Buffalo Chicken Wings Recipe
Choice of Hot Wings, BBQ Wings, or Taco Wings
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Ingredients
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Chicken Wings
Hot Buffalo Sauce (for Hot Wings)
BBQ Sauce Option (for BBQ Wings)
Taco Wing Sauce Option (for Taco Wings)
For Serving
Method
Chicken Wings
- 1
Prep and dry
Pat wings very dry with paper towels. Trim any excess skin or tips if desired; leave drumettes and wingettes intact. Drying the skin helps it crisp.
- 2
Season and coat
In a large bowl toss wings with kosher salt, black pepper and baking powder until evenly coated. The baking powder raises pH and aids crisping.
- 3
Air-fry or oven-roast
For oven: preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Arrange wings skin-side up on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet, leaving space between pieces. Bake 25–30 minutes, flip, then bake an additional 10–15 minutes until skin is deeply golden and crisp and internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). For air fryer: preheat to 400°F (200°C). Arrange wings in a single layer (cook in batches if needed) and air-fry 20–25 minutes, shaking or turning once, until crisp and cooked through.
Hot Buffalo Sauce (for Hot Wings)
- 4
Make sauce
In a small saucepan over low heat, melt unsalted butter. Add hot sauce, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire, garlic powder, honey and salt. Whisk until blended and warmed through, do not boil. Taste and adjust heat or sweetness as desired.
- 5
BBQ Sauce Option (for BBQ Wings)
- 6
Prepare BBQ glaze
Combine your favorite BBQ sauce, apple cider vinegar and smoked paprika in a small saucepan. Warm over medium-low heat just until it simmers, stirring to combine. Remove from heat.
- 7
Glaze wings
Place cooked wings in a bowl, pour warmed BBQ glaze over them and toss to coat. For a sticky finish, return wings to the oven at 425°F (220°C) on the rack for 4–6 minutes to set the glaze, watching carefully to avoid burning. Serve with celery, carrots and ranch or blue cheese if desired.
Taco Wing Sauce Option (for Taco Wings)
- 8
Make taco-style sauce
In a small bowl whisk together taco or enchilada sauce, lime juice and ground cumin. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- 9
Finish and garnish
Toss cooked wings with the taco sauce until coated. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with lime wedges, celery, carrots and a side of ranch or crema if desired.
For Serving
- 10
Arrange wings on a platter with celery and carrot sticks. Serve with blue cheese or ranch dressing and lime wedges for the Taco wings. Recommend serving immediately while hot and crisp.