Pat the wings completely dry with paper towels. Removing surface moisture helps them crisp. If whole wings, trim tips and separate drumettes and flats.

Season the wings evenly with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss to distribute.

Toss the seasoned wings with aluminum-free baking powder until evenly coated. The baking powder creates a drier skin that crisps well in the oven or when fried.

If frying: heat 2 cups of oil in a deep pot or Dutch oven to 350°F (175°C). If oven-baking: preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and position a rack on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil and a wire rack on top; lightly oil the rack.

Cook the wings: For frying, working in batches, carefully lower wings into the hot oil and fry 8–10 minutes until deep golden and cooked through (internal temp 165°F / 74°C). Transfer to a paper-towel-lined tray to drain. For oven-baking, arrange wings skin-side up on the wire rack in a single layer and bake 45–50 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden-brown and crisp.

Once cooked, let wings rest 3–5 minutes on a tray while you finish the sauce.

Wally's Signature Buffalo Sauce

In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the unsalted butter slowly, taking care not to brown it.

Add the hot sauce to the melted butter and whisk to combine into a smooth emulsion. Maintain low heat — do not boil.

Stir in the light brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes (if using) and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Continue to warm and whisk for 1–2 minutes until the sugar dissolves and the sauce is glossy. Taste and adjust heat or salt as needed.

Remove sauce from heat. For a silkier finish, you can strain the sauce through a fine mesh sieve, but this is optional.

Place the cooked wings in a large stainless-steel or heatproof bowl. Pour the warm sauce over the wings and toss vigorously for 30–45 seconds until every wing is evenly coated.

To Serve

Arrange the sauced wings on a platter. Sprinkle with chopped parsley if using.

Serve immediately with celery sticks, carrot sticks and blue cheese dressing or ranch for dipping.

Leftovers: refrigerate cooled wings in an airtight container up to 3 days. Reheat in a 375°F (190°C) oven for 10–12 minutes to re-crisp; toss with warmed sauce if desired.