Jalapeno Popper Style)

  • Buffalo Chicken Salad Recipe

  • Buffalo Chicken Zucchini Boats

  • Crock Pot Chicken Wings

Recipe Notes

Serving size: 3-4 chicken wings, or 1/6 entire recipe

Nutrition Facts

Amount per serving. Serving size in recipe notes above.

Calories341

Fat27.2g

Protein22.5g

Total Carbs0.5g

Net Carbs0.5g

Fiber0g

Sugar0.1g

Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.

Course:Main Course

Cuisine:American

Keywords:baked buffalo wings, buffalo chicken wings, buffalo wings recipe

Calories: 341 kcal

© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. 🙂

Buffalo Wings Recipe

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FAQs

Buffalo Wings Recipe (Easy, Crispy, Saucy!) - Wholesome Yum? ›

This was the easiest of the hacks: Just toss the wings in a teaspoon each of salt and baking powder before baking. The wings came out of the oven quite crisp, and were the only wings that came out matte – with no oil sheen – which seemed to help them absorb the sauce, in both good and bad ways.

What is the secret ingredient to crispy wings? ›

This was the easiest of the hacks: Just toss the wings in a teaspoon each of salt and baking powder before baking. The wings came out of the oven quite crisp, and were the only wings that came out matte – with no oil sheen – which seemed to help them absorb the sauce, in both good and bad ways.

What is better for crispy wings baking powder or cornstarch? ›

Cornstarch: Coating the chicken wings with cornstarch gives them a very light breading and makes them extra crispy! Baking Powder: Be sure to use baking powder, and NOT baking soda. For baked chicken wings, the baking powder works with cornstarch and salt to coat the wings.

Why soak chicken wings in baking soda and water? ›

Baking soda acts as a meat tenderizer by changing the physical composition of meat fibers. It raises the pH levels on the surface and makes it tougher (pun intended) for the proteins in the meat to bond.

Is baking soda or baking powder better for crispy chicken? ›

That trick is a sprinkling of baking powder, and it'll get you the crispiest, crackliest bites of fatty, salty skin imaginable, whether you're cooking just one thigh, a plate of wings, or an entire bird. Baking powder, it turns out, is good for quite a lot more than baking.

What makes chicken crispy flour or cornstarch? ›

INGREDIENTS TIPS

My not-so-secret tip to the best fried chicken is a combination of FLOUR, CORNSTARCH, and BAKING POWDER. When mixed with the flour, the cornstarch makes the flour coating crispier and gives it that golden brown color! (It has to do with prevention of gluten development.)

What oil makes the crispiest wings? ›

Peanut oil is really the only way to go. Crispier wings and the flavor just can't be beat.

Does cornstarch or baking powder make chicken crispy? ›

The baking powder raises the pH of the surface, allowing it to crisp better*), and tossing in plain cornstarch to absorb some surface moisture and create a rougher texture for the batter to adhere to. *See more on the science of baking powder and chicken wings in this article on oven-fried buffalo wings.

Why use cornstarch instead of baking powder? ›

Cornstarch serves a different purpose-a thickening agent like flour. Baking powder or Cream of Tartar may contain a small amount of corn starch, but it is usually made from an aluminum element and used for making dough rise for quick breads, and cookies. They are not interchangeable.

Does cornstarch make things extra crispy? ›

When paired with all-purpose flour, cornstarch helps prevent gluten development, which makes the flour coating crispier, and absorb moisture (from the frying and the chicken), which also means a crispier coating. If you already have a favorite fried chicken recipe, try replacing a quarter of the flour with cornstarch.

Do I have to rinse baking soda off chicken? ›

Allow the meat to soak in the baking soda solution for 15 minutes. Remove the meat from the liquid and briefly rinse the meat in plain water to strip off the baking soda solution (or as much of it as possible). Cook as desired.

Should I soak chicken wings in milk? ›

Soaking the chicken wings in milk helps to tenderize the meat and add moisture. If you have time, marinating the chicken wings for several hours or even overnight in the refrigerator. However, it's important to note that marinating chicken wings for too long in milk can cause the texture of the meat to become mushy.

How much baking powder do you put in chicken wings? ›

Ingredients
  1. 2 pounds (900g) chicken wings, cut into drumettes and flats.
  2. 2 teaspoons (10g) baking powder.
  3. 2 teaspoons (10g) kosher salt; for table salt use half as much by volume or the same weight.
  4. 4 tablespoons (50g) unsalted butter.
  5. 4 tablespoons (60ml) Frank's RedHot Sauce.
  6. Blue cheese dressing, for serving.

What ingredient makes chicken skin crispy? ›

Coating the chicken in baking powder and salt before cooking produced an intensely crispy skin—at first.

How much baking powder to put on chicken? ›

For every pound of chicken wings that you're cooking, you should use 1-2 tablespoons of baking powder. When you think about it, that's really not a whole lot. This is because if you add too much, you will taste that alkaline flavor (the same flavor that makes a pretzel, a pretzel, you know?).

How do you get crispier wings? ›

Pat wings dry with paper towels; Toss wings in baking powder and salt; Bake at 120°C/250°F for 30 minutes, then at 220°C/425°F for 40 – 50 minutes until golden brown and crispy.

How do restaurants get their wings so crispy? ›

velveting in oil. There's a local place with the best wings I've ever had and I asked their process. They dry brine for a day or two and then bake them, and THEN deep fry them before doing the rubs or sauces. The results are so crispy but tender and juicy.

What gives chicken a crispy skin? ›

If you crank your oven to at least 450°F and position a rack in the top third (the hottest part) of your oven and slide some chicken in there skin-side-up, the skin will be crisp by the time the chicken is cooked through. To help it out, baste it a couple times while it roasts with pan-drippings, butter, or oil.

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