Buffalo Chicken Wings Recipe
Spicy chicken wings tossed in tangy buffalo sauce, served with ranch dressing.
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Ingredients
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Chicken
Buffalo sauce
Dipping sauce
To finish & serve
Method
Chicken
- 1
Prep and dry
Pat the wings thoroughly dry with paper towels. Removing surface moisture helps them crisp when cooked.
- 2
Season
Place the dried wings in a large bowl. Sprinkle kosher salt, black pepper and baking powder over the wings. Toss until evenly coated. The baking powder helps dry the skin so it crisps (do not use baking soda).
- 3
Arrange for cooking
If baking: preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top. Arrange wings in a single layer on the rack with space between pieces. If frying: heat 1½–2 inches of neutral oil (vegetable or canola) to 350°F (175°C) in a heavy pot. If air frying: preheat to 400°F (200°C) and arrange wings in a single layer in the basket.
- 4
Cook until crisp
Baking: roast for 40–50 minutes, flipping once at 25 minutes, until skin is deep golden and crisp and internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Frying: fry in batches for 8–10 minutes until golden and cooked through; drain on a wire rack or paper towels. Air fryer: cook 22–26 minutes, shaking the basket every 6–8 minutes, until crisp and cooked through.
Buffalo sauce
- 5
Make the sauce
While the wings cook, melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Once melted, remove from heat and whisk in the hot sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder and optional cayenne until smooth and glossy. Taste and adjust: add a pinch more sugar to tame heat, or more vinegar for tang.
- 6
Tossing & serving
- 7
Toss wings in sauce
When wings are cooked and still hot, transfer them (in batches if needed) to a large clean bowl. Pour about half the buffalo sauce over the wings and toss gently to coat. Taste one wing — if you prefer more sauce, add the remaining amount and toss again so each piece is evenly coated.
- 8
- 9
Storage
Leftover wings: store wings and sauce separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 375°F (190°C) oven until warmed and crisp, then re-toss in warmed sauce.